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Frankly, my dear, you probably should give a damn: “1939 represents Old Hollywood at its best — the studio system, the star system, the way they made movies,” says Thomas S. Hisochak, author of 1939: Hollywood’s Greatest Year. “Whatever you liked about movies, it was there. 1939 did it all and did it well.” There were 365 films released that year, many of which remain the gold standard for their respective genres. “That moment of filmmaking is not just about filmmaking,” adds TCM host Jacqueline Stewart. “It’s about reflecting on a moment in America’s cultural and political history.” Here are four standouts.

1 / The Wizard of Oz
GENRE Fantasy
OTHERS IT INFLUENCED Star Wars, E.T., any Marvel movie
WHY From the sparkly ruby slippers to those terrifying flying monkeys, ‘Oz’ remains the most influential film of all time. “It’s the roots of cinema as fantastic, all-encompassing spectacle,” says Bernardo Rondeau, associate curator of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, where one pair of said ruby slippers currently resides.

2 / The Women
GENRE Female ensemble comedy
OTHERS IT INFLUENCED 9 to 5, Bridesmaids, Ocean’s 8
WHY A look at the interior lives of women told with heart, humor, and high fashion through interconnected stories of love, marriage, and divorce. And not a single man in sight!

3 / Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
GENRE Political drama
OTHERS IT INFLUENCED All the President’s Men, The American President, Lincoln
WHY An earnest senator Jefferson Smith, Jimmy Stewart, broke out in the 25-hour-filibuster scene. Themes of corruption and graft in the American Senate have made it (sadly) enduringly relevant.

4 / Gone With the Wind
GENRE Epic romance
OTHERS IT INFLUENCED Doctor Zhivago, Titanic, Australia
WHY All-time classic or dangerous romanticization of dark moments in history (in this case, the antebellum South and slavery)? Tomorrow may be another day, but Hollywood likes to present the world through scarlet-colored glasses. But the lush romance, groundbreaking effects, and Scarlett’s tale of survival still resonate.

– Maureen Lee Lenker