Henry Fonda rose to prominence during the late 1930s, consistently working throughout the next five decades and becoming an icon of American cinema. The patriarch of a successful acting family and one of the most active actors in classic Hollywood, Fonda starred in many films that have become classics. In 1999, he ranked sixth on the AFI's list of the greatest male legends in classic cinema.

Although perhaps best known for his roles in highly regarded Westerns, Fonda acted in multiple genres throughout his illustrious career, including courtroom dramas, biopics, romantic dramas, and screwball comedies. Many of his films have become certified classics, cementing his status as a cultural icon. Indeed, Henry Fonda's best movies are iconic and revered, significantly contributing to the legacy of American cinema.

10 'Jezebel' (1938)

Director: William Wyler

Bette Davis won her second Oscar for William Wyler's 1938 romantic drama Jezebel. The acclaimed actress plays spoiled Southern Belle Julie Marsden, whose mercurial and impetuous personality cost her the love of the kind and mature Preston Dillard, played by Fonda.

Jezebel belongs to Davis, whose prickly, deviously charming performance anchors the film's shaky and often predictable plot. However, Fonda is her perfect foil, playing the level-headed and smitten Preston with a gentle strength that complements her decisive performance. Jezebel is a great romantic drama, largely because of the once-in-a-lifetime gathering of Wyler, Davis, and Fonda. And while it might not necessarily hold up today, it remains a highly enjoyable film on the strength of Davis and Fonda's undeniable chemistry.

Watch on Tubi

9 'Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

Director: Sergio Leone

Fonda became closely related to the Western genre throughout his career, thanks to films like 1968's Once Upon a Time in the West. Directed by the iconic Sergio Leone, the film follows a mysterious harmonica-playing stranger, a desperado, and a recently widowed woman joining forces against a ruthless assassin working for a robber baron.

Once Upon a Time in the West features an unforgettable turn from Fonda, cast against type as the villain, unstoppable and cruel killing machine Frank. Fonda excels in the role, crafting a memorable portrayal of relentless sadism that few could've expected from him. Yet Fonda makes it seem effortless, playing a timeless icon of the Western genre with confident and stoic assurance. Once Upon a Time in the West is a landmark entry in Leone's filmography, featuring one of Ennio Morriconne's best-known scores.

Watch on Pluto TV

8 'The Ox-Bow Incident' (1943)

Director: William A. Wellman

William A. Wellman's acclaimed 1943 Western The Ox-Bow Incident stars Fonda opposite Dana Andrews, Harry Morgan, and Anthony Quinn. The plot follows two cowboys who join forces with the people from a small town to avenge the killing of a local rancher and recover his stolen cattle. When they find three men with the cattle, their drive for revenge leads them to seek justice with their own hands.

Bleak and emotionally violent, The Ox-Bow Incident is a cautionary tale on the dangers of mob justice and how easy it is to fall prey to one's worst instincts. Fonda shines in an otherwise passive role, anchoring the film's haunting final moments with a somber and heavy performance. Few actors have ever said as much with their faces as Fonda, and this film is a showcase for his sorrowful, expressive eyes. The Ox-Bow Incident is a powerful study of justice, rage, and guilt and one of the best movies from the 40s.

Rent on Amazon

7 'My Darling Clementine (1946)

Director: John Ford

Henry Fonda plays legendary lawman Wyatt Earp in John Ford's 1946 Western My Darling Clementine. Set in the period leading up to the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, the plot follows Earp's quest to avenge his brother's death by becoming sheriff of the boom town of Tombstone.

My Darling Clementine is a star vehicle for Fonda, and he makes the most out of the opportunity. The actor shines brightly as the famous Wyatt Earp, delivering one of the most enduring takes on the revered lawman. Fonda doesn't succumb to the weight of Earp's legacy but rather embraces it to tell a classic tale of heroism, enhancing it in the process. My Darling Clementine is among John Ford's best films, a thrilling yet warm-hearted take on the American West and a crucial picture in the history of the Western genre.

Rent on Amazon

6 'Young Mr. Lincoln' (1939)

Director: John Ford

John Ford and Henry Fonda first teamed up for the 1939 biopic Young Mr. Lincoln. As the title implies, the film dramatizes Abraham Lincoln's early life, focusing on his law career, his initial courtship with Mary Todd, and his involvement in defending two brothers accused of murder.

Abandoning the pomp and circumstance of his presidential career, Young Mr. Lincoln focuses on the man rather than the office, allowing for a stellar showcase of Fonda's dramatic abilities. The actor embodies the qualities most often related to the iconic president, delivering a subtle, gentle, and sympathetic yet stern performance that effectively anchors the story. There have been great presidential biopics in Hollywood history, but Young Mr. Lincoln is the clear standout, a film treat treats its subject with admiration without ever canonizing him.

Watch on Tubi

5 'On Golden Pond' (1981)

Director: Mark Rydell

Fonda joined another icon from the Golden Age, the mighty Katharine Hepburn, in the 1981 family drama On Golden Pond. The plot follows a married couple on vacation at their holiday home. When their estranged daughter asks them to care for her new boyfriend's son, the pair reluctantly agree, leading to an unexpected but sweet relationship between the four.

Despite a rich career full of certified triumphs, Fonda famously won his first and only competitive Oscar for On Golden Pond, which would also be his final film role. The actor is outstanding as the cantankerous Norman, delivering a sweet, sympathetic, and wondrous performance, especially whenever paired with the equally stunning Hepburn. The two share a complicity seldom seen on the big screen, proving why they are timeless icons of American cinema.

Watch on Tubi

4 '12 Angry Men' (1957)

Director: Sidney Lumet

Sidney Lumet's acclaimed courtroom drama 12 Angry Men stars and was produced by Fonda. The actor leads an impressive cast in the story of a 12-man jury debating the conviction or acquittal of a teenager accused of murder. Tensions rise as disagreements make them question their morals and the true meaning of justice. Happening in real-time, 12 Angry Men is a masterclass of tension and escalation.

As Juror No. 8, Fonda is one of cinema's most undeterred heroes, a classic example of the one-versus-the-many. The actor anchors this talky and emotionally intense drama in a role that asks him to be staunch and resolute while surrounded by increasingly volatile figures. It's a part that could easily be thankless in the hands of a less capable actor, yet Fonda rises to the challenge, standing his ground, much like his character does. 12 Angry Men is among the all-time best courtroom dramas, a riveting and thought-provoking examination of truth and perception.

Watch on Tubi

3 'The Wrong Man' (1956)

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Henry Fonda teamed with the iconic Aldred Hitchcock for the 1956 film noir The Wrong Man. The plot follows musician Manny Balestrero, a man wrongly accused of a crime. As his lawyer works to clear his name, the pressure threatens to destroy Manny's mental health and relationship with his family. Hitchcock and Fonda make sense together; after all, few actors nailed the everyman role better than Fonda.

The Wrong Man makes excellent use of Fonda's well-crafted persona and talents, with the actor excelling as an ordinary man thrown into extraordinary circumstances. The entire plot hinges on Fonda's reliability; it's a role that no other actor could've done, a man who the audience must utterly and confidently believe in. Although The Wrong Man hardly ever ranks among Hitchcock's best films, it should; it's a fascinating and cerebral study of the nature of guilt and its influence on the human condition.

Rent on Amazon

2 'The Lady Eve' (1941)

Director: Preston Sturges

Few cinematic couples are as iconic or entertaining as Henry Fonda and the incredible Barbara Stanwyck in Preston Sturges' 1941 screwball comedy The Lady Eve. The plot centers on Jean, a con artist who falls for her mark, the shy and wealthy Charles, only to find herself dumped after he realizes her true nature. Vengeful but still in love with Charles, Jean assumes a new identity and re-introduces herself into his life.

Stanwyck might get the most flashing role in The Lady Eve, but Fonda is no less compelling. Playing the straight man to her wild antics, Fonda is the audience surrogate in a world of confused identity, love, and deceit. He needs to be cool and secure, strong enough to guide the film but vulnerable enough to succumb to Stanwyck's wild antics. Again, Fonda juggles multiple tasks and finds the perfect balance, making it seem effortless that it almost seems easy. The Lady Eve is bonkers and hilarious, with Stanwyck and Fonda creating one of the all-time great love affairs.

Rent on Amazon

1 'The Grapes of Wrath (1940)

Director: John Ford

Fonda received his first Oscar nomination for Best Actor thanks to his leading role in John Ford's seminal 1940 drama The Grapes of Wrath. Based on John Steinbeck's Pulitzer Prize-winning classic, the film follows the Joads, a migrant Oklahoma family who moves to California after losing their farm at the height of the Great Depression.

The Grapes of Wrath can't measure up to Steinbeck's masterpiece, but it remains a compelling, heart-wrenching picture and a true cinematic experience. Fonda is stellar as Tom Joad, delivering one of his career's finest performances; he is tragic but never pitiful, refusing to cheapen his characterization by reducing it to basic melodrama. The Grapes of Wrath is among the best films of the 1940s, a powerful exploration of the human spirit that has stood the test of time.

Rent on Amazon

NEXT: The 10 Best Fred Astaire Movies, Ranked