James Mason Movies

Want to know the best James Mason movies?  How about the worst James Mason movies?  Curious about James Mason’s box office grosses or which James Mason movie picked up the most Oscar® nominations? Need to know which James Mason movie got the best reviews from critics and audiences? Well you have come to the right place….because we have all of that information.

James Mason (1909-1984) was an English actor who appeared in movies for over 50 years. His first appearance was in 1935’s Late Extra and his last appearance was 1985’s The Assisi Underground. James Mason appeared in many British quota quickie movies from 1935 to 1948. After appearing in over 25 of these low budget films, Mason started getting noticed for the movies The Wicked Lady, Odd Man Out and The Seventh Veil.The success of those movies got the attention of Hollywood.

In 1949 James Mason appeared in his first American film, Caught. Once his Hollywood career got started, he appeared in many classic movies like 1953’s Julius Caesar, 1954’s A Star Is Born, 1954’s 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea and 1959’s North by Northwest. For a great movie page on James Mason’s North by Northwest check out this page from film historian, Steve Lensman… North by Northwest Illustrated Reference.

Highlights for Mason in the 1960s were 1962’s Lolita and 1966’s Georgy Girl. As he neared the end of his career he scored two more major hits in 1978’s Heaven Can Wait and 1982’s The Verdict. James Mason and his very distinguished voice earned 3 Oscar® nominations for acting over his career

His IMDb page shows 154 acting credits from 1935-1985. This page will rank James Mason movies from Best to Worst in six different sortable columns of information. Television shows, shorts, cameos and movies that were not released in North American theaters were not included in the rankings.

James Mason and Paul Newman in 1982's The Verdict.

James Mason and Paul Newman in 1982’s The Verdict.

James Mason Movies Ranked In Chronological Order With Ultimate Movie Rankings Score (1 to 5 UMR Tickets) *Best combo of box office, reviews, and awards.

James Mason Movies Can Be Ranked 6 Ways In This Table

The really cool thing about this table is that it is “user-sortable”. Rank the movies anyway you want.

  • Sort James Mason movies by co-stars of his movies.
  • Sort James Mason movies by adjusted domestic box office grosses using current movie ticket cost (in millions)
  • Sort James Mason movies by domestic yearly box office rank
  • Sort James Mason movies how they were received by critics and audiences.  60% rating or higher should indicate a good movie.
  • Sort by how many Oscar® nominations and how many Oscar® wins each James Mason movie received.
  • Sort James Mason movies by Ultimate Movie Rankings (UMR) Score.  UMR Score puts box office, reviews and awards into a mathematical equation and gives each movie a score.
  • Use the search and sort buttons to make this a very interactive page.
Cary Grant and James Mason in 1959's North by Northwest

Cary Grant and James Mason in 1959’s North by Northwest

Possibly Interesting Facts About James Mason

1. James Mason had no formal acting training. He can thank the quota quickie era for getting his start in movies. This is the 3rd or 4th time I have mentioned the quota quickie era. So what is the quota quickie era?

2. The quota quickie era was a ten year Act in England that required English theaters to show a percentage of movies made in England. This need to have English made films helped create many English production companies that could generate many movies in a very short time on a low budget.

3. James Mason was nominated for 3 acting Oscars®. His three nominations were for 1954’s A Star Is Born, 1966’s Georgy Girl, and 1982’s The Verdict. James Mason also was nominated for 3 Golden Globes®. He won one Golden Globe® for A Star Is Born.

4. Here is one for you Flora….James Mason was a huge cat lover all of his life. In 1949 James Mason and his wife Pamela wrote the book, The Cats in Our Lives. His first cat’s name was Top Boy.

5. James Mason was married twice in his life. His first marriage was to Pamela Ostrer, from 1941 to 1964. They had two children, a son named Morgan and a daughter named Portland. His second marriage was to Clarissa Kaye from 1971 to his death in 1984.

6. James Mason was the father-in-law to Belinda Carlisle who is lead singer in the rock group The Go-Gos.

7. Roles James Mason either turned down or was seriously considered for:….The African Queen, Whose Afraid of Virginia Wolfe, The Paper Chase, The Bridge on the River Kwai and Doctor Zhivago.

8. James Mason was not the first choice for 1954’s A Star Is Born, which is probably his greatest performance. Mason got the part after Humphrey Bogart, Cary Grant, James Stewart, Marlon Brando and Montgomery Clift all passed on the part.

9. James Mason was almost involved in three James Bond projects. (1 ) He was hired to play James Bond in a television version of From Russia With Love in 1958, but the it was never produced. (2) He was one of the many contenders to play Bond in Dr. No, but Sean Connery got the part. And (3) He was offered the role of Hugo Drax in 1979’s Moonraker but he turned down the part….too bad because I think he would have made a great Bond villian.

10. Check out James Mason’s career compared to current and classic actors.  Most 100 Million Dollar Movies of All-Time.

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62 thoughts on “James Mason Movies

  1. Apparently another one from the early days I never did an Oracle thing on. On the first 2023 Oracle list, James Mason is # 130. These are the actors on the 2023 list he has appeared with.

    2 MICHAEL CAINE The Marseille Contract (1974)
    3 CHRISTOPHER LEE The Passage (1979)
    4 CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER Murder by Decree (1979)
    4 CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964)
    9 DONALD SUTHERLAND Murder by Decree (1979)
    11 MAX VON SYDOW Voyage of the Damned (1976)
    14 JOHN GIELGUD 11 Harrowhouse (1974)
    14 JOHN GIELGUD Julius Caesar (1953)
    14 JOHN GIELGUD Murder by Decree (1979)
    14 JOHN GIELGUD The Shooting Party (1985)
    20 GERALDINE CHAPLIN Stranger in the House (1967)
    24 MALCOLM MCDOWELL The Passage (1979)
    24 MALCOLM MCDOWELL Voyage of the Damned (1976)
    26 FRANCO NERO Gente di rispetto (1975)
    31 ROD STEIGER Cry Terror! (1958)
    32 TREVOR HOWARD 11 Harrowhouse (1974)
    36 JOHN CLEESE Yellowbeard (1983)
    39 SYLVESTER STALLONE Mandingo (1975)
    40 VANESSA REDGRAVE The Sea Gull (1968)
    41 PETER O’TOOLE Lord Jim (1965)
    44 RODDY MCDOWELL Evil Under the Sun (1982)
    45 BRUCE WILLIS The Verdict (1982)
    57 ROGER MOORE Ffolkes (1979)
    59 HARRY DEAN STANTON Hero’s Island (1962)
    60 OMAR SHARIFF Bloodline (1979)
    60 OMAR SHARIFF Genghis Khan (1965)
    60 OMAR SHARIFF Mayerling (1968)
    60 OMAR SHARIFF The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964)
    64 HELEN MIRREN Age of Consent (1969)
    66 MICHAEL HORDERN Genghis Khan (1965)
    66 MICHAEL HORDERN The MacKintosh Man (1973)
    66 MICHAEL HORDERN Yellowbeard (1983)
    69 JOHN MILLS Tiara Tahiti (1962)
    70 ANTHONY QUINN The Marseille Contract (1974)
    70 ANTHONY QUINN The Passage (1979)
    72 IAN MCSHANE THE LAST OF SHEILA (1973)
    73 CHARLOTTE RAMPLING Georgy Girl (1966)
    73 CHARLOTTE RAMPLING The Verdict (1982)
    75 EDWARD FOX The Shooting Party (1985)
    80 JOHN SAXON A Star Is Born (1954)
    83 JAMES FOX Duffy (1968)
    84 MARTIN LANDAU North by Northwest (1959)
    93 ORSON WELLES Voyage of the Damned (1976)
    94 IAN BANNEN The MacKintosh Man (1973)
    104 ELI WALLACH Genghis Khan (1965)
    104 ELI WALLACH Lord Jim (1965)
    117 RIP TORN Hero’s Island (1962)
    119 JIM BROADBENT The Passage (1979)
    128 PETER USTINOV Evil Under the Sun (1982)
    144 DAVID WARNER Cross of Iron (1977)
    144 DAVID WARNER The Deadly Affair (1966)
    144 DAVID WARNER The Sea Gull (1968)
    147 BEN GAZZARA Bloodline (1979)
    147 BEN GAZZARA Voyage of the Damned (1976)
    149 ROBERT WAGNER Prince Valiant (1954)
    152 FAYE DUNAWAY Voyage of the Damned (1976)
    158 JACK WARDEN Escape from Zahrain (1962)
    158 JACK WARDEN Heaven Can Wait (1978)
    158 JACK WARDEN The Verdict (1982)
    163 MAXIMILIAN SCHELL Cross of Iron (1977)
    163 MAXIMILIAN SCHELL The Assisi Underground (1985)
    163 MAXIMILIAN SCHELL The Deadly Affair (1966)
    165 DENHOLM ELLIOTT The Boys from Brazil (1978)
    165 DENHOLM ELLIOTT The Sea Gull (1968)
    165 DENHOLM ELLIOTT Voyage of the Damned (1976)
    167 CANDICE BERGEN 11 Harrowhouse (1974)
    170 FRANK FINLAY Murder by Decree (1979)
    171 JONATHAN PRYCE Voyage of the Damned (1976)
    176 FERNANDO REY Voyage of the Damned (1976)
    196 MAGGIE SMITH Evil Under the Sun (1982)
    196 MAGGIE SMITH The Pumpkin Eater (1964)
    199 JEFF BRIDGES The Yin and the Yang of Mr. Go (1970)
    207 ROBERT MORLEY Genghis Khan (1965)
    210 SHELLEY WINTERS Lolita (1962)
    211 HERBERT LOM Hotel Reserve (1944)
    211 HERBERT LOM Secret Mission (1942)
    211 HERBERT LOM The Seventh Veil (1945)
    211 HERBERT LOM Tiara Tahiti (1962)
    231 MICHAEL LONSDALE The Passage (1979)
    233 DAVID HEMMINGS Murder by Decree (1979)
    255 HARRY ANDREWS A TOUCH OF LARCENY (1960)
    255 HARRY ANDREWS The Deadly Affair (1966)
    255 HARRY ANDREWS The MacKintosh Man (1973)
    255 HARRY ANDREWS The Sea Gull (1968)
    257 JULIE CHRISTIE Heaven Can Wait (1978)
    265 KIRK DOUGLAS 20000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)
    265 KIRK DOUGLAS The Story of Three Loves (1953)
    266 PAUL NEWMAN The MacKintosh Man (1973)
    266 PAUL NEWMAN The Verdict (1982)
    270 BEAU BRIDGES Child’s Play (1972)
    286 JAMES COBURN Cross of Iron (1977)
    286 JAMES COBURN Duffy (1968)
    286 JAMES COBURN The Last of Sheila (1973)
    311 ANNE BANCROFT The Pumpkin Eater (1964)
    322 BURGESS MEREDITH The Yin and the Yang of Mr. Go (1970)
    332 CATHERINE DENEUVE Mayerling (1968)
    362 PETER BOYLE Yellowbeard (1983)
    366 JOSE FERRER Voyage of the Damned (1976)
    375 MICHAEL GOUGH The Boys from Brazil (1978)
    379 MICHAEL PARKS Ffolkes (1979)
    384 TOM SKERRITT A Dangerous Summer (1982)
    386 WALTER GOTELL Lord Jim (1965)
    386 WALTER GOTELL Secret Mission (1942)
    386 WALTER GOTELL The Boys from Brazil (1978)
    413 MEL FERRER The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964)
    417 GREGORY PECK The Boys from Brazil (1978)
    424 CLAIRE BLOOM The Man Between (1953)
    429 PETER VAUGHAN 11 Harrowhouse (1974)
    429 PETER VAUGHAN The MacKintosh Man (1973)
    431 LAURENCE OLIVIER Fire Over England (1937)
    431 LAURENCE OLIVIER The Boys from Brazil (1978)
    453 SAM WANAMAKER Voyage of the Damned (1976)
    455 STUART WHITMAN The Decks Ran Red (1958)
    456 CHARLES BRONSON Cold Sweat (1970)
    460 ALEC GUINNESS The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964)
    482 FERDY MAYNE Yellowbeard (1983)
    483 LYNN REDGRAVE Georgy Girl (1966)
    483 LYNN REDGRAVE The Deadly Affair (1966)
    497 SOPHIA LOREN The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964)
    502 CHEECH MARIN Yellowbeard (1983)
    514 LOIS MAXWELL Lolita (1962)
    524 TELLY SAVALAS Genghis Khan (1965)
    524 TELLY SAVALAS Inside Out (1975)
    525 BRUNO GANZ THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL (1978)
    526 RICHARD BURTON The Desert Rats (1953)
    532 AVA GARDNER East Side, West Side (1949)
    532 AVA GARDNER Mayerling (1968)
    532 AVA GARDNER Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951)
    534 WOLFGANG PREISS Bloodline (1979)
    534 WOLFGANG PREISS The Boys from Brazil (1978)
    538 CYRIL CUSACK Odd Man Out (1947)
    554 SUSANNAH YORK Duffy (1968)
    554 SUSANNAH YORK Yellowbeard (1983)
    567 JOAN COLLINS Island in the Sun (1957)
    571 CURD JURGENS Kill! (1971)
    571 CURD JURGENS Lord Jim (1965)
    576 JANE BIRKIN EVIL UNDER THE SUN (1982)
    585 ALAN BATES Georgy Girl (1966)
    596 KATHLEEN FREEMAN The Prisoner of Zenda (1952)
    601 MARNE MAITLAND Duffy (1968)
    601 MARNE MAITLAND Lord Jim (1965)
    601 MARNE MAITLAND The Assisi Underground (1985)
    609 RAQUEL WELCH The Last of Sheila (1973)
    626 ANGIE DICKINSON Cry Terror! (1958)
    650 WOODY STRODE Genghis Khan (1965)
    652 RICHARD JOHNSON The Pumpkin Eater (1964)
    656 DUB TAYLOR A Star Is Born (1954)
    664 DIANE BAKER Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959)
    670 MICHAEL CONSTANTINE Voyage of the Damned (1976)
    671 BEN CROSS THE ASSISI UNDERGROUND (1985)
    677 JOHN IRELAND The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964)
    680 MAURICE DENHAM The Upturned Glass (1947)
    689 ROY KINNEAR The Deadly Affair (1966)
    689 ROY KINNEAR Tiara Tahiti (1962)
    717 GEOFFREY KEEN Odd Man Out (1947)
    730 ANTHONY PERKINS Ffolkes (1979)
    737 YUL BRYNNER Escape from Zahrain (1962)
    745 LESLIE CARON The Story of Three Loves (1953)
    748 STEVE GUTTENBERG The Boys from Brazil (1978)
    757 JACK HAWKINS Lord Jim (1965)
    762 SENTA BERGER Cross of Iron (1977)
    773 MARLON BRANDO Julius Caesar (1953)
    775 AKIM TAMIROFF Lord Jim (1965)
    779 ERIC IDLE YELLOWBEARD (1983)
    781 LOUIS JOURDAN Madame Bovary (1949)
    783 GERT FROBE Bloodline (1979)
    795 IRENE PAPAS Bloodline (1979)
    795 IRENE PAPAS The Assisi Underground (1985)
    799 RICHARD VERNON EVIL UNDER THE SUN (1982)
    815 SYLVIA MILES EVIL UNDER THE SUN (1982)
    818 GABRIELE FERZETTI Bloodline (1979)
    818 GABRIELE FERZETTI Cold Sweat (1970)
    824 WARREN OATES Hero’s Island (1962)
    839 ALDO RAY Inside Out (1975)
    851 GEORGE SANDERS A TOUCH OF LARCENY (1960)
    853 NEHEMIAH PERSOFF Voyage of the Damned (1976)
    859 MADELINE KAHN Yellowbeard (1983)
    860 BRODERICK CRAWFORD The Decks Ran Red (1958)
    860 BRODERICK CRAWFORD The Yin and the Yang of Mr. Go (1970)
    863 WOLF KAHLER THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL (1978)
    869 JOHN DEHNER The Boys from Brazil (1978)
    898 WALTER MATTHAU Bigger Than Life (1956)
    941 CONSTANTINE GREGORY Inside Out (1975)
    941 CONSTANTINE GREGORY Voyage of the Damned (1976)
    946 PRUNELLA SCALES THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL (1978)
    950 LEE VAN CLEEF Bad Man’s River (1971)
    957 PERCY HERBERT A TOUCH OF LARCENY (1960)
    957 PERCY HERBERT The MacKintosh Man (1973)
    960 ROLAND CULVER Secret Mission (1942)
    960 ROLAND CULVER The MacKintosh Man (1973)
    969 ROBERT RYAN Caught (1949)
    987 RIC YOUNG LORD JIM (1965)
    993 GUNTER MEISNER Inside Out (1975)
    993 GUNTER MEISNER The Boys from Brazil (1978)
    993 GUNTER MEISNER Voyage of the Damned (1976)
    995 LIV ULLMANN Cold Sweat (1970)

    James appeared with 51 Oscar winners.

    ALEC GUINNESS The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964)
    ANNE BANCROFT The Pumpkin Eater (1964)
    ANTHONY QUINN The Marseille Contract (1974)
    ANTHONY QUINN The Passage (1979)
    AUDREY HEPBURN Bloodline (1979)
    BRODERICK CRAWFORD The Decks Ran Red (1958)
    BRODERICK CRAWFORD The Yin and the Yang of Mr. Go (1970)
    CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER Murder by Decree (1979)
    CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964)
    DONALD CRISP PRINCE VALIANT (1954)
    EDMOND O’BRIEN Julius Caesar (1953)
    ETHEL BARRYMORE The Story of Three Loves (1953)
    EVA MARIE SAINT North by Northwest (1959)
    FAYE DUNAWAY Voyage of the Damned (1976)
    GALE SONDERGAARD EAST SIDE, WEST SIDE (1949)
    GEORGE SANDERS A TOUCH OF LARCENY (1960)
    GREER GARSON Julius Caesar (1953)
    GREGORY PECK The Boys from Brazil (1978)
    HELEN MIRREN Age of Consent (1969)
    HUMPHREY BOGART A Star Is Born (1954)
    JAMES COBURN Cross of Iron (1977)
    JAMES COBURN Duffy (1968)
    JAMES COBURN The Last of Sheila (1973)
    JEFF BRIDGES The Yin and the Yang of Mr. Go (1970)
    JENNIFER JONES Madame Bovary (1949)
    JESSICA TANDY The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel (1951)
    JIM BROADBENT The Passage (1979)
    JOAN FONTAINE Island in the Sun (1957)
    JOHN GIELGUD 11 Harrowhouse (1974)
    JOHN GIELGUD Julius Caesar (1953)
    JOHN GIELGUD Murder by Decree (1979)
    JOHN GIELGUD The Shooting Party (1985)
    JOHN MILLS Tiara Tahiti (1962)
    JOSE FERRER Voyage of the Damned (1976)
    JULIE CHRISTIE Heaven Can Wait (1978)
    LAURENCE OLIVIER Fire Over England (1937)
    LAURENCE OLIVIER The Boys from Brazil (1978)
    LEE GRANT Voyage of the Damned (1976)
    MAGGIE SMITH Evil Under the Sun (1982)
    MAGGIE SMITH The Pumpkin Eater (1964)
    MARLON BRANDO Julius Caesar (1953)
    MARTIN LANDAU North by Northwest (1959)
    MAXIMILIAN SCHELL Cross of Iron (1977)
    MAXIMILIAN SCHELL The Assisi Underground (1985)
    MAXIMILIAN SCHELL The Deadly Affair (1966)
    MICHAEL CAINE The Marseille Contract (1974)
    PATRICIA NEAL The Passage (1979)
    PAUL LUKAS 20000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)
    PAUL LUKAS Lord Jim (1965)
    PAUL NEWMAN The MacKintosh Man (1973)
    PAUL NEWMAN The Verdict (1982)
    PETER FINCH The Pumpkin Eater (1964)
    PETER FINCH The Trials of Oscar Wilde (1960)
    PETER USTINOV Evil Under the Sun (1982)
    ROD STEIGER Cry Terror! (1958)
    SHELLEY WINTERS Lolita (1962)
    SIMONE SIGNORET The Deadly Affair (1966)
    SIMONE SIGNORET The Sea Gull (1968)
    SOPHIA LOREN The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964)
    SUSAN HAYWARD The Marriage-Go-Round (1961)
    VAN HEFLIN East Side, West Side (1949)
    VAN HEFLIN Madame Bovary (1949)
    VANESSA REDGRAVE The Sea Gull (1968)
    VICTOR MCLAGLEN Prince Valiant (1954)
    VIVIEN LEIGH Fire Over England (1937)
    WALTER MATTHAU Bigger Than Life (1956)
    WENDY HILLER Voyage of the Damned (1976)
    YUL BRYNNER Escape from Zahrain (1962)

  2. Love James Mason. Like Rosalind Russell, John Garfield, and Montgomery Clift, he deserved every Oscar nomination he got in my humble opinion. Personally, I think he deserved an Academy Award for his performance in 1945’s THE SEVENTH VEIL. Overall, I have seen fifteen James Mason movies. Favorites include A STAR IS BORN, GEORGY GIRL, THE VERDICT, JULIUS CEASAR, 20, 000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, ODD MAN OUT, JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH, THE MARRIAGE GO ROUND, and NORTH BY NORTHWEST. Other James Mason movies I have seen include DESERT FOX, HEAVEN CAN WAIT, LOLITA, THE LAST OF SHELIA, and MADAME BOVERY. Mason is great in A STAR IS BORN but the film itself is a bit too long. He and Kirk Douglas are well matched in 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA and I would have liked to of them make more movies together. Finally, I would like to say that I am more familiar with his American movies than his British films although I have seen a few of those as well of which I consider THE SEVENTH VEIL to the best in my opinion.

    1. Hey Greg. Great thoughts on the great Jana’s Mason. I have to admit that I have not seen The Seventh Veil. I will have to track that one down. I always thought both he and Newman should have won. Oscars for The Verdict. This page needs an update…will have to get that done in the near future. Good stuff!

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