This comprehensive reference work serves as an exhaustive catalog of motion pictures, providing critical evaluations and production data for thousands of films. Leslie Halliwell, a noted film historian and critic, compiled this extensive database to offer a standardized resource for cinephiles and researchers. The volume utilizes a structured entry system to document technical credits, plot summaries, and critical assessments of films spanning the history of cinema up to the turn of the millennium.

This guide is widely regarded as a foundational reference tool for film scholars and enthusiasts due to its immense breadth and consistent editorial voice. The volume functions as a definitive historical snapshot of global cinema, providing a reliable, albeit subjective, framework for evaluating the evolution of film production throughout the twentieth century.