The Best 72 Films of Richard Widmark

This wonderful atmospheric noir thriller is a movie to be seen and savored many times. It is widely regarded, and rightly so, as Richard Widmark's finest performance, at least in the Fox years (1947-1954). Mr. Widmark, my favorite actor, is just excellent as the small time hustler, Harry Fabian, with huge ambitions. Astonishingly beautiful Gene Tierney gives great support, as does Francis Sullivan, Googie Withers, and Herbert Lom. Truly enjoyable film making from Jules Dassin, with the wonderful Dick Widmark at his best!

One of my very favorite Richard Widmark movies, Warlock is a wonderful, smart western drama. It is the story of professional marshal (Henry Fonda) hired by the town of Warlock to subdue a wild cowboy mob. Disillusioned Widmark leaves the cowboy gang and becomes Deputy Sheriff of Warlock. Also starring Anthony Quinn, Dorothy Malone and Dolores Michaels, this movie is the first of five pairings of Widmark with lifelong friend, Henry Fonda. Fonda is his usual flawless, but Widmark's character, Johnny Gannon, is one of his best and my personal favorite. It is touching, human, and sympathetic. This underrated western has pace and plot and is entertaining, start to finish.

Richard Widmark was at the top of his form in this taut cold war drama also produced by Widmark. The early sixties was the pinnacle of Widmark's wonderful acting career, having lead roles in important and popular films including The Alamo, Judgment at Nuremberg, and How the West Was Won. In addition, Widmark starred in two John Ford films, Two Rode Together and Cheyenne Autumn, during the time frame. Bedford was one of Widmark's strongest acting efforts and it is a very entertaining and suspenseful thriller. The cast includes lifelong friend, Sid Poitier, and good buddy, Marty Balsam in addition to Eric Portman, James MacArthur and Wally Cox. Look for a young Donald Sutherland in a small but interesting early appearance. A must see!

For two years in a row, Spencer Tracy is just superb in two of the great performances of all time, Inherit the Wind (1960) and this film. This court room drama of the Nuremberg trials of the Nazi Judges post WWII features an awesome cast including Burt Lancaster, Marlene Dietrich, Judy Garland, Montgomery Clift, Max Schell (who earned the Oscar for Best actor), and my favorite actor, Richard Widmark. The performances of the stars are uniformly excellent, especially Tracy, Clift and Schell. It is the best picture that Dick Widmark appeared in and it is gratifying that he was cast as the prosecutor, a very Widmark type role and further in his second pairing with his most admired actor (Tracy) and that he more than held his own among the screen legends. Great cast. Great film. Great personal achievement for Dick Widmark.

Great American director, John Ford, brings to the screen an homage to the American Indian, in this, his last western epic. The idea for Cheyenne Autumn was brought to Ford, years before by Richard Widmark and Widmark was rewarded by being cast in the lead role, heading an excellent ensemble which included Carol Baker, Karl Malden, Ricardo Montalban, Gilbert Roland, Sal Mineo and Dolores Del Rio. Appearing as guest stars were the always excellent James Stewart and the indomitable Edward G. Robinson, as Secretary of the Interior. It was the zenith of Dick Widmark's fine acting career and the second pairing with John Ford, and Widmark was flawless, and excellent in the lead and looked very natural in a cavalry uniform. This quite a good film but a special treat for fans of Ford and especially Widmark. Boots and saddles, mister!!

Widmark elevates noir thriller! Richard Widmark shines in one of his best performances as pickpocket, Skip McCoy, in this first rate noir thriller. Widmark stars opposite sultry Jean Peters and the chemistry is palpable. Good support from Richard Kiley and the irrespressible and wonderful Thelma Ritter. Don't miss this one.

Dr. Widmark saves the Big Easy! Elia Kazan directs Richard Widmark and Paul Douglas in this taut thriller about epidemic plague threatening the City of New Orleans. Gritty and realistic with fine performances from the leads and great support from Jack Palance and Zero Mostel. Widmark is the Army Doctor and Douglas is the tough good cop in this entertaining film. The usual excellence from the gifted Kazan.

I love this movie! The cast is an extraordinary ensemble of the screen's best talent, expertly and playfully directed by the wonderful Sidney Lumet. Albert Finney is a wonder and heads the impressive cast. Bravura performances all around. As for Richard Widmark, my only regret is that his character meets his demise within the first twenty minutes! Nevertheless, the film is high camp at at it's very best and enjoyable movie magic, watching the talented ensemble playfully overact at the superb direction of the talented Lumet.

Notorious debut for Widmark! Richard Widmark is wonderfully frightening and steals every scene in this, his notorious and historic film debut. Victor Mature, never better, Coleen Gray, never lovelier, and story holds up as suspenseful and entertaining to this day. As well, Karl Malden became good friends with Widmark, starting on the set of this film.

Widmark and Fonda click in taut police drama. Richard Widmark and Henry Fonda co - starred in five films. Madigan is the third and it's a good one, with Widmark as the hard boiled detective and Fonda as the police commissioner. The story shifts back and forth between the two leads to include the human drama of their personal lives as sub text to the main police chase story. Fonda is, as usual, excellent in a dignified understated performance, strikingly realistic. Widmark is intense and driven in contrast and it works. The supporting cast is impressive and includes Inger Stevens, James Whitmore, Harry Guardino, Michael Dunn, and Don Stroud. Wonderful police drama made excellent by the Widmark/Fonda chemistry. Very entertaining.

Powerful film debut for Poitier. Directed by the wonderful, Joe Mankiewicz, Sidney Poitier makes his powerful film debut in this drama of racial tensions. This film is great viewing and compelling, but moreover marked the the beginning of a lifelong friendship between Sid Poitier and good natured Dick Widmark. Good story, good acting and historically significant!

One of the great adult western dramas of all time, with the astonishing Spencer Tracy just excellent, effortless and at the top of his gifted acting form. Broken Lance is a good story of a strong willed cattle baron with four sons, and a house divided. It is the first of two pairings with Richard Widmark, strong in support, and grateful to appear in any capacity with Tracy. The cast also includes the lovely Jean Peters, Robert Wagner (never better), Katy Jurado, E.G. Marshall and Earl Holliman. Western masterpeice.

Very entertaining western with the consistently excellent Gregory Peck, feisty and alluring Anne Baxter and my favorite, Richard Widmark. Good story, well written and great support from John Russell and Harry Morgan. Directed by tough Bill Wellman. Solid and western yarn.

Widmark's Producer debut a gem. Richard Widmark produces (and stars in) his production company's first feature film. It is a military Justice drama, perfectly cast and wonderfully acted. Co-starring with Widmark are Richard Basehart, Dolores Michaels, Rip Torn, June Lockhart and friend, Marty Balsam. The special treat is that is the directorial debut by Widmark's close friend, Karl Malden, his only effort behind the camera. The movie is suspenseful and taut and a home run for the first time producer Widmark and first time director, Malden.

Widmark wonderful in first made for TV mini series! Richard Widmark plays the President of the United States in this, the very first made for TV mini series released in 1971. Widmark is solid and received an emmy nomination in this political thriller. The wonderful supporting cast includes Robert Young (excellent as the adversary Senator), E. G. Marshall, James Farentino, Arthur Hill, Murray Hamilton, William Shatner, and Eleanor Parker. It is a really entertaining well paced thriller and paved the way for what is now very common television format.

Spencer Tracy narrates this brilliant American Western saga, spanning three generations of western families as intrepid pioneers and heroes. It is one of the greatest casts ever assembled in a motion picture and features among many other stars James Stewart, Carroll Baker, Gregory Peck, Debbie Reynolds, Henry Fonda, John Wayne, Karl Malden, Walter Brennan, Robert Preston, Eli Wallach, George Peppard, and my favorite actor, the reliable Richard Widmark. Three directors lent their talents to this entertaining saga. The standouts in the awesome cast were Peppard (never better), Gregory Peck and Dick Widmark. Well worth a look.

Widmark excels as Jim Bowie. The movie is a long and long winded saga of the defense of the Alamo produced and directed by John Wayne and starring Wayne as Davy Crockett. The action scenes are first rate as is the acting of Widmark and tough as nails Richard Boone. But the story is a bit of a cornball mush, but a good vehicle for Widmark.

Kinder gentler Widmark at Sea. Finally, Richard Widmark is able to set aside his bad guy image to star in this atmospheric seafaring story. Widmark's character is tender and kind hearted, as was the man in real life. The trio of young Dean Stockwell, Widmark and the wonderful Lionel Barrymore is just magic, reminiscent of the trio in Captains Courageous, though more muted and understated. Great vehicle for Widmark to show his versatility.

Dr. Widmark worthy adversary to beautiful Bujold. Fine, compelling, suspenseful thriller from 1978, set in a huge Boston Medical Center features alluring Genevieve Bujold as a Doctor on the trail of a conspiracy that puts otherwise healthy surgery patients into life ending coma. Michael Douglas is excellent as the sympathetic boyfriend and the good cast also includes Elizabeth Ashley, Rip Torn, along with the wonderful Richard Widmark, reprising his early bad guy roles as the evil Doctor at the core of the conspiracy. Good story telling, well paced, and entertaining.

Widmark is Gold! Neat crime caper in post war Berlin in great vehicle for reliable leading man, Richard Widmark, who shines in the lead role as an American Airman who plans to heist a cache of gold to aid a damsel in distress. Mai Zetterling is alluring as the love interest and the wonderful cast includes Nigel Patrick, George Cole and great British stage thespian, Sir Donald Wolfit. Gripping, taut and entertaining.

Entertaining noir drama, but great fun, too, with Richard Widmark a stand out in a cast with great chemistry. Ida Lupino is sultry, sexy and tough. Cornel Wilde and the wonderful Celeste Holm equally good in a crackling story of jealousy and intrigue. Widmark is just great and elevates the film considerably.

Widmark excellent in off beat drama. Richard Widmark turns in one of his best performances as a heavy drinking, down and out, aging rodeo cowboy mentoring a young American Indian rodeo rider. Frederick Forrest is fine and quite understated as the gifted young rider, and the pairing with Widmark works very well and makes for an interesting character study. This film was a signpost in Widmark's acting career and is his last starring role in a theatrical release. Thereafter Widmark starred in ten made for TV films (some really quite good) and gave great support in several first rate theatrical releases (Murder on the Orient Express, Coma, Twilight's Last Gleaming, Against All Odds etc). Widmark gives a wonderful performance in this off beat but enjoyable drama.

Widmark and Stewart in entertaining ride. Well before the popularity of buddy movies and road movies, the masterful John Ford creates a likeable pairing in this western "rode" movie with Jimmy Stewart and Richard Widmark at their dusty trail, plain talking, best. Town marshal Stewart is enlisted by cavalry officer Widmark to rescue white survivors among the Comanche captives. The movie entertains start to finish thanks to the fine acting of the leads and good support from John McIntyre, Shirley Jones, and a host of Fordians, including Andy Devine, John Qualen, Harry Carey Jr. and Ken Curtis.

Widmark fine in underrated drama. Richard Widmark is excellent in this very different, interesting drama of racial conflict in back woods bayou Louisana. A group of elderly black men take a stand in protecting good friend and neighbor, Louis Gossett, Jr. from being blamed for the murder of a racist farmer. The intriguing story features a wonderful cast in addition to the veteran leads, including feisty and pretty Holly Hunter (just before her bravura turn in Broadcast News), Will Patton, Joe Seneca and Woody Strode. Compelling.

Widmark sensational in off beat western. Richard Widmark is excellent in this off beat western. as the long time marshal, Frank Patch, who has overstayed his welcome in the turn of the century, western town. The locals want him out, but old Patch does not see it that way. Widmark's career had begun to ebb in the late sixties and this film is a bit of a last hurrah as the main star in a major theatrical releases. Widmark's performance is fabulous and elevates the movie to a highly entertaining if off beat offering. Good support from Carroll O'Connor, Lena Horne, John Saxon and Kent Smith, as well as old western pros Dub Taylor and Larry Gates, both in the picture.

Widmark is menacing! Fine noir thriller told documentary style with Mark Stevens and Richard Widmark as adversaries, with nice support from Lloyd Nolan and Ed Begley. Widmark is again menacing and wickedly convincing as the crime boss. Entertaining and well crafted.

General Widmark in taut duel with Lancaster. Good thriller from 1977 with Burt Lancaster as a renegade General who takes control of a strategic missile launching silo in the remote Northwest. The excellent cast includes Widmark as the General trying to thwart the plans of Lancaster. Venerable Melvyn Douglas and screen legend Joseph cotton appear along with Charles Durning (miscast as the President), Richard Jaeckel, Paul Winfield and Burt Young. Well paced and exciting.

Widmark wickedly good. Richard Widmark excels in this exciting western drama, opposite stoic good guy, Robert Taylor. John Sturges ably brings to the screen a very good story with excellent acting, beautifully filmed settings and good action. Another solid Widmark western.

Stoic Widmark good in timely drama. Richard Widmark stars in this warm, timely, made for TV drama about the impact of Court ordered bussing in the early 80's and it's effect on average New England families. Widmark is terrific and the film is well crafted and pleasing on several levels. It is also a nostalgic reunion of Widmark with the wonderful character actor, Ossie Davis, and the lovely and talented Ruby Dee, as husband and wife yet again, just as they were thirty years earlier in the Widmark classic from 1950, No Way Out, which was the powerful film debut of the great Sid Poitier. Touching movie magic.

Naval Hero Widmark. Directed by Warner's studio veteran Lloyd Bacon (many Cagney, Bogart, Robinson features), this is an entertaining look at the UDT (underwater demolition teams) crews in wartime. Widmark is a standout in a gifted cast which includes Dana Andrews, Gary Merrill, and a small role for wise cracking Harvey Lembeck and a very early role for wonderful character actor, Jack Warden. Well crafted and suspenseful.

Widmark elevates good suspense drama. Entertaining suspenseful story starring the talented and likeable Jeff Bridges. The romantic interest is lovely Rachel Ward and the fine cast also includes James Woods, Alex Karras, and Dorian Harewood. For Widmark, it's a reunion with his co-star from the 1956 "Run for the Sun", Jane Greer. Widmark and Greer have small but key roles in the film. The movie is a loose remake of "Out of the Past" from 1947, and it's well worth a look.

Widmark excellent on the Run. Taut, fast paced adventure set in the jungles of Mexico with Richard Widmark in excellent form, as a pilot whose plane crashes in the jungle. Widmark and co -star, Jane Greer are rescued by Trevor Howard and Peter Van Eyck, Nazi sympathizers in hiding. A variation of "The Most Dangerous Game", the movie entertains start to finish. Howard and Widmark make excellent adversaries.