Want to know the best Max von Sydow movies? How about the worst Max von Sydow movies? Curious about Max von Sydow box office grosses or which Max von Sydow movie picked up the most Oscar® nominations? Need to know which Max von Sydow 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.
Max von Sydow (1929-2020) was an Oscar®-nominated Swedish actor. He appeared in European and American films. Von Sydow featured in more than 100 films and TV series. His most memorable film roles include Knight Antonius Block in Ingmar Bergman’s The Seventh Seal (1957), the earliest of 11 films he made with Bergman, which includes iconic scenes in which his character plays chess with Death. His IMDb page shows 163 acting credits between 1949 and 2018. This page will rank Max von Sydow 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.
Max von Sydow 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
1973
The Exorcist (1973)
AA Best Picture Nom
2015
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
2002
Minority Report (2002)
1975
Three Days of the Condor (1975)
1986
Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
AA Best Picture Nom
1990
Awakenings (1990)
AA Best Picture Nom
1966
Hawaii (1966)
2010
Shutter Island (2010)
1983
Never Say Never Again (1983)
2007
Rush Hour 3 (2007)
1965
The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)
1980
Flash Gordon (1980)
1982
Conan the Barbarian (1982)
2010
Robin Hood (2010)
1998
What Dreams May Come (1998)
2007
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007)
1957
The Seventh Seal (1957)
1984
Dune (1984)
1971
The Emigrants (1971)
AA Best Picture Nom
1960
The Virgin Spring (1960)
1977
Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)
1957
Wild Strawberries (1957)
1969
The Passion Of Anna (1969)
1976
Voyage of the Damned (1976)
1987
Pelle the Conqueror (1987)
AA Best Actor Nom
1984
Dreamscape (1984)
1992
The Best Intentions (1992)
1981
Victory (1981)
2011
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011)
AA Best Picture Nom
AA Best Supp Actor Nom
1983
Strange Brew (1983)
1991
Europa (1991)
1966
The Quiller Memorandum (1966)
1968
Hour Of The Wolf (1968)
1995
Citizen X (1995)
HBO Movie
1971
The Night Visitor (1971)
1991
Until the End of the World (1991)
1986
Duet for One (1986)
1999
Snow Falling on Cedars (1999)
1991
A Kiss Before Dying (1991)
2001
Intacto (2001)
1984
The Ice Pirates (1984)
1971
The Touch (1971)
1970
The Kremlin Letter (1970)
1996
Jerusalem (1996)
1980
Death Watch (1980)
Film Festival Circuit Only
1995
Lumière and Company (1995)
Limited Release
2018
The Command (2018)
1993
Needful Things (1993)
1985
Code Name: Emerald (1985)
1992
The Touch (1992)
Limited Release 
1979
Hurricane (1979)
1995
Judge Dredd (1995)
2014
The Letters (2014)
1977
March or Die (1977)
1976
The Far Side of Paradise/Foxtrot (1976)
1978
Brass Target (1978)
1975
The Ultimate Warrior (1975)
1965
The Reward (1965)
1972
Embassy (1972)
2012
Branded (2012)
Max von Sydow 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 Max von Sydow movies by his co-stars
- Sort Max von Sydow movies by adjusted domestic box office grosses using current movie ticket cost.
- Sort Max von Sydow movies by domestic yearly box office rank
- Sort Max von Sydow 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 Max von Sydow movie received.
- Sort Max von Sydow 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.
| 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 | The Exorcist (1973) AA Best Picture Nom |
Ellen Burstyn & Max Von Sydow |
195.80 | 1,192.5 | 2,459.30 | 1 | 86 | 10 / 02 | 99.6 | |
| 2 | Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) | Harrison Ford & Carrie Fisher |
910.70 | 1,164.5 | 2,611.50 | 1 | 90 | 05 / 00 | 99.1 | |
| 3 | Minority Report (2002) | Tom Cruise & Colin Farrell & Samantha Morton |
132.10 | 245.5 | 666.10 | 17 | 88 | 01 / 00 | 98.7 | |
| 5 | Three Days of the Condor (1975) | Robert Redford & Faye Dunaway |
60.60 | 318.9 | 318.90 | 5 | 80 | 01 / 00 | 97.6 | |
| 4 | Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) AA Best Picture Nom |
Michael Caine & Woody Allen |
35.40 | 102.8 | 102.80 | 30 | 90 | 07 / 03 | 96.1 | |
| 5 | Awakenings (1990) AA Best Picture Nom |
Robert DeNiro & Robin Williams |
52.10 | 132.8 | 132.80 | 23 | 83 | 03 / 00 | 95.1 | |
| 7 | Hawaii (1966) | Julie Andrews & Max von Sydow |
38.90 | 381.0 | 381.00 | 1 | 60 | 07 / 00 | 94.1 | |
| 8 | Shutter Island (2010) | Leonardo DiCaprio & Mark Ruffalo |
128.00 | 174.9 | 402.80 | 20 | 73 | 00 / 00 | 94.0 | |
| 10 | Never Say Never Again (1983) | Sean Connery & Kim Basinger |
55.40 | 189.7 | 547.70 | 16 | 62 | 00 / 00 | 92.2 | |
| 9 | Rush Hour 3 (2007) | Jackie Chan & Hiroyuki Sanada |
140.10 | 219.6 | 402.00 | 15 | 56 | 00 / 00 | 91.0 | |
| 11 | The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) | Max von Sydow & Dorothy McGuire |
18.80 | 198.9 | 287.50 | 11 | 50 | 05 / 00 | 90.2 | |
| 12 | Flash Gordon (1980) | Topol | 34.60 | 143.5 | 143.50 | 24 | 67 | 00 / 00 | 88.6 | |
| 13 | Conan the Barbarian (1982) | Arnold Schwarzenegger & James Earl Jones |
39.60 | 145.1 | 252.50 | 16 | 64 | 00 / 00 | 88.0 | |
| 15 | Robin Hood (2010) | Russell Crowe & Cate Blanchett & <a href='https://www.ultimatemovierankings.com/william-hurt-movie |
105.30 | 143.8 | 439.50 | 26 | 57 | 00 / 00 | 84.8 | |
| 17 | What Dreams May Come (1998) | Robin Williams & Cuba Gooding Jr. |
55.40 | 127.3 | 164.10 | 39 | 57 | 02 / 01 | 83.7 | |
| 16 | The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007) | Mathieu Amalric & Emmanuelle Seigner |
6.00 | 9.4 | 31.00 | 160 | 89 | 04 / 00 | 81.4 | |
| 18 | The Seventh Seal (1957) | Directed by Ingmar Bergman | 1.90 | 36.0 | 36.00 | 120 | 84 | 00 / 00 | 81.3 | |
| 19 | Dune (1984) | Kyle MacLachlan & Dean Stockwell |
30.90 | 99.2 | 99.20 | 30 | 63 | 01 / 00 | 81.2 | |
| 18 | The Emigrants (1971) AA Best Picture Nom |
Liv Ullmann | 2.60 | 16.8 | 16.80 | 99 | 79 | 05 / 00 | 80.5 | |
| 20 | The Virgin Spring (1960) | Directed by Ingmar Bergman | 2.00 | 31.2 | 31.20 | 101 | 78 | 02 / 01 | 78.1 | |
| 21 | Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977) | Richard Burton & Paul Henreid |
37.60 | 181.6 | 181.60 | 20 | 32 | 00 / 00 | 77.1 | |
| 20 | Wild Strawberries (1957) | Directed by Ingmar Bergman | 1.00 | 19.5 | 19.50 | 154 | 80 | 00 / 00 | 74.4 | |
| 23 | The Passion Of Anna (1969) | Directed by Ingmar Bergman | 1.00 | 7.9 | 7.90 | 133 | 83 | 00 / 00 | 73.8 | |
| 23 | Voyage of the Damned (1976) | James Mason & Orson Welles |
5.30 | 26.8 | 26.80 | 79 | 74 | 03 / 00 | 73.3 | |
| 23 | Pelle the Conqueror (1987) AA Best Actor Nom |
Pelle Hvenegaard & Max Von Sydow |
2.10 | 5.7 | 5.70 | 141 | 79 | 02 / 01 | 71.3 | |
| 26 | Dreamscape (1984) | Dennis Quaid & Max Von Sydow |
12.10 | 39.0 | 39.00 | 68 | 70 | 00 / 00 | 70.1 | |
| 26 | The Best Intentions (1992) | Samuel Fröler & Pernilla August |
1.30 | 3.3 | 3.30 | 165 | 79 | 00 / 00 | 66.7 | |
| 28 | Victory (1981) | Michael Caine & Sylvester Stallone |
10.90 | 42.1 | 42.10 | 72 | 66 | 00 / 00 | 65.8 | |
| 29 | Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011) AA Best Picture Nom AA Best Supp Actor Nom |
Tom Hanks & Sandra Bullock & John |
31.80 | 43.3 | 75.10 | 99 | 56 | 02 / 00 | 63.9 | |
| 31 | Strange Brew (1983) | Rick Moranis & Dave Thomas |
8.60 | 29.3 | 29.30 | 69 | 67 | 00 / 00 | 61.4 | |
| 29 | Europa (1991) | Eddie Constantine | 1.10 | 2.8 | 2.80 | 166 | 75 | 00 / 00 | 61.1 | |
| 31 | The Quiller Memorandum (1966) | George Segal & Alec Guinness |
3.80 | 36.8 | 36.80 | 65 | 63 | 00 / 00 | 59.6 | |
| 32 | Hour Of The Wolf (1968) | Directed by Ingmar Bergman | 0.20 | 2.1 | 2.10 | 177 | 73 | 00 / 00 | 57.3 | |
| 34 | Citizen X (1995) HBO Movie |
Donald Sutherland | 0.10 | 0.1 | 0.10 | 243 | 72 | 00 / 00 | 54.5 | |
| 35 | The Night Visitor (1971) | Trevor Howard | 1.90 | 12.4 | 12.40 | 124 | 68 | 00 / 00 | 54.1 | |
| 36 | Until the End of the World (1991) | William Hurt & Solveig Dommartin |
0.80 | 2.1 | 2.10 | 174 | 71 | 00 / 00 | 53.8 | |
| 37 | Duet for One (1986) | Julie Andrews & Alan Bates |
0.00 | 0.0 | 0.00 | 261 | 71 | 00 / 00 | 53.3 | |
| 38 | Snow Falling on Cedars (1999) | Ethan Hawke & Max von Sydow |
14.40 | 30.7 | 49.10 | 101 | 59 | 01 / 00 | 49.4 | |
| 38 | A Kiss Before Dying (1991) | Matt Dillon & Sean Young |
15.40 | 39.5 | 39.50 | 73 | 57 | 00 / 00 | 49.3 | |
| 40 | Intacto (2001) | Max von Sydow & Eusebio Poncela |
0.30 | 0.6 | 0.60 | 246 | 68 | 00 / 00 | 46.6 | |
| 41 | The Ice Pirates (1984) | Robert Urich & Anjelica Huston |
14.30 | 45.7 | 45.70 | 65 | 52 | 00 / 00 | 43.2 | |
| 42 | The Touch (1971) | Elliott Gould & Directed by Ingmar Bergman |
1.50 | 9.6 | 22.50 | 141 | 62 | 00 / 00 | 40.5 | |
| 41 | The Kremlin Letter (1970) | Orson Wells & Directed by John Huston |
2.10 | 14.8 | 14.80 | 103 | 60 | 00 / 00 | 40.5 | |
| 44 | Jerusalem (1996) | Olympia Dukakis | 0.00 | 0.1 | 0.10 | 321 | 65 | 00 / 00 | 39.9 | |
| 45 | Death Watch (1980) Film Festival Circuit Only |
Harry Dean Stanton | 0.10 | 0.3 | 0.30 | 187 | 64 | 00 / 00 | 38.1 | |
| 46 | Lumière and Company (1995) Limited Release |
Directed by Arthur Penn | 0.00 | 0.1 | 0.10 | 265 | 64 | 00 / 00 | 37.9 | |
| 47 | The Command (2018) | Matthias Schoenaerts & Colin Firth |
0.10 | 0.1 | 6.70 | 445 | 64 | 00 / 00 | 37.7 | |
| 46 | Needful Things (1993) | Ed Harris | 15.20 | 39.5 | 39.50 | 86 | 51 | 00 / 00 | 37.0 | |
| 47 | Code Name: Emerald (1985) | Ed Harris & Max von Sydow |
0.60 | 1.7 | 1.70 | 163 | 60 | 00 / 00 | 30.0 | |
| 49 | The Touch (1992) Limited Release |
Sarah Miles | 0.10 | 0.1 | 0.10 | 220 | 60 | 00 / 00 | 28.9 | |
| 52 | Hurricane (1979) | Mia Farrow & Jason Robards |
12.00 | 51.3 | 51.30 | 61 | 43 | 00 / 00 | 28.4 | |
| 52 | Judge Dredd (1995) | Sylvester Stallone & James Earl Jones |
34.70 | 86.0 | 281.30 | 52 | 32 | 00 / 00 | 27.6 | |
| 53 | The Letters (2014) | Rutger Hauer | 1.60 | 2.2 | 2.20 | 172 | 57 | 00 / 00 | 25.9 | |
| 54 | March or Die (1977) | Gene Hackman & Terence Hill |
2.70 | 13.1 | 13.10 | 101 | 54 | 00 / 00 | 25.9 | |
| 55 | The Far Side of Paradise/Foxtrot (1976) | Peter O'Toole | 1.90 | 9.5 | 9.50 | 125 | 55 | 00 / 00 | 25.7 | |
| 56 | Brass Target (1978) | Sophia Loren & John Cassavetes |
5.60 | 25.6 | 25.60 | 82 | 48 | 00 / 00 | 22.7 | |
| 57 | The Ultimate Warrior (1975) | Yul Brynner | 2.40 | 12.7 | 12.70 | 107 | 51 | 00 / 00 | 19.3 | |
| 56 | The Reward (1965) | Yvette Mimieux | 2.20 | 22.9 | 46.10 | 102 | 46 | 00 / 00 | 17.8 | |
| 59 | Embassy (1972) | Broderick Crawford | 0.80 | 4.8 | 4.80 | 148 | 39 | 00 / 00 | 4.2 | |
| 60 | Branded (2012) | Ed Stoppard & Leelee Sobieski |
0.40 | 0.5 | 0.50 | 228 | 35 | 00 / 00 | 1.9 |
Best IMDb Trivia on Max von Sydow
1. Carl Adolf von Sydow was born on 10 April 1929 in Lund, Sweden.
2. Max von Sydow was offered the title role in the first James Bond film Dr. No (1962), which went to Joseph Wiseman.
3. Max von Sydow appeared in 13 films directed by Ingmar Bergman: The Seventh Seal (1957), Wild Strawberries (1957), Mr. Sleeman Is Coming (1957), Brink of Life (1958), The Magician (1958), Rabies (1958), The Virgin Spring (1960), Through a Glass Darkly (1961), Winter Light (1963), Hour of the Wolf (1968), Shame (1968), The Passion of Anna (1969) and The Touch (1971).
4. Max von Sydow appeared in five films that were nominated for the Best Picture Oscar®: The Emigrants (1971), The Exorcist (1973), Hannah and Her Sisters (1986), Awakenings (1990) and Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011).
5. Max von Sydow is one of six Swedish actors to be nominated for an Academy Award®. The others are Greta Garbo, Ingrid Bergman, Ann-Margret, Lena Olin and Alicia Vikander. Max is the only male Swedish actor to be nominated for an Oscar.
Check out Max von Sydow’s career compared to current and classic actors. Most 100 Million Dollar Movies of All-Time.
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Max Von Sydow, is the # 4 most connected actor of the 1980’s, and the # 35 most connected of the 1970’s.
Bibi Andersson appeared in 11 films with Max.
Hey Dan. Bibi, Max and Ingmar made a ton of movies together. Sadly they are all gone now. Good stuff as always.
Sad news, he was a favorite of mine though I’ve only seen one of his Swedish films – The Seventh Seal. I remember first time I watched it disappointed that there was nary a seal in sight. 😉
RIP Max.
I’ve seen 28 of the 48 films on the chart. Favorites include – The Exorcist (my favorite modern horror movie, sorry Flora), Minority Report, Flash Gordon (Ming the Merciless), Never say Never Again (as Blofeld), The Greatest Story Ever Told (a bore but I’m a sucker for biblical epics, Max was a decent Jesus), Conan the Barbarian, Dune, Judge Dredd, Three Days of the Condor and Star Wars VII.
Looking at the chart – The Exorcist bigger than The Force Awakens in adjusted dollars. I still remember the lines round the block back in the 1970s. I was a kid but I still managed to sneak in.
A nice tribute Bruce. Vote Up!
Hey Steve….sad news indeed. I have only seen two of his Swedish movies. I have to admit….I thought of his chess playing scenes with the Grim Reaper many times while I was processing his passing. Sorry there were no seals in the Seventh Seal….maybe in reboot….lol.
We are tied at 28 movies when looking at the tally counts. Flora sits at 9. I really like your favorites…with Flash Gordon being near the top in my personal rankings. Loved him as Ming. I always wanted that movie to have a sequel. I guess we will have to be happy that we have Ted….lol.
Good memory of The Exorcist. I was only 6 when that movie came out…not thinking I could have gotten into that movie theater….so congrats to you. Good stuff as always. Rest in Peace.