Want to know the best John Cassavetes movies? How about the worst John Cassavetes movies? Curious about John Cassavetes box office grosses or which John Cassavetes movie picked up the most Oscar® nominations? Need to know which John Cassavetes movie got the best reviews from critics and audiences and which got the worst reviews? Well, you have come to the right place….because we have all of that information.
John Cassavetes (1929-1989) was an Oscar®-nominated American actor, film director, and screenwriter. Cassavetes was a pioneer of American independent cinema, writing and directing movies financed in part with income from his acting work. He starred in notable Hollywood films throughout the 1950s and 1960s, including Edge of the City (1957), The Dirty Dozen (1967), and Rosemary’s Baby (1968). His IMDb page shows 110 acting, writing, and directing credits from 1951 to 1986. This page will rank John Cassavetes movies from Best to Worst in six different sortable columns of information. Television shows, shorts, cameos, uncredited roles, and movies that were not released in North American were not included in the rankings.
John Cassavetes Movies Ranked In Chronological Order With Ultimate Movie Rankings Score (1 to 5 UMR Tickets) *Best combo of box office, reviews, and awards.
Year
Movie (Year)
Rating
S
Year Movie (Year) Rating S
1968
Rosemary's Baby (1968)
1967
The Dirty Dozen (1967)
AA Best Supp Actor Nom
1974
A Woman Under the Influence (1974)
AA Best Director Nom
1974
A Woman Under the Influence (1974)
1978
The Fury (1978)
1976
Two-Minute Warning (1976)
1977
Heroes (1977)
1963
A Child Is Waiting (1963)
1968
Faces (1968)
1968
Faces (1968)
1964
The Killers (1964)
1957
Edge of the City (1957)
1970
Husbands (1970)
1977
Opening Night (1977)
1977
Opening Night (1977)
1969
If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium (1969)
1981
Whose Life Is It Anyway? (1981)
1956
Crime in the Streets (1956)
1976
Mikey and Nicky (1976)
1958
Saddle The Wind (1958)
1984
Love Streams (1984)
1958
Our Virgin Island (1958)
1980
Gloria (1980)
1976
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976)
1971
Minnie and Moskowitz (1971)
1982
Tempest (1982)
1958
Shadows (1958)
1961
Too Late Blues (1961)
1983
Marvin & Tige (1983)
1962
The Webster Boy (1962)
1969
Machine Gun McCain (1969)
1967
Devil's Angels (1967)
1978
Brass Target (1978)
1957
Affair in Havana (1957)
1981
The Incubus (1981)
1986
Big Trouble (1986)
1975
Capone (1975)
John Cassavetes 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 any way you want.
- Sort John Cassavetes movies by his co-stars
- Sort John Cassavetes movies by adjusted domestic box office grosses using current movie ticket cost (in millions)
- Sort John Cassavetes movies by yearly domestic box office rank
- Sort John Cassavetes 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 John Cassavetes movie received.
- Sort John Cassavetes movies by Ultimate Movie Rankings (UMR) Score. UMR puts box office, reviews, and awards into a mathematical equation and gives each movie a score.
| R | Movie (Year) | UMR Co-Star Links | Adj. B.O. Worldwide (mil) | Review | Oscar Nom / Win | UMR Score | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | Movie (Year) | UMR Co-Star Links | Actual B.O. Domestic (mil) | Adj. B.O. Domestic (mil) | Adj. B.O. Worldwide (mil) | B.O. Rank by Year | Review | Oscar Nom / Win | UMR Score | S |
| 1 | Rosemary's Baby (1968) | Mia Farrow & John Cassavetes |
42.90 | 408.9 | 408.90 | 8 | 89 | 02 / 01 | 98.9 | |
| 2 | The Dirty Dozen (1967) AA Best Supp Actor Nom |
Lee Marvin & Ernest Borgnine |
51.00 | 527.0 | 816.20 | 5 | 86 | 04 / 01 | 98.9 | |
| 3 | A Woman Under the Influence (1974) AA Best Director Nom |
Gena Rowlands & Directed by Cassavetes |
18.50 | 123.9 | 123.90 | 29 | 86 | 02 / 00 | 92.6 | |
| 4 | A Woman Under the Influence (1974) | Gena Rowlands & Peter Falk |
18.50 | 123.9 | 123.90 | 29 | 86 | 02 / 00 | 92.6 | |
| 7 | The Fury (1978) | Kirk Douglas & Directed by Brian De Palma |
27.10 | 144.5 | 144.50 | 23 | 69 | 00 / 00 | 88.2 | |
| 8 | Two-Minute Warning (1976) | Charlton Heston & Walter Pidgeon |
27.60 | 162.0 | 162.00 | 23 | 55 | 01 / 00 | 85.1 | |
| 8 | Heroes (1977) | Sally Field & Harrison Ford |
26.90 | 150.9 | 150.90 | 30 | 50 | 00 / 00 | 80.8 | |
| 9 | A Child Is Waiting (1963) | Burt Lancaster & Directed by Cassavetes |
2.50 | 36.1 | 36.10 | 79 | 81 | 00 / 00 | 77.8 | |
| 8 | Faces (1968) | Gena Rowlands & Directed by Cassavetes |
2.10 | 20.4 | 20.40 | 116 | 81 | 03 / 00 | 75.7 | |
| 9 | Faces (1968) | John Marley & Gena Rowlands |
2.10 | 20.4 | 20.40 | 116 | 81 | 03 / 00 | 75.7 | |
| 13 | The Killers (1964) | Lee Marvin & Angie Dickinson |
2.90 | 38.0 | 38.00 | 84 | 75 | 00 / 00 | 73.5 | |
| 15 | Edge of the City (1957) | John Cassavetes & Sidney Poitier |
2.20 | 49.7 | 49.70 | 108 | 71 | 00 / 00 | 73.2 | |
| 15 | Husbands (1970) | Ben Gazzara & Directed by Cassavetes |
4.50 | 36.7 | 36.70 | 58 | 75 | 00 / 00 | 73.2 | |
| 11 | Opening Night (1977) | Joan Blondell & Directed by Cassavetes |
1.20 | 6.9 | 6.90 | 130 | 85 | 00 / 00 | 73.2 | |
| 10 | Opening Night (1977) | Gena Rowlands & John Cassavetes |
1.20 | 6.9 | 6.90 | 130 | 85 | 00 / 00 | 73.2 | |
| 16 | If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium (1969) | Ben Gazzara & Ian McShane |
8.60 | 75.5 | 75.50 | 32 | 63 | 00 / 00 | 73.0 | |
| 16 | Whose Life Is It Anyway? (1981) | Richard Dreyfuss | 8.20 | 36.9 | 36.90 | 81 | 74 | 00 / 00 | 72.3 | |
| 19 | Crime in the Streets (1956) | Sal Mineo | 3.40 | 77.9 | 77.90 | 98 | 58 | 00 / 00 | 69.3 | |
| 17 | Mikey and Nicky (1976) | Peter Falk & Ned Beatty |
2.70 | 16.0 | 16.00 | 111 | 78 | 00 / 00 | 69.0 | |
| 20 | Saddle The Wind (1958) | Robert Taylor & Julie London |
2.90 | 59.8 | 123.80 | 72 | 63 | 00 / 00 | 67.7 | |
| 20 | Love Streams (1984) | Gena Rowlands & Directed by Cassavetes |
0.20 | 0.6 | 0.60 | 185 | 79 | 00 / 00 | 64.4 | |
| 22 | Our Virgin Island (1958) | Sidney Poitier | 2.30 | 47.6 | 47.60 | 98 | 64 | 00 / 00 | 64.4 | |
| 22 | Gloria (1980) | Gena Rowlands & Directed by Cassavetes |
3.50 | 16.6 | 16.60 | 123 | 72 | 01 / 00 | 63.7 | |
| 24 | The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976) | Ben Gazzara & Directed by Cassavetes |
0.70 | 4.2 | 4.20 | 146 | 76 | 00 / 00 | 61.8 | |
| 25 | Minnie and Moskowitz (1971) | Gena Rowlands & Directed by Cassavetes |
0.70 | 5.2 | 5.20 | 170 | 75 | 00 / 00 | 61.1 | |
| 27 | Tempest (1982) | Gena Rowlands | 5.00 | 21.3 | 21.30 | 96 | 68 | 00 / 00 | 58.0 | |
| 28 | Shadows (1958) | Ben Carruthers & Directed by Cassavetes |
0.60 | 11.9 | 11.90 | 162 | 70 | 00 / 00 | 56.4 | |
| 29 | Too Late Blues (1961) | Bobby Darin & Directed by Cassavetes |
1.30 | 21.8 | 21.80 | 112 | 61 | 00 / 00 | 45.6 | |
| 30 | Marvin & Tige (1983) | Billy Dee Williams | 0.10 | 0.2 | 0.20 | 175 | 65 | 00 / 00 | 39.9 | |
| 31 | The Webster Boy (1962) | Richard O'Sullivan | 0.10 | 2.4 | 2.40 | 143 | 63 | 00 / 00 | 36.7 | |
| 31 | Machine Gun McCain (1969) | Peter Falk | 1.30 | 11.3 | 11.30 | 128 | 59 | 00 / 00 | 33.9 | |
| 33 | Devil's Angels (1967) | Beverly Adams | 4.40 | 45.2 | 45.20 | 56 | 47 | 00 / 00 | 31.3 | |
| 34 | Brass Target (1978) | Sophia Loren | 5.60 | 29.7 | 29.70 | 82 | 48 | 00 / 00 | 24.9 | |
| 34 | Affair in Havana (1957) | Raymond Burr | 0.60 | 12.7 | 12.70 | 188 | 53 | 00 / 00 | 23.7 | |
| 36 | The Incubus (1981) | John Ireland | 1.20 | 5.2 | 5.20 | 134 | 52 | 00 / 00 | 17.7 | |
| 37 | Big Trouble (1986) | Alan Arkin & Directed by Cassavetes |
0.10 | 0.3 | 0.30 | 216 | 47 | 00 / 00 | 10.3 | |
| 37 | Capone (1975) | Ben Gazzara & Sylvester Stallone |
2.00 | 12.2 | 12.20 | 114 | 32 | 00 / 00 | 2.2 |
Check out John Cassavetes‘s career compared to current and classic actors. Most 100 Million Dollar Movies of All-Time.
Many moviegoers who think of John will probably remember most Rosemary’s Baby; but as Bruce highlights above he carved out a special niche for himself away from mainstream movies as a writer and director of quite high-class independent films. WH gives two fine examples in his lists above with the highly-scored Shadows and Faces.I was in fact most impressed with John as an actor in the first handful of movies in which I ever saw him-
1/Edge of the City – aka A Man is 10 Feet Tall [the producers must have bumped into the youg Joel Hirschhorn who was about 20 when the movies was made!] I saw it on a double bill with the Jennifer Jones/Gielgud flop The Barretts of Wimpole Street [1957].
2/Saddle the Wind. Maybe John’s best screen role as the brash bad-guy brother of Robert Taylor whom The Cowboy of the Century ultimately has to put down in this western just as Van Heflin had to destroy his own out-of-control son Tab Hunter in 1958’s Gunman’s Walk.
3/1964’s remake of Hemmingway’s The Killers. John played the role of the victim that made Lancaster a star in the 1946 version. It was originally meant as a TV movie but was considered so violent at the time that it was released on the big screen instead. It is always remembered of course as Ronnie Reagan’s last movie; but I also think of it as part of Lee Marvin’s 1964-72 gangster trilogy which also comprised Point Blank and Prime Cut.
Hey Bob….thanks for sharing your thoughts on John Cassavetes. I liked your breakdowns on Edge of the City, Saddle the Wind and The Killers. As for his critically acclaimed directed movies…not thinking I have seen any of them…..but seems I have been reading about Faces, Shadows and A Woman Under The Influence most of my adult life. Good stuff as always.
John Cassavetes was on the Oracle of Bacon Top 1000 back in 2000 but fell right off and never came back. These are the actors on the 2020 list he appeared with.
5 DONALD SUTHERLAND The Dirty Dozen (1967)
11 ERNEST BORGNINE The Dirty Dozen (1967)
14 MAX VON SYDOW Brass Target (1978)
29 HARRISON FORD Heroes (1977)
33 SYLVESTER STALLONE Capone (1975)
38 CHARLTON HESTON Two-Minute Warning (1976)
45 GEORGE KENNEDY Brass Target (1978)
45 GEORGE KENNEDY The Dirty Dozen (1967)
52 NED BEATTY Mikey and Nicky (1976)
56 SUSAN SARANDON Tempest (1982)
101 M. EMMET WALSH Mikey and Nicky (1976)
113 ROBERT VAUGHN Brass Target (1978)
113 ROBERT VAUGHN If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium (1969)
115 IAN MCSHANE IF IT’S TUESDAY, THIS MUST BE BELGIUM (1969)
131 BURT LANCASTER A Child Is Waiting (1963)
135 BEN GAZZARA Capone (1975)
135 BEN GAZZARA Husbands (1970)
135 BEN GAZZARA If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium (1969)
135 BEN GAZZARA Opening Night (1977)
143 JACK WARDEN Edge of the City (1957)
193 KIRK DOUGLAS The Fury (1978)
194 CHARLES DURNING The Fury (1978)
200 MARTIN BALSAM Two-Minute Warning (1976)
207 JEFF COREY Fourteen Hours (1951)
221 SEYMOUR CASSEL Love Streams (1984)
221 SEYMOUR CASSEL Minnie and Moskowitz (1971)
221 SEYMOUR CASSEL Opening Night (1977)
221 SEYMOUR CASSEL Shadows (1959)
221 SEYMOUR CASSEL Too Late Blues (1961)
237 PETER FALK Husbands (1970)
237 PETER FALK Mikey and Nicky (1976)
237 PETER FALK Opening Night (1977)
239 BEAU BRIDGES Two-Minute Warning (1976)
258 SOPHIA LOREN Brass Target (1978)
259 MIA FARROW Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
283 RICHARD DREYFUSS Whose Life Is It Anyway? (1981)
285 BOB BALABAN Whose Life Is It Anyway? (1981)
291 EDWARD HERRMANN Brass Target (1978)
315 CHARLES BRONSON The Dirty Dozen (1967)
338 BRUCE DAVISON Brass Target (1978)
352 TELLY SAVALAS The Dirty Dozen (1967)
370 DARYL HANNAH The Fury (1978)
458 VITTORIO GASSMAN Tempest (1982)
475 BRITT EKLAND Machine Gun McCain (1969)
485 DICK MILLER Capone (1975)
485 DICK MILLER The Dirty Dozen (1967)
501 RALPH BELLAMY Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
513 JIM BROWN The Dirty Dozen (1967)
629 ROYAL DANO Capone (1975)
629 ROYAL DANO Saddle the Wind (1958)
634 JOAN COLLINS If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium (1969)
643 JAMES WHITMORE Crime in the Streets (1956)
654 MICHAEL CONSTANTINE If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium (1969)
660 LEE MARVIN The Dirty Dozen (1967)
684 SENTA BERGER If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium (1969)
694 TOM BOWER Two-Minute Warning (1976)
710 SALLY FIELD Heroes (1977)
727 ROBERT RYAN The Dirty Dozen (1967)
736 VIRNA LISI If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium (1969)
741 GABRIELE FERZETTI Bandits in Rome (1968)
741 GABRIELE FERZETTI Machine Gun McCain (1969)
774 GENA ROWLANDS A Child Is Waiting (1963)
774 GENA ROWLANDS Love Streams (1984)
774 GENA ROWLANDS Machine Gun McCain (1969)
774 GENA ROWLANDS Minnie and Moskowitz (1971)
774 GENA ROWLANDS Opening Night (1977)
774 GENA ROWLANDS Shadows (1959)
774 GENA ROWLANDS Tempest (1982)
774 GENA ROWLANDS Two-Minute Warning (1976)
812 SIDNEY POITIER Edge of the City (1957)
892 ROBERT WEBBER The Dirty Dozen (1967)
907 WALTER PIDGEON Two-Minute Warning (1976)
952 BRIAN KEITH Fourteen Hours (1951)
975 RICHARD JAECKEL The Dirty Dozen (1967)
982 LIV ULLMANN King Kongs Faust (1985)
986 OSSIE DAVIS Fourteen Hours (1951)
John appeared with 14 Oscar winners.
BURT LANCASTER A Child Is Waiting (1963)
CHARLTON HESTON Two-Minute Warning (1976)
DONALD CRISP SADDLE THE WIND (1958)
ERNEST BORGNINE The Dirty Dozen (1967)
GEORGE KENNEDY Brass Target (1978)
GEORGE KENNEDY The Dirty Dozen (1967)
GERALDINE PAGE Taxi (1953)
GRACE KELLY Fourteen Hours (1951)
LEE MARVIN The Dirty Dozen (1967)
MARTIN BALSAM Two-Minute Warning (1976)
RICHARD DREYFUSS Whose Life Is It Anyway? (1981)
SALLY FIELD Heroes (1977)
SIDNEY POITIER Edge of the City (1957)
SOPHIA LOREN Brass Target (1978)
SUSAN SARANDON Tempest (1982)
Hey Dan.
1. As always thanks for putting together these trivia lists.
2. So good ole John Cassavetes was on the Oracle list….that is very surprising since he made so few movies.
3. This might be the least surprising most frequent Oracle co-star…Gena Rowlands….and that does not include all the movies that he directed her in.
4. There will be a Gena Rowlands page coming soon…heck I think almost all of them are on this list.
5. 14 Oscar co-stars is on the low side.
Good stuff as always.
I have seen 7 John Cassavetes movies.
The HIGHEST rated movie I have seen is The Dirty Dozen.
The highest rated movie I have NOT seen is Rosemary’s Baby.
The LOWEST rated movie I have seen is Brass Target.
Favourite John Cassavetes Movies:
The Dirty Dozen
Edge of the City
Saddle the Wind
Other John Cassavetes Movies I Have Seen:
Husbands
If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium
Crime in the Streets
Brass Target
Hey Flora. Thanks for the thoughts on John Cassavetes and his movies. Tally count: My 9 to your 7. I have seen 2 of the 7 you have seen…as I have seen The Dirty Dozen and Saddle The Wind. I can see you skipping Rosemary’s Baby. I want to see Edge of the City. Good stuff as always.
Excellent UMR Page
Thank you Mike…. I plan on adding that latest batch of movies you researched today.
Did you add them?
I have several more movies for you?
Hope you are doing better.
Thx
Mike
Hey Mike….they are in the database….the last 50 movies to make the database:
MovieYear
Added August 11th – Deadwood: The Movie (2019)
An American Pickle (2020)
My Son My Son! (1940)
Unhinged (2020)
Penrod and Sam (1931)
Over The Hill (1931)
Personal Maid (1931)
Our These Our Children? (1931)
One Heavenly Night (1931)
Gold Rush Maisie (1940)
Keeping Company (1940)
Turnabout (1940)
Mystery Sea Raider (1940)
Mexican Spitfire Out West (1940)
Relic (2020)
Becky (2020)
Made In Italy (2020)
The Big Ugly (2020)
Train To Busan Presents: Peninsula (2020)
The Rental (2020)
The Tax Collector (2020)
Rome Adventure (1962)
My Blood Runs Cold (1965)
Come Spy with Me (1967)
The Phantom Gunslinger (1970)
Sweet Savior (1971)
The Legend of Frank Woods (1977)
Double Trouble (1992)
Tin Man (1983)
Katy Caterpillar (1984)
Cyclone (1987)
Hawkeye (1988)
Low Blow (1986)
Monster on the Campus (1958)
Affair in Havana (1957)
Shadows (1958)
Too Late Blues (1961)
The Webster Boy (1962)
Minnie and Moskowitz (1971)
The Incubus (1981)
Marvin & Tige (1983)
Love Streams (1984)
Lili Marleen (1981)
Meeting Daddy (2000)
To Find a Man (1972)
Attack On The Iron Coast (1968)
Around the World Under the Sea (1966)
The Goddess (1958)
Apache Woman (1955)
Added July 25th – City of Bad Men (1953)
John Cassavetes has become known in recent years as the director of strange and controversial films. Opinions on the merit of his directing work are sharpely divided and tend to obscure his much greater gifts as an actor. – Rating The Movie Stars Book (1983)
Rating The Movie Stars 4 Star John Cassavetes Movie Performances
1957’s Edge of the City
1958’s Saddle In The Wind
1967’s The Dirty Dozen
1968’s Rosemary’s Baby
Another Joel subject done….25 to go. This is the last of the pages I wrote near the end of July….today should be Monday August 10th…..hope you have enjoyed all these new pages in my absence.
As for John Cassavettes…..I have seen 9 of these movies….not many favorites…..Top 3 would be The Dirty Dozen, Rosemary’s Baby and Two-Minute Warning.