The 60+ Best Joseph Cotten Movies
Ranked By
1.6K votes
343 voters
Voting Rules
Vote for your favorite movies, regardless of critic reviews or how big the role was.
1Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Trevor HowardIn the aftermath of World War II, Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten), an American writer, navigates the shadowy underbelly of ruined Vienna in search of his friend Harry Lime (Orson Welles). A British officer tells him that Harry is dead, but inconsistencies arise. As a web of deception unravels, Martins discovers a chilling secret about Lime. This noir classic The Third Man is directed by Carol Reed and won an Oscar for Best Cinematography. Its haunting zither score and atmospheric cinematography remain iconic in cinema history.More The Third Man
- #186 of 252 onThe 200+ Best Psychological Thrillers Of All Time
- #126 of 675 onThe Best Movies Roger Ebert Gave Four Stars
- #39 of 81 onThe 75+ Best Whodunit Murder Mystery Movies
2Teresa Wright, Joseph Cotten, Macdonald CareyUncle Charlie (Joseph Cotten) visits his relatives in Santa Rosa. He is a very charming man, but his niece slowly realizes that he is wanted for murder and he soon recognizes her suspicions. Although one of the suspected murderers is killed and the case is considered closed, she still has her suspicions.More Shadow of a Doubt- #189 of 252 onThe 200+ Best Psychological Thrillers Of All Time
- #66 of 91 onThe 90 Best Black And White Movies
- #107 of 168 onThe 160+ Scariest Psychological Thrillers
3Charles Boyer, Ingrid Bergman, Joseph CottenAfter 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. While there, she falls in love with the charming Gregory Anton (Charles Boyer). The two return to London, and Paula begins to notice strange goings-on: missing pictures, strange footsteps in the night and gaslights that dim without being touched. As she fights to retain her sanity, her new husband's intentions come into question.
4Jennifer Jones, Joseph Cotten, Ethel BarrymoreIn Depression-era New York, painter Eben Adams (Joseph Cotten) despairs at his lack of success. One cold winter evening in Central Park, he meets an enigmatic, old-fashioned little girl, Jennie Appleton (Jennifer Jones), who captures his fancy when she asks him to wait for her to grow up. Soon after, Eben sells a sketch of Jennie to kindly art dealer Miss Spinny (Ethel Barrymore) and, as he meets the oddly mutable Jennie in fleeting moments, begins to realize they share a special destiny.
5Joseph Cotten, Tim Holt, Dolores CostelloOrson Welles' acclaimed drama follows two generations in a well-to-do Indianapolis family. Isabel Amberson receives a proposal from dashing Eugene (Joseph Cotten), but opts instead to marry boring Wilbur. Time passes, and Wilbur and Isabel's only son, George (Tim Holt), is loathed as a controlling figure in the town. When Wilbur dies, Eugene again proposes to Isabel, but George threatens the union. As George in turn courts the woman he wants to marry, a string of tragedies befalls the family.
6Marilyn Monroe, Joseph Cotten, Jean PetersRose Loomis (Marilyn Monroe) and her older, gloomier husband, George (Joseph Cotten), are vacationing at a cabin in Niagara Falls, N.Y. The couple befriend Polly (Jean Peters) and Ray Cutler (Casey Adams), who are honeymooning in the area. Polly begins to suspect that something is amiss between Rose and George, and her suspicions grow when she sees Rose in the arms of another man. While Ray initially thinks Polly is overreacting, things between George and Rose soon take a shockingly dark turn.- 7Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Ruth WarrickCitizen Kane is a riveting drama, directed by Orson Welles. The film delves into the life of Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles), a wealthy newspaper magnate. Told through the memories of those who knew him, the narrative unfolds like a jigsaw puzzle. It's a tale of ambition, power, and the quest for love. Kane's life is revealed in fragments from his humble beginnings to his opulent adulthood. The film, notable for its innovative techniques and narrative structure, won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Its distinctive storytelling style keeps audiences engrossed till the end.More Citizen Kane
- #704 of 769 onThe Most Rewatchable Movies
- #2 of 63 onThe Greatest Directorial Debuts Of All Time
- #146 of 191 onThe Best Movies For Men
8Claudette Colbert, Jennifer Jones, Joseph CottenWhen her husband leaves to fight in World War II, housewife Anne Hilton (Claudette Colbert) must struggle on alone to raise their two daughters, Jane (Jennifer Jones) and Bridget (Shirley Temple). With a tight budget, Anne is forced to take in two lodgers, elderly ex-soldier Col. William G. Smollett (Monty Woolley) and handsome Lt. Tony Willet (Joseph Cotten). However, loyal maid Fidelia (Hattie McDaniel) stays on unpaid and the makeshift household pulls together through home front hardships.
9Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Olivia de HavillandHush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte is a 1964 American thriller film directed and produced by Robert Aldrich, and starring Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Joseph Cotten, and Agnes Moorehead, as well as Mary Astor in her final film. The movie was adapted for the screen by Henry Farrell and Lukas Heller, from Farrell's unpublished short story, "What Ever Happened to Cousin Charlotte?" It received seven Academy Award nominations.- #87 of 167 onThe Greatest '60s Movies, Ranked
- #17 of 75 onThe 75 Best '60s Horror Movies, Ranked
- #30 of 46 onThe 45+ Best Movies of 1964
10Ginger Rogers, Joseph Cotten, Shirley TempleIn this romantic drama, Zachary Morgan (Joseph Cotten) and Mary Marshall (Ginger Rogers) meet on a train and immediately sense a mutual attraction. However, both Zach and Mary are shouldering significant secrets: he is a traumatized war vet on leave from a military hospital, and she is a convict who has been temporarily released from prison for the Christmas holiday. As the attractive young couple spends time together, their secrets threaten their budding relationship.
11Loretta Young, Joseph Cotten, Ethel BarrymoreYoung 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 forced to take a job as a maid in the home of Congressman Glenn Morley (Joseph Cotten). Holstrom endears herself to the genteel Morley, and begins to show a surprising aptitude for politics herself. She launches a campaign for Congress, and, as right-wing reactionaries plot against her, a romance develops.
12Ingrid Bergman, Alfred Hitchcock, Joseph CottenUnder Capricorn is a 1949 British historical thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The film was based on the novel Under Capricorn by Helen Simpson, with a screenplay by James Bridie. It was adapted to the screen by Hume Cronyn. This was Hitchcock's second film in Technicolor, and like the preceding color film Rope, it also featured 10-minute takes. The film is set in colonial Sydney, New South Wales, Australia during the early 19th century. Under Capricorn is one of several Hitchcock films that are not typical thrillers; instead it is a mystery involving a love triangle. Although the film is not exactly a murder mystery, it does feature a previous killing, a "wrong man" scenario, a sinister housekeeper, class conflict, and very high levels of emotional tension, both on the surface and underneath. The title "Under Capricorn" references the Tropic of Capricorn, which bisects Australia. Capricornus is a constellation; Capricorn is an astrological sign dominated by the goat, which is a symbol of sexual desire.
13Jennifer Jones, Gregory Peck, Joseph CottenTragedy seems to follow Pearl Chavez (Jennifer Jones) everywhere she goes. After a domestic dispute results in the death of both of her parents, Pearl moves in with her aunt, Laura Belle (Lillian Gish), on an expansive farm. When Pearl notices Laura Belle's son, the fiery Lewt, life on the ranch erupts into chaos. The two have a brief courtship, but Lewt abruptly ends the relationship. When Pearl tries to move on, Lewt's jealousy leads to a climactic gun battle between the former lovers.More Duel in the Sun- #195 of 288 onThe 250+ Best Western Movies Of All Time
- #19 of 49 onThe Best 1940s Western Movies
- #48 of 56 onThe Best Romance Movies Of The 1940s
14Joseph Cotten, Barbara Stanwyck, Louis CalhernIn the 1840s, Madeline Minot (Leslie Caron) travels from France to America to visit Charles Theverner (Louis Calhern), her lover's wealthy, aging relative. Her boyfriend is fighting in the French Revolution, and he hopes the once patriotic Charles is willing to donate his money to the people's uprising. Eventually, Madeline begins to warm the old man's heart, but his devious servant Lorna Bounty (Barbara Stanwyck) also wants the cash, and she's willing to resort to deadly means for it.
15Vincent Price, Joseph Cotten, Terry-ThomasIn a desperate attempt to reach his ill wife, organist Anton Phibes (Vincent Price) is horrifically disfigured in a car accident and presumed dead. When he learns that his wife died during an operation, Phibes blames her surgeons and plots an elaborate revenge to punish them for their incompetence. With the help of a mute assistant (Virginia North), Phibes creates a mask resembling his own face and murders the surgeons one by one using bizarre methods inspired by the biblical plagues.
16Joseph Cotten, Orson Welles, Dolores del RĂoAn American engineer in Istanbul, Howard Graham (Joseph Cotten), becomes the target of a Nazi assassination due to his involvement in improving the Turkish navy. With the help of police Colonel Haki (Orson Welles), Graham escapes from his hotel to board a ship to safety, leaving behind his wife (Ruth Warrick). On board, he encounters a number of passengers, including the dancer Josette Martel (Dolores del RĂo). However, the passenger Peter Banat (Jack Moss) is not who he appears to be.
17Charlton Heston, Orson Welles, Janet LeighWhen a car bomb explodes on the American side of the U.S./Mexico border, Mexican drug enforcement agent Miguel Vargas (Charlton Heston) begins his investigation, along with American police captain Hank Quinlan (Orson Welles). When Vargas begins to suspect that Quinlan and his shady partner, Menzies (Joseph Calleia), are planting evidence to frame an innocent man, his investigations into their possible corruption quickly put himself and his new bride, Susie (Janet Leigh), in jeopardy.More Touch of Evil- #53 of 91 onThe 90 Best Black And White Movies
- #9 of 36 onThe Greatest Classic Noir Movies, Ranked
- #16 of 17 onDirector's Cuts That Are Better Than The Theatrical Movies
18Jennifer Jones, Joseph Cotten, Ann RichardsAlan (Joseph Cotten), a soldier stationed in Italy during World War II, writes love letters for his ineloquent friend, Roger (Robert Sully), to his romantic interest at home, Victoria. Alan falls for Victoria through their correspondence despite his engagement to another woman. After being wounded, Alan returns home only to learn that Roger and Victoria have died under strange circumstances. However, an amnesiac named Singleton (Jennifer Jones) might hold the key to the mystery of their deaths.
19Joseph Cotten, Jean Peters, Gary MerrillWhitney Cameron (Joseph Cotten) is in a quandary: he's attracted to his beautiful sister-in-law, Lynn (Jean Peters), but also harbors serious suspicions about her. Her husband, Cameron's brother, died under mysterious circumstances, and now that the death of her stepchild, Polly, has been attributed to poisoning, he suspects that Lynn is after his late brother's estate, and killing everyone in her way. Cameron fears that nephew could be next, and determines to make sure no harm comes to him.
20Orson Welles, Micheál MacLiammóir, Suzanne CloutierWhen a secret marriage is planned between Othello (Orson Welles), a Moorish general, and Desdemona (Suzanne Cloutier), the daughter of Senator Brabantio (Hilton Edwards), her old suitor Roderigo (Robert Coote) takes it hard. He allies himself with Iago (Micheál MacLiammóir), who has his own grudge against Othello, and the two conspire to bring Othello down. When their first plan, to have him accused of witchcraft, fails, they plant evidence intended to make him believe Desdemona is unfaithful.
21Bette Davis, Joseph Cotten, Frances CharlesBeyond the Forest is a 1949 American film noir directed by King Vidor and featuring Bette Davis, Joseph Cotten, David Brian and Ruth Roman. The screenplay is written by Lenore J. Coffee based on a novel by Stuart Engstrand. The film marks Davis' last appearance as a contract actress for Warner, after eighteen years with the studio. She tried several times to walk away from the film, but Warner refused to release her from their employment contract. She remembered the project as "a terrible movie" and the death scene at her end in the film as "the longest death scene ever seen on the screen."
22Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Spring ByingtonSmall-time crook Chris Hale (Joseph Cotten) makes his way to Ashton, Ohio, where he finagles his way into a room at a boarding house. Hoping to change his ways, he gets a job with the father of the beautiful but paralyzed Elaine Corelli (Valli), with whom he quickly falls in love. Despite his desire to leave it behind, he cannot escape his shady past, which arrives in the form of a paranoid former cohort. With old rivals after him, Hale must mend fences if he wants a normal life with Elaine.
23Oja Kodar, Joseph Cotten, Francois ReichenbachOrson Welles' final film documents the lives of infamous fakers Elmyr de Hory and Clifford Irving. De Hory, who later committed suicide to avoid more prison time, made his name by selling forged works of art by painters like Picasso and Matisse. Irving was infamous for writing a fake autobiography of Howard Hughes. Welles moves between documentary and fiction as he examines the fundamental elements of fraud and the people who commit fraud at the expense of others.
24Charlton Heston, Edward G. Robinson, Leigh Taylor-YoungSoylent Green is a dystopian thriller, set in an overpopulated 2022 New York City. The story follows police detective Frank Thorn (Charlton Heston) and his elderly roommate Sol Roth (Edward G. Robinson), as they navigate the scarcity-ridden world where Soylent Green, a high-protein food product, is humanity's main sustenance. As Thorn investigates the murder of a wealthy businessman, he uncovers a shocking secret about Soylent Green. Directed by Richard Fleischer, this movie is well-known for its commentary on environmentalism and overpopulation. Despite its bleak depiction, it won the Nebula Award for Best Dramatic Presentation in 1974.More Soylent Green- #322 of 769 onThe Most Rewatchable Movies
- #42 of 166 onThe 150+ Best Futuristic Dystopian Movies
- #73 of 199 onThe Best Movies Of The '70s, Ranked
25Teresa Wright, Joseph CottenThe Steel Trap is a 1952 thriller film noir written and directed by Andrew L. Stone, and starring Joseph Cotten and Teresa Wright.
26Joseph Cotten, Rhonda Fleming, Wendell CoreyHumble bank teller Leon Poole (Wendell Corey) participates in a heist that doesn't go as planned. When police surround his apartment, there's a shoot-out, during which Detective Sam Wagner (Joseph Cotten) unwittingly kills Poole's wife. Poole is subsequently captured and jailed, but three years later he's back out on the street and hell-bent on revenge. Wanting the punishment to fit the crime, he vows that he won't kill Wagner -- just his wife (Rhonda Fleming).
27Linda Darnell, Joseph Cotten, Jeff ChandlerTwo Flags West is a 1950 Western drama set during the American Civil War, directed by Robert Wise and starring Joseph Cotten, Jeff Chandler, Linda Darnell, and Cornell Wilde. The opening credits contain the following statement: On December 8th, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued a Special Proclamation, whereby Confederate Prisoners of War might gain their freedom, provided they would join the Union Army to defend the frontier West against the Indians. Based on the historical service of "Galvanized Yankees", the film tells the story of a company of imprisoned Confederate Army cavalry troopers given such amnesty. The company of Georgia veterans journeys to a remote New Mexico post commanded by an embittered, Southerner-hating major who expects them to desert at the first opportunity. The fulfillment of that expectation is challenged by an attack on the fort itself by Kiowa. Two Flags West was one of a wave of Civil War reconciliation-themed Westerns in the 1950s, in which soldiers from North and South combine against a common foe, that included Rocky Mountain, The Last Outpost, Escape from Fort Bravo, and Revolt at Fort Laramie.
28Martin Balsam, Sô Yamamura, Joseph CottenThis dramatic retelling of the Pearl Harbor attack details everything in the days that led up to that tragic moment in American history. As United States and Japanese relations strain over the U.S. embargo of raw materials, Air Staff Officer Minoru Genda (Tatsuya Mihashi) plans the preemptive strike against the United States. Although American intelligence agencies intercept Japanese communications hinting at the attack, they are unwilling to believe such a strike could ever occur on U.S. soil.More Tora! Tora! Tora!- #21 of 262 onThe 200+ Best War Movies Of All Time
- #740 of 769 onThe Most Rewatchable Movies
- #6 of 76 onThe Best Movies About Historical Battles
29Jack Lemmon, Lee Grant, George KennedyThe story about the mid-air hijack of a multi-millionaire's private 747 carrying a collection of priceless works of art. The terrified pilot is forced by the hijackers to fly low to avoid radar detection and, as a result, the plane hits an oil rig and crashes into the sea. As the stricken airliner sinks, its passengers and crew are faced with a nightmare fight for survival.
30Shelley Winters, Diane Ladd, Joseph CottenThe Devil's Daughter is a TV horror movie that originally aired on ABC on January 9, 1973. It was an early screenwriting credit for Colin Higgins.
