Best Actress Oscar-Winning Movies, Ranked by Tomatometer
See every movie that won the Academy Award for Best Actress in one place!
The Best Actress Oscar has been around since the very first Academy Awards ceremony, starting with Janet Gaynor winning for her 1927 triple play of 7th Heaven, Street Angel, and Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans. Since then, actresses who have won the Oscar multiple times include Katharine Hepburn (Morning Glory, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, The Lion in Winter, On Golden Pond), Frances McDormand (Fargo, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Nomadland), Meryl Streep (Sophie’s Choice, The Iron Lady), Bette Davis (Dangerous, Jezebel), Ingrid Bergman (Gaslight, Anastasia), Elizabeth Taylor (Butterfield 8, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?), Jodie Foster (The Accused, The Silence of the Lambs), Sally Field (Norma Rae, Places in the Heart), and Hilary Swank (Boys Don’t Cry, Million Dollar Baby).
There’s been one tie in the history of the award, when Hepburn, winning for The Lion in Winter, had to share the stage with Barbra Streisand and her Funny Girl win. Movies that had a Best Actress-winning performance that we couldn’t list here because they don’t have a Tomatometer include Gaynor’s Street Angel, 1930’s Min and Bill, and 1931’s The Sin of Madelon Claudet. Every other movie awarded across a century is featured here, so read on and discover all the Best Actress Oscar-winning movies by Tomatometer! —Alex Vo
98%
Critics Consensus: Capturing its stars and director at their finest, It Happened One Night remains unsurpassed by the countless romantic comedies it has inspired.
Synopsis: In Frank Capra's acclaimed romantic comedy, spoiled heiress Ellie Andrews impetuously marries the scheming King Westley, leading her tycoon father to spirit her away on... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Claudette Colbert, Clark Gable, Walter Connolly, Roscoe Karns
Directed By: Frank Capra
98%
Critics Consensus: Boasting masterful cinematography to match its well-acted, wonderfully romantic storyline, Sunrise is perhaps the final -- and arguably definitive -- statement of the silent era.
Synopsis: Bored with his wife (Janet Gaynor), their baby and the dull routine of farm life, a farmer (George O'Brien) falls under the spell of a... View Full Synopsis
Starring: George O'Brien, Janet Gaynor, Margaret Livingston, Bodil Rosing
Directed By: F.W. Murnau
96%
Critics Consensus: With Audrey Hepburn luminous in her American debut, Roman Holiday is as funny as it is beautiful, and sets the standard for the modern romantic comedy.
Synopsis: Overwhelmed by her suffocating schedule, touring European princess Ann takes off for a night while in Rome. When a sedative she took from her doctor... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn, Eddie Albert, Tullio Carminati
Directed By: William Wyler
97%
Critics Consensus: Full of wit, humor, and pathos, Stephen Frears' moving portrait looks at life of the British royals during the period after Princess Diana's death.
Synopsis: Following the death of Princess Diana in an auto accident, Great Britain's Queen Elizabeth II (Helen Mirren) and Prime Minister Tony Blair (Michael Sheen) struggle... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen, James Cromwell, Helen McCrory
Directed By: Stephen Frears
97%
Critics Consensus: A feverish rendition of a heart-rending story, A Streetcar Named Desire gives Tennessee Williams' stage play explosive power on the screen thanks to Elia Kazan's searing direction and a sterling ensemble at the peak of their craft.
Synopsis: Based on the play by Tennessee Williams, this renowned drama follows troubled former schoolteacher Blanche DuBois (Vivien Leigh) as she leaves small-town Mississippi and moves... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Marlon Brando, Vivien Leigh, Kim Hunter, Karl Malden
Directed By: Elia Kazan
97%
Critics Consensus: Filled with poignant performances and devastating humor, Annie Hall represents a quantum leap for Woody Allen and remains an American classic.
Synopsis: Comedian Alvy Singer (Woody Allen) examines the rise and fall of his relationship with struggling nightclub singer Annie Hall (Diane Keaton). Speaking directly to the... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Tony Roberts, Carol Kane
Directed By: Woody Allen
97%
Critics Consensus: A lavish modern fairy tale celebrated for its amazing special effects, catchy songs, and Julie Andrews's legendary performance in the title role.
Synopsis: When Jane (Karen Dotrice) and Michael (Matthew Garber), the children of the wealthy and uptight Banks family, are faced with the prospect of a new... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, Glynis Johns, David Tomlinson
Directed By: Robert Stevenson
96%
Critics Consensus: Led by a volcanic performance from Elizabeth Taylor, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is a scathing adaptation of the Edward Albee play that serves as a brilliant calling card for debuting director Mike Nichols.
Synopsis: History professor George (Richard Burton) and his boozy wife, Martha (Elizabeth Taylor), return late one Saturday night from a cocktail party at the home of... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, George Segal, Sandy Dennis
Directed By: Mike Nichols
95%
Critics Consensus: Director Jonathan Demme's smart, taut thriller teeters on the edge between psychological study and all-out horror, and benefits greatly from stellar performances by Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster.
Synopsis: Jodie Foster stars as Clarice Starling, a top student at the FBI's training academy. Jack Crawford (Scott Glenn) wants Clarice to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn, Ted Levine
Directed By: Jonathan Demme
94%
Critics Consensus: Violent, quirky, and darkly funny, Fargo delivers an original crime story and a wonderful performance by McDormand.
Synopsis: "Fargo" is a reality-based crime drama set in Minnesota in 1987. Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy) is a car salesman in Minneapolis who has gotten... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Frances McDormand, Steve Buscemi, William H. Macy, Peter Stormare
Directed By: Joel Coen
97%
Critics Consensus: A powerful, thought-provoking film that covers different angles of its topic without resorting to preaching, Dead Man Walking will cause the viewer to reflect regardless of their political viewpoint.
Synopsis: As death row inmate Matthew Poncelet (Sean Penn) nears his execution date, he calls upon Sister Helen Prejean (Susan Sarandon) to help him with one... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Susan Sarandon, Sean Penn, Robert Prosky, Raymond J. Barry
Directed By: Tim Robbins
93%
Critics Consensus: Led by an outstanding Michelle Yeoh, Everything Everywhere All at Once lives up to its title with an expertly calibrated assault on the senses.
Synopsis: Directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, collectively known as Daniels, the film is a hilarious and big-hearted sci-fi action adventure about an exhausted Chinese... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, James Hong
Directed By: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
94%
Critics Consensus: A superbly-mounted adaptation of E.M. Forster's tale of British class tension, with exceptional performances all round, Howard's End ranks among the best of Merchant-Ivory's work.
Synopsis: Helen Schlegel falls for Paul Wilcox, but is rebuffed. Her sister Margaret becomes friends with his mother, who promises her the family house, Howards End.... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson, Helena Bonham Carter, Vanessa Redgrave
Directed By: James Ivory
95%
Critics Consensus: Barbara Streisand elevates this otherwise rote melodramatic musical with her ultra-memorable star turn as Fanny Brice.
Synopsis: In this bittersweet, classic musical drama, the vibrant and beautiful young Fanny Brice (Barbra Streisand) starts out as a bit player on the New York... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Barbra Streisand, Omar Sharif, Walter Pidgeon, Kay Medford
Directed By: William Wyler
93%
Critics Consensus: A poetic character study on the forgotten and downtrodden, Nomadland beautifully captures the restlessness left in the wake of the Great Recession.
Synopsis: A woman in her sixties embarks on a journey through the American West, living as a van-dwelling modern-day nomad after losing everything in the Great... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Frances McDormand, David Strathairn, Linda May, Swankie
Directed By: Chloé Zhao
93%
Critics Consensus: The Favourite sees Yorgos Lanthimos balancing a period setting against rich, timely subtext - and getting roundly stellar performances from his well-chosen stars.
Synopsis: In the early 18th century, England is at war with the French. Nevertheless, duck racing and pineapple eating are thriving. A frail Queen Anne occupies... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz, Emma Stone, Nicholas Hoult
Directed By: Yorgos Lanthimos
92%
Critics Consensus: Wildly imaginative and exhilaratingly over the top, Poor Things is a bizarre, brilliant tour de force for director Yorgos Lanthimos and star Emma Stone.
Synopsis: From filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos and producer Emma Stone comes the incredible tale and fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter (Stone), a young woman brought back to... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, Mark Ruffalo, Christopher Abbott
Directed By: Yorgos Lanthimos
93%
Critics Consensus: Led by incredible work from Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay, Room makes for an unforgettably harrowing -- and undeniably rewarding -- experience.
Synopsis: Held captive for years in an enclosed space, a woman and her young son finally gain their freedom, allowing the boy to experience the outside... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay, Joan Allen, Sean Bridgers
Directed By: Lenny Abrahamson
93%
Critics Consensus: Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher are worthy adversaries in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, with Miloš Forman's more grounded and morally ambiguous approach to Ken Kesey's surrealistic novel yielding a film of outsized power.
Synopsis: When Randle Patrick McMurphy gets transferred for evaluation from a prison farm to a mental institution, he assumes it will be a less restrictive environment.... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, Brad Dourif, William Redfield
Directed By: Milos Forman
93%
Critics Consensus: An excessively sentimental piece of propaganda, Mrs. Miniver nonetheless succeeds, due largely to Greer Garson's powerful performance.
Synopsis: A moving drama about a middle-class English family learning to cope with war, told in a series of dramatic vignettes. The family, headed by the... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, Dame May Whitty, Teresa Wright
Directed By: William Wyler
94%
Critics Consensus: Donald Sutherland is coolly commanding and Jane Fonda a force of nature in Klute, a cuttingly intelligent thriller that generates its most agonizing tension from its stars' repartee.
Synopsis: This acclaimed thriller stars Jane Fonda as Bree Daniel, a New York City call-girl who becomes enmeshed in an investigation into the disappearance of a... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Jane Fonda, Donald Sutherland, Roy Scheider, Charles Cioffi
Directed By: Alan J. Pakula
92%
Critics Consensus: Silver Linings Playbook walks a tricky thematic tightrope, but David O. Russell's sensitive direction and some sharp work from a talented cast gives it true balance.
Synopsis: After losing his job and wife, and spending time in a mental institution, Pat Solatano winds up living with his parents. He wants to rebuild... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver
Directed By: David O. Russell
92%
Critics Consensus: Endlessly witty, visually rapturous, and sweetly romantic, Shakespeare in Love is a delightful romantic comedy that succeeds on nearly every level.
Synopsis: "Shakespeare in Love" is a romantic comedy for the 1990s set in the 1590s. It imaginatively unfolds the witty, sexy and timeless tale behind the... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Joseph Fiennes, Gwyneth Paltrow, Geoffrey Rush, Judi Dench
Directed By: John Madden
91%
Critics Consensus: La La Land breathes new life into a bygone genre with thrillingly assured direction, powerful performances, and an irresistible excess of heart.
Synopsis: Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and Mia (Emma Stone) are drawn together by their common desire to do what they love. But as success mounts they are... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, John Legend, Rosemarie DeWitt
Directed By: Damien Chazelle
90%
Critics Consensus: Driven by populist fury and elevated by strong direction, powerful acting, and an intelligent script, Network's searing satire of ratings-driven news remains sadly relevant more than four decades later.
Synopsis: In this lauded satire, veteran news anchorman Howard Beale (Peter Finch) discovers that he's being put out to pasture, and he's none too happy about... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Faye Dunaway, Peter Finch, William Holden, Robert Duvall
Directed By: Sidney Lumet
86%
Critics Consensus: Elevated by standout performances from James Caan and Kathy Bates, this taut and frightening film is one of the best Stephen King adaptations to date.
Synopsis: After a serious car crash, novelist Paul Sheldon (James Caan) is rescued by former nurse Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates), who claims to be his biggest... View Full Synopsis
Starring: James Caan, Kathy Bates, Frances Sternhagen, Richard Farnsworth
Directed By: Rob Reiner
91%
Critics Consensus: Henry Fonda and Katherine Hepburn are a wondrous duo in On Golden Pond, a wistful drama that movingly explores the twilight years of a loving marriage.
Synopsis: Cantankerous retiree Norman Thayer (Henry Fonda) and his conciliatory wife, Ethel (Katharine Hepburn), spend summers at their New England vacation home on the shores of... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, Jane Fonda, Doug McKeon
Directed By: Mark Rydell
92%
Critics Consensus: Great performances and evocative musical numbers help Cabaret secure its status as a stylish, socially conscious classic.
Synopsis: In Berlin in 1931, American cabaret singer Sally Bowles (Liza Minnelli) meets British academic Brian Roberts (Michael York), who is finishing his university studies. Despite... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Liza Minnelli, Joel Grey, Michael York, Helmut Griem
Directed By: Bob Fosse
90%
Critics Consensus: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri deftly balances black comedy against searing drama -- and draws unforgettable performances from its veteran cast along the way.
Synopsis: After months have passed without a culprit in her daughter's murder case, Mildred Hayes makes a bold move, painting three signs leading into her town... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Lucas Hedges
Directed By: Martin McDonagh
90%
Critics Consensus: Clint Eastwood's assured direction - combined with knockout performances from Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman - help Million Dollar Baby to transcend its clichés, and the result is deeply heartfelt and moving.
Synopsis: Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood) is a veteran Los Angeles boxing trainer who keeps almost everyone at arm's length, except his old friend and associate Eddie... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank, Morgan Freeman, Anthony Mackie
Directed By: Clint Eastwood
90%
Critics Consensus: Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine finds the director in peak late-period form -- and benefiting from a superb cast led by Cate Blanchett.
Synopsis: After her marriage to a wealthy businessman (Alec Baldwin) collapses, New York socialite Jasmine (Cate Blanchett) flees to San Francisco and the modest apartment of... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Alec Baldwin, Cate Blanchett, Louis C.K., Bobby Cannavale
Directed By: Woody Allen
90%
Critics Consensus: Gone with the Wind's epic grandeur and romantic allure encapsulate an era of Hollywood filmmaking -- but that can't excuse a blinkered perspective that stands on the wrong side of history.
Synopsis: Winner of eight Academy Awards® (plus two special achievement Oscars) Celebrate the 85th Anniversary of one of the most celebrated motion pictures of all time,... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh, Leslie Howard, Olivia de Havilland
Directed By: Victor Fleming
90%
Critics Consensus: Powered by Holly Hunter's main performance, The Piano is a truth-seeking romance played in the key of erotic passion.
Synopsis: After a long voyage from Scotland, pianist Ada McGrath (Holly Hunter) and her young daughter, Flora (Anna Paquin), are left with all their belongings, including... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Holly Hunter, Harvey Keitel, Sam Neill, Anna Paquin
Directed By: Jane Campion
90%
Critics Consensus: Led by energetic performances from Nicolas Cage and Cher, Moonstruck is an exuberantly funny tribute to love and one of the decade's most appealing comedies.
Synopsis: No sooner does Italian-American widow Loretta (Cher) accept a marriage proposal from her doltish boyfriend, Johnny (Danny Aiello), than she finds herself falling for his... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Cher, Nicolas Cage, Vincent Gardenia, Olympia Dukakis
Directed By: Norman Jewison
91%
Critics Consensus: Sharper and wittier than your average period piece, The Lion in Winter is a tale of palace intrigue bolstered by fantastic performances from Peter O'Toole, Katharine Hepburn, and Anthony Hopkins in his big-screen debut.
Synopsis: It's Christmas 1183, and King Henry II (Peter O'Toole) is planning to announce his successor to the throne. The jockeying for the crown, though, is... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Peter O'Toole, Katharine Hepburn, Jane Merrow, John Castle
Directed By: Anthony Harvey
90%
Critics Consensus: Harrowing yet stirring, Boys Don't Cry powerfully commemorates the life -- and brutally unjust death -- of transgender teen Brandon Teena.
Synopsis: Young female-to-male transgender Brandon Teena leaves his hometown under threat when his ex-girlfriend's brother discovers that he's biologically female. Resettling in the small town of... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Hilary Swank, Chloë Sevigny, Peter Sarsgaard, Brendan Sexton III
Directed By: Kimberly Peirce
92%
Critics Consensus: Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore finds Martin Scorsese wielding a somewhat gentler palette than usual, with generally absorbing results.
Synopsis: After her husband dies, Alice (Ellen Burstyn) and her son, Tommy, leave their small New Mexico town for California, where Alice hopes to make it... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Ellen Burstyn, Kris Kristofferson, Billy Green Bush, Diane Ladd
Directed By: Martin Scorsese
88%
Critics Consensus: Tied together by a powerhouse performance from Joan Crawford, Mildred Pierce blends noir and social drama to soapily intoxicating effect.
Synopsis: When Mildred Pierce's wealthy husband leaves her for another woman, Mildred decides to raise her two daughters on her own. Despite Mildred's financial successes in... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Joan Crawford, Jack Carson, Ann Blyth, Zachary Scott
Directed By: Michael Curtiz
84%
Critics Consensus: Like a classic traditional country song, Coal Miner's Daughter draws on time-tested formula -- and undeniable talent -- to tell a solidly affecting story.
Synopsis: Raised in rural Kentucky poverty and married at the age of 13, Loretta Lynn (Sissy Spacek) begins writing and singing her own country songs in... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Sissy Spacek, Tommy Lee Jones, Beverly D'Angelo, Levon Helm
Directed By: Michael Apted
85%
Critics Consensus: Bracingly intense, passionate, and wildly melodramatic, Black Swan glides on Darren Aronofsky's bold direction -- and a bravura performance from Natalie Portman.
Synopsis: Nina (Natalie Portman) is a ballerina whose passion for the dance rules every facet of her life. When the company's artistic director decides to replace... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey
Directed By: Darren Aronofsky
87%
Critics Consensus: Taking full advantage of Julia Roberts's considerable talent and appeal, Erin Brockovich overcomes a few character and plot issues to deliver a smart, thoughtful, and funny legal drama.
Synopsis: Erin Brockovich is a woman in a tight spot. Following a car accident in which Erin is not at fault, Erin pleads with her attorney... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Julia Roberts, Albert Finney, Aaron Eckhart, Marg Helgenberger
Directed By: Steven Soderbergh
85%
Critics Consensus: Somber and thought provoking, Monster's Ball has great performances all around.
Synopsis: Hank, an embittered racist prison guard working on death row, begins an unlikely, emotionally charged sexual relationship with Leticia, a Black woman and wife of... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Halle Berry, Billy Bob Thornton, Heath Ledger, Peter Boyle
Directed By: Marc Forster
85%
Critics Consensus: Elevated by a gripping performance from Julianne Moore, Still Alice is a heartfelt drama that honors its delicate themes with bravery and sensitivity.
Synopsis: Dr. Alice Howland (Julianne Moore) is a renowned linguistics professor at Columbia University. When words begin to escape her and she starts becoming lost on... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin, Kristen Stewart, Kate Bosworth
Directed By: Richard Glatzer, Wash Westmoreland
82%
Critics Consensus: Led by a deeply committed performance from Renée Zellweger, Judy captures the waning days of a beloved performer with clear-eyed compassion.
Synopsis: Thirty years after starring in "The Wizard of Oz," beloved actress and singer Judy Garland arrives in London to perform sold-out shows at the Talk... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Renée Zellweger, Jessie Buckley, Finn Wittrock, Rufus Sewell
Directed By: Rupert Goold
85%
Critics Consensus: While it's fueled in part by outdated stereotypes, Driving Miss Daisy takes audiences on a heartwarming journey with a pair of outstanding actors.
Synopsis: Daisy Werthan (Jessica Tandy), an elderly Jewish widow living in Atlanta, is determined to maintain her independence. However, when she crashes her car, her son,... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Morgan Freeman, Jessica Tandy, Dan Aykroyd, Patti LuPone
Directed By: Bruce Beresford
86%
Critics Consensus: James L. Brooks and Jack Nicholson, doing what they do best, combine smart dialogue and flawless acting to squeeze fresh entertainment value out of the romantic-comedy genre.
Synopsis: Melvin Udall (Jack Nicholson) is an obsessive-compulsive writer of romantic fiction who's rude to everyone he meets, including his gay neighbor Simon (Greg Kinnear), but... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, Greg Kinnear, Cuba Gooding Jr.
Directed By: James L. Brooks
83%
Critics Consensus: Superior acting and authentic crooning capture the emotional subtleties of the legend of Johnny Cash with a freshness that is a pleasure to watch.
Synopsis: The rise of country music legend Johnny Cash (Joaquin Phoenix) begins with his days as a boy growing up on the family farm, where he... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Ginnifer Goodwin, Robert Patrick
Directed By: James Mangold
81%
Critics Consensus: Charlize Theron gives a searing, deglamorized performance as real life serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Monster, an intense, disquieting portrait of a profoundly damaged soul.
Synopsis: Shortly after moving to Florida, longtime prostitute Aileen Wuornos (Charlize Theron) meets young and reserved Selby Wall (Christina Ricci) and a romance blossoms. When a... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Charlize Theron, Christina Ricci, Bruce Dern, Scott Wilson
Directed By: Patty Jenkins
81%
Critics Consensus: A classic tearjerker, Terms of Endearment isn't shy about reaching for the heartstrings -- but is so well-acted and smartly scripted that it's almost impossible to resist.
Synopsis: Widow Aurora Greenway (Shirley MacLaine) and her daughter, Emma (Debra Winger), have a strong bond, but Emma marries teacher Flap Horton (Jeff Daniels) against her... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Shirley MacLaine, Debra Winger, Jack Nicholson, Jeff Daniels
Directed By: James L. Brooks
79%
Critics Consensus: The movie may be a downer, but it packs an emotional wallop. Some fine acting on display here.
Synopsis: "The Hours" is the story of three women searching for more potent, meaningful lives. Each is alive at a different time and place, all are... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, Nicole Kidman, Ed Harris
Directed By: Stephen Daldry
74%
Critics Consensus: The set design and cinematography are impressive, but the real achievement of La Vie en Rose is Marion Cotillard's mesmerizing, wholly convincing performance as Edith Piaf.
Synopsis: Born into poverty and raised in a brothel, Édith Piaf (Marion Cotillard) manages to achieve worldwide fame. Though her extraordinary voice and charisma open many... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Marion Cotillard, Clotilde Courau, Jean-Paul Rouve, Sylvie Testud
Directed By: Olivier Dahan
74%
Critics Consensus: Sophie's Choice may be more sobering than stirring, but Meryl Streep's Oscar-winning performance holds this postwar period drama together.
Synopsis: Stingo (Peter MacNicol), a young writer, moves to Brooklyn in 1947 to begin work on his first novel. As he becomes friendly with Sophie (Meryl... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, Peter MacNicol, Josef Sommer
Directed By: Alan J. Pakula
100%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: An ambitious young man from a poor family, gets a job in a mill town in Northern England. He woos the daughter of the richest... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Laurence Harvey, Simone Signoret, Heather Sears, Hermione Baddeley
Directed By: Jack Clayton
100%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Catherine (Olivia de Havilland), a young woman who stands to inherit her father's large fortune, falls in love when she meets Morris (Montgomery Clift), who... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Olivia de Havilland, Montgomery Clift, Ralph Richardson, Miriam Hopkins
Directed By: William Wyler
100%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: In this acclaimed drama, Belinda McDonald (Jane Wyman), a young deaf-mute woman living off the coast of Canada on Cape Breton Island, becomes close to... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Jane Wyman, Lew Ayres, Charles Bickford, Jan Sterling
Directed By: Jean Negulesco
100%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Carrie Watts (Geraldine Page) may be old, but she suffers no shortage of spirit. When her carping daughter-in-law (Carlin Glynn) and overprotective son (John Heard)... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Geraldine Page, John Heard, Rebecca De Mornay, Carlin Glynn
Directed By: Peter Masterson
100%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Chico (Charles Farrell) is a poor Parisian sewer cleaner who aspires to work his way out of his dead-end job and into the middle class.... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Janet Gaynor, Charles Farrell, Ben Bard, David Butler
Directed By: Frank Borzage
100%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Young Swedish-American Katrin "Katie" Holstrom (Loretta Young) leaves her family farm in Minnesota, headed for nursing school. After her tuition money runs out, she is... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Loretta Young, Joseph Cotten, Ethel Barrymore, Charles Bickford
Directed By: H. C. Potter
95%
Critics Consensus: Marrying screwball romance with political satire, Born Yesterday is a substantive romp with a ferociously smart performance by Judy Holliday as an uncouth bombshell.
Synopsis: Brassy blonde moll Billie Dawn (Judy Holliday) hits Washington, D.C., with her unscrupulous millionaire sugar daddy, Harry Brock (Broderick Crawford), and his sleazy lawyer, Jim... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Judy Holliday, William Holden, Broderick Crawford, Howard St. John
Directed By: George Cukor
97%
Critics Consensus: Not even notorious studio meddling can diminish the craft and tantalizing suspense of Suspicion, a sly showcase for Joan Fontaine's nervy prowess and Alfred Hitchcock's flair for disquiet.
Synopsis: Charming scoundrel Johnnie Aysgarth (Cary Grant) woos wealthy but plain Lina McLaidlaw (Joan Fontaine), who runs away with him despite the warnings of her disapproving... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Cary Grant, Joan Fontaine, Cedric Hardwicke, Nigel Bruce
Directed By: Alfred Hitchcock
96%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Blind and deaf after suffering a terrible fever as a baby, young Helen Keller (Patty Duke) has spent years unable to communicate, leaving her frustrated... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Anne Bancroft, Patty Duke, Victor Jory, Inga Swenson
Directed By: Arthur Penn
96%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: In one of her most renowned roles, Bette Davis portrays Julie Marsden, a spoiled Southern belle who risks losing her suitor with her impetuous behavior.... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Bette Davis, Henry Fonda, George Brent, Margaret Lindsay
Directed By: William Wyler
95%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Inspired by a Pearl S. Buck novel, this inspiring drama follows the many ups and downs in the lives of Chinese farmers Wang Lung and... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Paul Muni, Luise Rainer, Walter Connolly, Tilly Losch
Directed By: Sidney Franklin
94%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: This film tells the riveting true story of brazen bad girl Barbara Graham (Susan Hayward, in an Academy Award-winning performance), a perpetual offender who tries... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Susan Hayward, Simon Oakland, Virginia Vincent, Theodore Bikel
Directed By: Robert Wise
94%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Suffering from headaches and inexplicable blackouts, timid housewife Eve White (Joanne Woodward) begins seeing a psychiatrist, Dr. Luther (Lee J. Cobb). He's stunned when she... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Joanne Woodward, Lee J. Cobb, David Wayne, Edwin Jerome
Directed By: Nunnally Johnson
93%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Out drinking one night after a fight with her boyfriend, three men brutally rape Sarah Tobias in a bar while people watch and cheer. District... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Kelly McGillis, Jodie Foster, Bernie Coulson, Leo Rossi
Directed By: Jonathan Kaplan
91%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Could an amnesiac refugee named Anna Anderson (Ingrid Bergman) truly be the Grand Duchess Anastasia, purported sole survivor of the execution of Czar Nicholas II... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Ingrid Bergman, Yul Brynner, Helen Hayes, Akim Tamiroff
Directed By: Anatole Litvak
91%
Critics Consensus: Spearheaded by a galvanizing Sally Field, Norma Rae is a heartening and politically powerful drama about an ordinary woman taking an extraordinary stand.
Synopsis: Like a lot of her family before her, Norma Rae (Sally Field) works at the local textile mill, where the pay is hardly commensurate with... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Sally Field, Ron Leibman, Beau Bridges, Pat Hingle
Directed By: Martin Ritt
90%
Critics Consensus: Places in the Heart is a quiet character piece with grand ambitions that it more than fulfills, thanks to absorbing work from writer-director Robert Benton and a tremendous cast.
Synopsis: In 1935 rural Texas, recently widowed Edna Spaulding (Sally Field) struggles to survive with two small children, a farm to run and very little money... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Sally Field, Lindsay Crouse, John Malkovich, Ed Harris
Directed By: Robert Benton
94%
Critics Consensus: George Cukor's invigorated screen adaptation of the Angel Street play comes to life through Ingrid Bergman's suspenseful standoff against the uncannily evil Charles Boyer to thrilling yet melodramatic effect.
Synopsis: After the death of her famous opera-singing aunt, Paula (Ingrid Bergman) is sent to study in Italy to become a great opera singer as well.... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Charles Boyer, Ingrid Bergman, Joseph Cotten, Dame May Whitty
Directed By: George Cukor
87%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Based on the popular novel by Franz Werfel, this drama focuses on Bernadette Soubirous (Jennifer Jones), a young French woman who experiences vivid visions of... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Jennifer Jones, Charles Bickford, Gladys Cooper, William Eythe
Directed By: Henry King
88%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: During World War II, Italian widow Cesira (Sophia Loren) must leave Rome with her devout daughter when the city comes under attack by Allied forces.... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Sophia Loren, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Eleanora Brown, Carlo Ninchi
Directed By: Vittorio De Sica
86%
Critics Consensus: A Western that swaps out the Hollywood glamor for shades of moral gray, Hud is a sobering showcase for a sterling ensemble of actors at the top of their respective games.
Synopsis: Hard-drinking, arrogant, womanizing Hud Bannon (Paul Newman) lives a self-centered, indolent life supported by his hard-working and morally upstanding father, Homer (Melvyn Douglas), on the... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Paul Newman, Melvyn Douglas, Patricia Neal, Brandon De Wilde
Directed By: Martin Ritt
86%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: An affair between a married American insurance executive and a British divorcee does not run entirely smoothly. His back problems rather cramp his style, yet... View Full Synopsis
Starring: George Segal, Glenda Jackson, Paul Sorvino, Cec Linder
Directed By: Melvin Frank
88%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Joyce Heath (Bette Davis) plays a difficult actress in this film, based loosely on the life of early-20th-century Broadway and film star Jeanne Eagels. Joyce... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Bette Davis, Franchot Tone, Margaret Lindsay, Alison Skipworth
Directed By: Alfred E. Green
81%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Jean Brodie (Maggie Smith) is a free-spirited teacher at a Scottish girls' school during the 1930s. She encourages her young pupils to embrace romantic ideals,... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Maggie Smith, Pamela Franklin, Robert Stephens, Gordon Jackson
Directed By: Ronald Neame
83%
Critics Consensus: Coming Home's stellar cast elevates the love triangle in the center of its story - and adds a necessary human component to its none-too-subtle political message.
Synopsis: The wife of a Marine serving in Vietnam, Sally Hyde (Jane Fonda) decides to volunteer at a local veterans hospital to occupy her time. There... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Jane Fonda, Jon Voight, Bruce Dern, Robert Ginty
Directed By: Hal Ashby
83%
Critics Consensus: A quartet of nuanced performances and Ken Russell's off-kilter direction brings D.H. Lawrence's battle of the sexes to tactile life.
Synopsis: Close friends Rupert Birkin and Gerald Crich begin romances with siblings Ursula and Gudrun Brangwen. After the couples wed, they take a joint honeymoon to... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Alan Bates, Glenda Jackson, Oliver Reed, Jennie Linden
Directed By: Ken Russell
78%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: This adaptation of Clifford Odets' stage drama features Bing Crosby as the hard-drinking Frank Elgin, a once-popular Broadway star whose glory days have passed. When... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, William Holden, Anthony Ross
Directed By: George Seaton
82%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Two decades after their hasty wedding, Doc (Burt Lancaster) and Lola (Shirley Booth) are stuck in a deadening and loveless marriage. Doc, who dropped out... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Burt Lancaster, Shirley Booth, Terry Moore, Richard Jaeckel
Directed By: Daniel Mann
81%
Critics Consensus: Children of a Lesser God transcends its transparently noble goals thanks to a pair of absorbing performances from William Hurt and Marlee Matlin.
Synopsis: Starting his new job as an instructor at a New England school for the deaf, James Leeds meets Sarah Norman, a young deaf woman who... View Full Synopsis
Starring: William Hurt, Marlee Matlin, Piper Laurie, Philip Bosco
Directed By: Randa Haines
81%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: During a night watch in London, middle-aged American Jody Norris (Olivia de Havilland) meets the brisk but kind Lord Desham (Roland Culver). Later, Jody recalls... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Olivia de Havilland, John Lund, Mary Anderson, Roland Culver
Directed By: Mitch Leisen
80%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: In the late 1950s, the U.S. Army assigns nuclear engineer Hank Marshall (Tommy Lee Jones) to an isolated weapons testing facility in Alabama. Hank causes... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Jessica Lange, Tommy Lee Jones, Powers Boothe, Carrie Snodgress
Directed By: Tony Richardson
78%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: After three years of marriage, Ted (Chester Morris) has an affair that threatens to destroy his happiness with wife Jerry (Norma Shearer), as she returns... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Norma Shearer, Chester Morris, Conrad Nagel, Robert Montgomery
Directed By: Robert Z. Leonard
75%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Working-class Philadelphia teen Kitty Foyle (Ginger Rogers) dreams of life in the city's fashionable society circles, but when she impulsively weds her former boss, wealthy... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Ginger Rogers, Dennis Morgan, James Craig, Eduardo Ciannelli
Directed By: Sam Wood
72%
Critics Consensus: This biopic is undeniably stylish, but loses points for excessive length, an overreliance on clichés, and historical inaccuracies.
Synopsis: This lively biopic depicts the rise of Florenz Ziegfeld (William Powell), a theater producer who became renowned during the 1920s for his lavish stage productions.... View Full Synopsis
Starring: William Powell, Luise Rainer, Myrna Loy, Frank Morgan
Directed By: Robert Z. Leonard
73%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Beautiful but easily bored Diana Scott (Julie Christie) becomes a popular model and actress in London in the 1960s while toying with the affections of... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Julie Christie, Dirk Bogarde, Laurence Harvey, José Luis de Vilallonga
Directed By: John Schlesinger
71%
Critics Consensus: More well-intentioned than insightful in its approach to interracial marriage, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner succeeds thanks to the fizzy chemistry of its star-studded ensemble.
Synopsis: When Joanna Drayton (Katharine Houghton), a free-thinking white woman, and black doctor John Prentice (Sidney Poitier) become engaged, they travel to San Francisco to meet... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Sidney Poitier, Katharine Houghton
Directed By: Stanley Kramer
67%
Critics Consensus: The Eyes of Tammy Faye might have focused more sharply on its subject's story, but Jessica Chastain's starring performance makes it hard to look away.
Synopsis: THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE is an intimate look at the extraordinary rise, fall and redemption of televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker. In the 1970s and... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Jessica Chastain, Andrew Garfield, Cherry Jones, Fredric Lehne
Directed By: Michael Showalter
66%
Critics Consensus: It might strike some viewers as a little too pat, but The Blind Side has the benefit of strong source material and a strong performance from Sandra Bullock.
Synopsis: Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron), a homeless black teen, has drifted in and out of the school system for years. Then Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock)... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Quinton Aaron, Jae Head
Directed By: John Lee Hancock
63%
Critics Consensus: Despite Kate Winslet's superb portrayal, The Reader suggests an emotionally distant, Oscar-baiting historical drama.
Synopsis: Michael Berg (David Kross), a teen in postwar Germany, begins a passionate but clandestine affair with Hanna Schmitz (Kate Winslet), an older woman who enjoys... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Kate Winslet, Ralph Fiennes, David Kross, Lena Olin
Directed By: Stephen Daldry
60%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: In a provincial town, an actress harbors aspirations of greatness. Dying to be Broadway's next big thing, Eva Lovelace (Katharine Hepburn) finds her path to... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Katharine Hepburn, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Adolphe Menjou, C. Aubrey Smith
Directed By: Lowell Sherman
67%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Based on a play by Tennessee Williams, this classic drama centers on Serafina (Anna Magnani), a widowed Sicilian woman living in the American South who... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Anna Magnani, Burt Lancaster, Marisa Pavan, Ben Cooper
Directed By: Daniel Mann
51%
Critics Consensus: Meryl Streep's performance as The Iron Lady is reliably perfect, but it's mired in bland, self-important storytelling.
Synopsis: In her twilight years, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (Meryl Streep) reflects on her life and career as she finally prepares to dispose of... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent, Alexandra Roach, Harry Lloyd
Directed By: Phyllida Lloyd
47%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A Manhattan call-girl has a tragic affair with a rich married man.
Starring: Elizabeth Taylor, Laurence Harvey, Eddie Fisher, Dina Merrill
Directed By: Daniel Mann
44%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: The object of many a local man's attraction, Norma Besant (Mary Pickford) shrugs off her father's suggestion that she take up with a sophisticated suitor,... View Full Synopsis
Starring: Mary Pickford, Johnny Mack Brown, Matt Moore, John St. Polis
Directed By: Sam Taylor
