The Macmillan Compendium series is a collection of single-volume reference encyclopaedias. This volume presents articles about specific movies, great directors, and big stars integrated with descriptions of basic film genres. It features a sanctioned list of 100 'best' movies, and provides a backdrop for discussion of a century of American movies. Backmatter includes a chronology - placing film in the context of American history, a bibliography, an award list - Academy Awards, and Critics Awards, and a glossary of film terms.