What do you think is the greatest all American movie of all time?

[Dr. Cynic]

The Godfather Parts I and II taken together are the best viewing experience I've ever had. The Shawshank Redemption ranks up there. Young Frankenstein is my favorite comedy.

[Indy Texas]

I can't think of a movie that sums up American culture better than Robert Altman's Nashville. Even though it was made nearly 40 years ago, the "15 minutes of fame" mentality of many of the characters hasn't gone away. The quixotic third-party presidential campaign calls to mind everything from Ross Perot to the Tea Party. And, sadly, the public shooting by a mentally unstable gunman (spoiler).

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Slapshot

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Rocky IV, undoubtedly. The ultimate triumph of good over evil, the defeat of a foreigner, and American victory in the Cold War all rolled into one.

[H. Ross Peron]

"Citizen Kane" or "Manchurian Candidate".

[Oldiesfreak1854]

What do you mean by "all American movie"?

[angus]

What do you mean by "all American movie"?

Supersoulty hasn't posted here in nearly a year. 

I won't speak for him, but to me it meant a film made in the USA, funded by a gringo, directed by a gringo, and about the United States, or about some especially American aspect thereof. 

[Dr. Cynic]

Slapshot

I remember listening to DVE one day and they had one of the Hanson Brothers on for like an hour and a half.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

What do you mean by "all American movie"?

Supersoulty hasn't posted here in nearly a year. 

I won't speak for him, but to me it meant a film made in the USA, funded by a gringo, directed by a gringo, and about the United States, or about some especially American aspect thereof. 

Please forgive me, but what is a gringo?

[Ichabod]

"Gringo" is an almost universal concept in Latin America to refer to people from the U.S (sorry, I
don't say "American" because I'm American, too)

[angus]

Please forgive me, but what is a gringo?

Like icahod said, it's latinospeak for United States Person.  Their official term is estadunidenso, but that's a mouthful.  Six syllables.  Just like we have our own term as well:  United States Persons.  That's seven syllables.  It's so clunky when you're reading official forms (immigration and custom documents, etc.)  I tend to look for shorter labels.  My life is made difficult because I loathe acronyms and newspeak and hipsterspeak.  The word "American" isn't too cacophonic or cumbersome (4 syllables, and it starts with a vowel so it's easy on the tongue), but it is problematic owing to its ambiguity, since American can refer to someone from The Americas, or someone who studies The Americas.  Yankee is okay with me, and for a long time it was my preferred label for my nationality, but some of the Southerners here bristle at the term.  They find it offensive.  (The migration stories of big planters from the US to Brazil after the 13th amendment abolished slavery also mention this.  Brazil was one of the last big countries to abolish slavery, so many planters went there after 1865.  They were of course called Yanqui by the Brazilieros, because that's what they get called there, but the Brazilieros quickly found out that those particular yanquis didn't like being called yanqui.  They spelled it Yankee and used it only to refer to their enemies.  So later they just called 'em gringos.)  Whatever.  So I use gringo in the vernacular.  When I'm having a conversation with a foreigner from Asia or Africa, or, I suppose, if I knew any, from Europe, I use the label American, but when I'm having a conversation with a foreigner from The Americas, then I use the term Gringo.  I suppose if I'm speaking to another gringo, then I don't put much thought into it and use the terms United States Person, Gringo, Yankee, and American interchangeably. 

etymology:  Gringo is a bastardization of Griego, which means Greek in spanish.  You know, like we say, "It's greek to me" to mean that it's weird or foreign.  All foreigners in Mexico were called griego by the Mexicans (again, not because they were greek, but in the same vein that we do.)  Over time, and with a largely illiterate population, this soon bastardized into the more easily pronounced Gringo.  This particular term being cute, portable, easy to pronounce, and easy to spell, was quickly adopted all over the Americas.

Lately, some stodgy, old-money, Mexican families have taken to considering it offensive.  Yes, they actually know how to be politically correct in Mexico.  I was at a bar in Merida a few years ago and some nice couple on vacation asked me about my provenance, and I said, "Pues, el niño y yo somos gringos..." and he looked at me a very disapproving or disappointed look.  It was the same look that I saw a big, black woman look at her son, just before she slapped him, when he said something about "them ns" on a greyhound bus from Cleveland to Fort Worth.  Just so you know, it's out there.  Nevertheless, I generally don't get that sort of reaction and heretofore it has generally not been considered an offensive term.  But things do change. 

[nolesfan2011]

when I think "all-American" in sports it has to be Rudy, Rocky or The Sandlot.

in war movies, Patton, Big Red One, Saving Private Ryan all come to mind.

in drama, cultural study and such Gran Torino, Scarface and Godfather all have to be near the top of the list.