Want to know the best John Cleese movies? How about the worst John Cleese movies? Curious about John Cleese box office grosses or which John Cleese movie picked up the most Oscar® nominations? Need to know which John Cleese movie got the best reviews from critics and audiences? Well, you have come to the right place….because we have all of that information.
John Cleese (1939-) is an English actor, comedian, and screenwriter. In the late 1960s, he co-founded the comedy troupe. Monty Python’s Flying Circus. Along with his Python co-stars Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin and Graham Chapman, they appeared in numerous movies and television shows. His IMDb page shows over 170 acting credits since 1967. This page will rank John Cleese movies from Best to Worst in six different sortable columns of information. To do well in our overall rankings a movie has to do well at the box office, get good reviews by critics, be liked by audiences, and get some award recognition.
John Cleese Movies Ranked In Chronological Order With Ultimate Movie Rankings Score (1 to 5 UMR Tickets) *Best combo of box office, reviews and awards.
John Cleese 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 Cleese movies by his co-stars
- Sort John Cleese movies by adjusted domestic box office grosses using current movie ticket cost (in millions)
- Sort John Cleese movies by yearly domestic box office rank
- Sort John Cleese movies by 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 Cleese movie received.
- Sort John Cleese movies by Ultimate Movie Rankings (UMR) Score. UMR puts box office, reviews and awards into a mathematical equation and gives each movie a score.
Check out John Cleese‘s career compared to current and classic actors. Most 100 Million Dollar Movies of All-Time.
Over here John Cleese got a lot of publicity out of 3 movies in which he was the top-billed star and which he had other technical role connections with as well: Clockwise/A Fish Called Myrna/Fierce Creatures. I never watched any of them as they are not my sense of humour but in “Fish” John played a barrister named Archie Leach. As my daughter would say “You couldn’t make it up!”
However I was very fond of John’s TV series Fawlty Towers and it has become such a cult fave over here that possibly it [along with maybe the 3 films I have mentioned above] have made Cleese the most famous of the Python actors.
Fawlty Towers was originally aired from 1975-1979 and has had many subsequent reruns. John co-wrote the script and the show was ranked No 1on a list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes drawn up by the British Film Institute in 2000, and in 2019 it was named the “greatest ever British TV sitcom” by a panel of comedy experts compiled by the Radio Times. For me it was far funnier than any of those [to my mind awful] screwball comedies that the Yanks used to make for the big screen
I also enjoyed John’s guest appearance in a 1987 episode of the sitcom Cheers. Nobody but John could humorously put such cynical contempt and derision into lines like “I’ve got to pretend to be interested in what that pompous bore Frasier Crane has to say!”
On top of his film career Wikipedia amply details for Cleese 36 specific TV productions; 45 television advertisements; 2 radio programmes; and 18 videos. He has a reported current net worth of $10 million. For me the Cleese page and that of Graham Chapman are the two most pleasing ones in Bruce’s excellent current Python set of profiles. “Voted Up”.
Hey Bob…thanks for checking out our John Cleese page. I have always gotten a kick out of his character being named Archie Leach. I really like A Fish Called Wanda. I actually almost picked up Fawlty Towers today from my local library….but I put it back on the shelf. Good information on his net worth, awards and other television roles. Good stuff as always.
i saw 17 including 7 of top 8. 10s and favorites : a fish called wanda, silverado, in search of the holy grail. 9 and favorite and now for something completely different. no hidden gems, lots of 7s a couple of 8s. i am not a harry potter guy(the kids can barely act as attested to by the rest of their careers; the rest is wonderful), nor am i a brosnan/bond kinda guy he falls in love and Connery must be laughing at him.
Hey bob cox….thanks for the feedback on our John Cleese page. Tally count…for Cleese movies…you have seen 17….I am at 35…most recently watched the awful Arctic Dogs with the kids. I am right there with you on all of your 10s and favorites. I think the Potter kids are doing ok. I like but do not love the Brosnan Bond movies. Good stuff as always.
Funny actor. Looks like he has been the most productive Monty Python member.
Hey Taylor…I agree….he has almost doubled every other Python member….only Idle is even close to his output. Good stuff as always.
Would you believe it if I told you John Cleese was # 37 on the Oracle of Bacon Top 1000 Center of the Hollywood Universe list. These are all the actors on the 2020 list he has appeared with.
1 CHRISTOPHER LEE The Magic Christian (1969)
4 MICHAEL CAINE Bullseye! (1990)
5 DONALD SUTHERLAND Interlude (1968)
7 ROBERT DE NIRO Frankenstein (1994)
8 JOHN HURT Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)
8 JOHN HURT Valiant (2005)
9 BEN KINGSLEY Parting Shots (1999)
13 SEAN CONNERY Time Bandits (1981)
17 MICHAEL MADSEN ARCTIC DOGS (2019)
17 MICHAEL MADSEN Die Another Day (2002)
25 TREVOR HOWARD The Great Muppet Caper (1981)
27 ALFRED MOLINA The Pink Panther 2 (2009)
32 DEREK JACOBI Interlude (1968)
35 ELLIOTT GOULD The Big Picture (1989)
39 RODDY MCDOWELL The Big Picture (1989)
51 BRUCE WILLIS Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle (2003)
54 ROGER MOORE Bullseye! (1990)
60 MICHAEL HORDERN Yellowbeard (1983)
62 CARY ELWES The Jungle Book (1994)
65 JACKIE CHAN Around the World in 80 Days (2004)
69 PIERCE BROSNAN Die Another Day (2002)
69 PIERCE BROSNAN The World Is Not Enough (1999)
70 JOSS ACKLAND The Strange Case of the End of Civilization as We Know It (1977)
73 VAL KILMER PLANES (2013)
74 ANTONIO BANDERAS Shrek 2 (2004)
74 ANTONIO BANDERAS Shrek Forever After (2010)
74 ANTONIO BANDERAS Shrek the Third (2007)
88 SAM NEILL The Jungle Book (1994)
88 SAM NEILL The Magic Pudding (2000)
90 RICHARD ATTENBOROUGH The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom (1968)
90 RICHARD ATTENBOROUGH The Magic Christian (1969)
93 PETER USTINOV The Great Muppet Caper (1981)
95 IAN HOLM Frankenstein (1994)
95 IAN HOLM Time Bandits (1981)
96 JACK PALANCE The Swan Princess (1994)
98 DAVID NIVEN The Statue (1971)
106 SHIRLEY MACLAINE The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom (1968)
107 MICKEY ROONEY Erik the Viking (1989)
108 JAMES MASON Yellowbeard (1983)
111 STACY KEACH PLANES (2013)
113 ROBERT VAUGHN The Statue (1971)
115 IAN MCSHANE SHREK THE THIRD (2007)
116 TIM ROBBINS Erik the Viking (1989)
117 RICHARD HARRIS Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
117 RICHARD HARRIS Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)
119 JIM BROADBENT Around the World in 80 Days (2004)
119 JIM BROADBENT Erik the Viking (1989)
119 JIM BROADBENT Time Bandits (1981)
119 JIM BROADBENT Valiant (2005)
121 WHOOPI GOLDBERG Rat Race (2001)
127 DENHOLM ELLIOTT The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer (1970)
127 DENHOLM ELLIOTT The Strange Case of the End of Civilization as We Know It (1977)
128 ROBERT MORLEY The Great Muppet Caper (1981)
130 STEVE BUSCEMI Charlotte’s Web (2006)
130 STEVE BUSCEMI Igor (2008)
143 JACK WARDEN The Great Muppet Caper (1981)
144 CHRISTIAN SLATER Igor (2008)
145 BOB HOSKINS Parting Shots (1999)
146 ROBERT FORSTER Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle (2003)
147 RICHARD JENKINS Silverado (1985)
149 JEFF GOLDBLUM Silverado (1985)
151 ANJELICA HUSTON ARCTIC DOGS (2019)
152 WOODY HARRELSON Scorched (2003/I)
155 SCOTT GLENN Silverado (1985)
160 JULIA ROBERTS Charlotte’s Web (2006)
168 JAMES HONG The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)
169 GARY OLDMAN Planet 51 (2009)
172 JEREMY IRONS The Pink Panther 2 (2009)
174 DANNY GLOVER Silverado (1985)
177 KATHY BATES Around the World in 80 Days (2004)
177 KATHY BATES Charlotte’s Web (2006)
177 KATHY BATES Rat Race (2001)
177 KATHY BATES The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)
178 JUDI DENCH Die Another Day (2002)
178 JUDI DENCH The World Is Not Enough (1999)
179 RICHARD GRIFFITHS Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
179 RICHARD GRIFFITHS Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)
183 DAVID WARNER Time Bandits (1981)
189 ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER Around the World in 80 Days (2004)
195 JASON FLEMYNG The Jungle Book (1994)
198 JOHN CUSACK Igor (2008)
209 ROSANNA ARQUETTE Silverado (1985)
219 OLIVER REED Parting Shots (1999)
222 MAGGIE SMITH Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
222 MAGGIE SMITH Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)
225 DAVID HEMMINGS The Best House in London (1969)
226 ALEC BALDWIN ARCTIC DOGS (2019)
226 ALEC BALDWIN The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002)
228 JOHN RATZENBERGER PLANES (2013)
232 SAM SHEPARD Charlotte’s Web (2006)
233 ANDY GARCIA The Pink Panther 2 (2009)
234 RANDY QUAID The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002)
237 PETER FALK The Great Muppet Caper (1981)
239 BEAU BRIDGES Charlotte’s Web (2006)
252 KEANU REEVES The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)
253 RANCE HOWARD Rat Race (2001)
257 TOM KENNY WINNIE THE POOH (2011)
270 GLENN CLOSE Pinocchio (2002)
271 STEVE COOGAN AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (2004)
277 JULIAN GLOVER Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
277 JULIAN GLOVER The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer (1970)
278 JASON ISAACS Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
288 OWEN WILSON Around the World in 80 Days (2004)
289 JULIAN SANDS Privates on Parade (1983)
298 JEAN RENO The Pink Panther 2 (2009)
300 JOE PANTOLIANO The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002)
309 JOHN LEGUIZAMO GET SQUIRRELY (2015)
322 ROBERT REDFORD Charlotte’s Web (2006)
323 BRIAN DENNEHY Silverado (1985)
327 BURT KWOUK The Strange Case of the End of Civilization as We Know It (1977)
328 ROBBIE COLTRANE Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
328 ROBBIE COLTRANE Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)
328 ROBBIE COLTRANE The World Is Not Enough (1999)
331 EMILY MORTIMER THE PINK PANTHER 2 (2009)
337 CATHERINE DENEUVE GOD LOVES CAVIAR (2012)
339 TIM CURRY Valiant (2005)
342 JENNIFER JASON LEIGH The Big Picture (1989)
343 PETER BOYLE The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002)
343 PETER BOYLE Yellowbeard (1983)
356 STOCKARD CHANNING Isn’t She Great (2000)
357 BURT YOUNG The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002)
359 BRENDAN FRASER George of the Jungle (1997)
365 ROSARIO DAWSON The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002)
367 JOHN STANDING PRIVATES ON PARADE (1983)
369 STEVE MARTIN The Out-of-Towners (1999)
369 STEVE MARTIN The Pink Panther 2 (2009)
373 FERDY MAYNE The Best House in London (1969)
373 FERDY MAYNE The Magic Christian (1969)
373 FERDY MAYNE Yellowbeard (1983)
385 EDDIE ALBERT The Big Picture (1989)
387 PETER VAUGHAN Time Bandits (1981)
388 DEMI MOORE Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle (2003)
397 MIRIAM MARGOLYES Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
420 KEVIN COSTNER Silverado (1985)
428 PAM GRIER The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002)
432 RICHARD ROUNDTREE George of the Jungle (1997)
436 BARBARA HERSHEY Splitting Heirs (1993)
438 RUPERT EVERETT SHREK 2 (2004)
438 RUPERT EVERETT SHREK THE THIRD (2007)
443 LESLIE PHILLIPS Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
443 LESLIE PHILLIPS Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)
445 JAMES GAMMON Silverado (1985)
449 MICHAEL MCKEAN The Big Picture (1989)
451 GRAHAM STARK The Magic Christian (1969)
461 JEFFREY TAMBOR Scorched (2003/I)
461 JEFFREY TAMBOR TROLLS (2016)
478 BRAD GARRETT PLANES (2013)
488 TOBY JONES HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS (2002)
495 JACK THOMPSON THE MAGIC PUDDING (2000)
499 CHRISTOPHER MCDONALD Isn’t She Great (2000)
504 ROBERT PATRICK Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle (2003)
508 STEPHEN DORFF Quantum Project (2000)
525 RAQUEL WELCH The Magic Christian (1969)
531 TONI COLLETTE THE MAGIC PUDDING (2000)
540 EWAN MCGREGOR Valiant (2005)
543 CHEECH MARIN Pinocchio (2002)
543 CHEECH MARIN Yellowbeard (1983)
546 KEVIN BACON The Big Picture (1989)
555 SUSANNAH YORK Yellowbeard (1983)
557 LUIS GUZMAN The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002)
562 WILFRID HYDE-WHITE The Magic Christian (1969)
567 MAURICE DENHAM The Best House in London (1969)
570 BEN AFFLECK Man About Town (2006)
580 YUL BRYNNER The Magic Christian (1969)
601 FREDDIE JONES Erik the Viking (1989)
601 FREDDIE JONES Romance with a Double Bass (1974)
601 FREDDIE JONES The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom (1968)
604 LUKE WILSON Around the World in 80 Days (2004)
604 LUKE WILSON Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle (2003)
612 DESMOND LLEWELYN The World Is Not Enough (1999)
614 ROB SCHNEIDER Around the World in 80 Days (2004)
619 CAMERON DIAZ A LIAR’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY: THE UNTRUE STORY OF MONTY PYTHON’S GRAHAM CHAPMAN (2012)
619 CAMERON DIAZ Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle (2003)
619 CAMERON DIAZ Shrek 2 (2004)
619 CAMERON DIAZ Shrek Forever After (2010)
619 CAMERON DIAZ Shrek the Third (2007)
620 LENA HEADEY THE JUNGLE BOOK (1994)
621 COLLEEN CAMP Rat Race (2001)
623 BRION JAMES Silverado (1985)
625 JAMES REBHORN The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002)
628 GEORGE SANDERS The Best House in London (1969)
640 DREW BARRYMORE Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle (2003)
655 KEVIN KLINE A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
655 KEVIN KLINE Fierce Creatures (1997)
655 KEVIN KLINE Silverado (1985)
675 DOM DELUISE An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (1991)
678 GINA GERSHON Man About Town (2006)
681 STEPHEN FRY A FISH CALLED WANDA (1988)
681 STEPHEN FRY A LIAR’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY: THE UNTRUE STORY OF MONTY PYTHON’S GRAHAM CHAPMAN (2012)
690 CRISPIN GLOVER CHARLIE’S ANGELS: FULL THROTTLE (2003)
691 EWEN BREMNER AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (2004)
692 JAMES FRANCO ARCTIC DOGS (2019)
693 SETH GREEN RAT RACE (2001)
695 SALLY KIRKLAND Bullseye! (1990)
696 JAMIE LEE CURTIS A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
696 JAMIE LEE CURTIS Fierce Creatures (1997)
699 HUGO WEAVING THE MAGIC PUDDING (2000)
703 ROLAND CULVER The Magic Christian (1969)
703 ROLAND CULVER The Rise and Rise of Michael Rimmer (1970)
713 MARNE MAITLAND The Statue (1971)
736 VIRNA LISI The Statue (1971)
737 LILY TOMLIN The Pink Panther 2 (2009)
745 HELENA BONHAM CARTER Frankenstein (1994)
751 RALPH RICHARDSON Time Bandits (1981)
776 LUCY LIU CHARLIE’S ANGELS: FULL THROTTLE (2003)
786 CARRIE FISHER Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle (2003)
817 DENISE RICHARDS THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH (1999)
821 ERIC IDLE And Now for Something Completely Different (1971)
821 ERIC IDLE LIFE OF BRIAN (1979)
821 ERIC IDLE MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL (1975)
821 ERIC IDLE MONTY PYTHON LIVE AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL (1982)
821 ERIC IDLE PINOCCHIO (2002)
821 ERIC IDLE SHREK THE THIRD (2007)
821 ERIC IDLE SPLITTING HEIRS (1993)
821 ERIC IDLE YELLOWBEARD (1983)
825 NEHEMIAH PERSOFF An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (1991)
826 IAN MCNEICE AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (2004)
827 DAVID SUCHET PINOCCHIO (2002)
833 HALLE BERRY Die Another Day (2002)
839 KENNETH BRANAGH HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS (2002)
842 MARIANNE STONE The Best House in London (1969)
842 MARIANNE STONE The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom (1968)
842 MARIANNE STONE The Love Ban (1973)
852 GEOFFREY RUSH The Magic Pudding (2000)
854 CUBA GOODING JR. Rat Race (2001)
866 JON LOVITZ AN AMERICAN TAIL: FIEVEL GOES WEST (1991)
866 JON LOVITZ RAT RACE (2001)
887 MADELINE KAHN Yellowbeard (1983)
901 JANE LYNCH SHREK FOREVER AFTER (2010)
909 NICOL WILLIAMSON The Wind in the Willows (1996)
911 BRUCE PAYNE PRIVATES ON PARADE (1983)
919 AIDAN QUINN Frankenstein (1994)
920 HOWARD HESSEMAN Man About Town (2006)
923 RONALD LACEY (I) YELLOWBEARD (1983)
927 CHRISTINE BARANSKI TROLLS (2016)
931 JOHN LE MESURIER The Magic Christian (1969)
940 J.T. WALSH The Big Picture (1989)
947 MOLLY SHANNON IGOR (2008)
953 EDDIE IZZARD IGOR (2008)
962 NATHAN LANE ISN’T SHE GREAT (2000)
987 MARY KAY PLACE SHREK FOREVER AFTER (2010)
Johnny boy has appeared with 30 Oscar winners.
ANJELICA HUSTON ARCTIC DOGS (2019)
BEN KINGSLEY Parting Shots (1999)
CATHERINE ZETA-JONES Splitting Heirs (1993)
CUBA GOODING JR. Rat Race (2001)
DAVID NIVEN The Statue (1971)
GARY OLDMAN Planet 51 (2009)
GEOFFREY RUSH The Magic Pudding (2000)
GEORGE SANDERS The Best House in London (1969)
GOLDIE HAWN The Out-of-Towners (1999)
HALLE BERRY Die Another Day (2002)
JACK PALANCE The Swan Princess (1994)
JAMES STEWART An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (1991)
JENNIFER CONNELLY The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)
JEREMY IRONS The Pink Panther 2 (2009)
JIM BROADBENT Around the World in 80 Days (2004)
JIM BROADBENT Erik the Viking (1989)
JIM BROADBENT Time Bandits (1981)
JIM BROADBENT Valiant (2005)
JUDI DENCH Die Another Day (2002)
JUDI DENCH The World Is Not Enough (1999)
JULIA ROBERTS Charlotte’s Web (2006)
JULIE ANDREWS Shrek 2 (2004)
JULIE ANDREWS Shrek Forever After (2010)
JULIE ANDREWS Shrek the Third (2007)
KATHY BATES Around the World in 80 Days (2004)
KATHY BATES Charlotte’s Web (2006)
KATHY BATES Rat Race (2001)
KATHY BATES The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)
KEVIN KLINE A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
KEVIN KLINE Fierce Creatures (1997)
KEVIN KLINE Silverado (1985)
MAGGIE SMITH Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
MAGGIE SMITH Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)
MICHAEL CAINE Bullseye! (1990)
PETER USTINOV The Great Muppet Caper (1981)
ROBERT DE NIRO Frankenstein (1994)
ROBERTO BENIGNI PINOCCHIO (2002)
SEAN CONNERY Time Bandits (1981)
SHIRLEY MACLAINE The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom (1968)
TIM ROBBINS Erik the Viking (1989)
WHOOPI GOLDBERG Rat Race (2001)
YUL BRYNNER The Magic Christian (1969)
Hey Dan….thanks for the trivia lists on John Cleese. In the Top 50….that is awesome for Mr. Cleese. Of the 6 Pythons, his resume is easily the most productive. Eric Idle is not surprisingly the most frequent Oracle co-star. First list is indeed massive…especially since some of the recent ones have been so short (looking at your Ms. Tallulah Bankhead…lol). 30 Oscar winning co-stars is below average. As always…good stuff.
Great UMR Page
Hey Mike…..the busiest Python…..only he almost doubles the other Pythons when it comes to movies in our database. Thanks for the compliment.