Want to know the best Jack Nicholson movies? How about the worst Jack Nicholson movies? Curious about Jack Nicholson’s box office grosses or which Jack Nicholson movie picked up the most Oscar® nominations? Need to know which Jack Nicholson movie got the best reviews from critics and audiences or which one got the worst reviews? Well you have come to the right place….because we have all of that information.
Jack Nicholson (1937-) is one of the most accomplished actors to ever appear in movies. He has been nominated twelve times for an Academy Award® for acting (winning three times). Nicholson has also picked up seventeen Golden Globe® nominations (winning five times). His big break was appearing in 1969’s Easy Rider. The part of George Hanson was actually written for another actor, Rip Torn, who dropped out of the film after a disagreement with director Dennis Hopper. Nicholson took over the role, received his first Oscar® nomination and has never looked back.
Since Easy Rider, Nicholson has appeared in one classic after another. In the 1970s, he appeared in the movies Five Easy Pieces, Carnal Knowledge, Chinatown, and One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. The 1980s gave us Terms of Endearment, Reds, Prizzi’s Honor, Batman and Broadcast News. The 1990s gave us A Few Good Men and As Good As It Gets. In the 2000s he has made fewer movies, but still starred in The Departed and About Schmidt. His last starring role was in 2007’s The Bucket List and his last appearance on the screen was a supporting role in 2010’s How Do You Know. Currently he has no new projects listed on IMDb….I hope that does not mean that he has retired.
His IMDb page shows 75 acting credits from 1956-2010. This page will rank 48 Jack Nicholson movies from Best to Worst in six different sortable columns of information. Television shows, shorts, cameos and movies that were not released in theaters were not included in the rankings.
Jack Nicholson 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
1975
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
AA Best Picture Win
AA Best Actor Win
2006
The Departed (2006)
AA Best Picture Win
1983
Terms of Endearment (1983)
AA Best Picture Win
AA Best Supp Actor Win
1974
Chinatown (1974)
AA Best Picture Nom
AA Best Actor Nom
1981
Reds (1981)
AA Best Picture Nom
AA Best Supp Actor Nom
1969
Easy Rider (1969)
AA Best Supp Actor Nom
1992
A Few Good Men (1992)
AA Best Picture Nom
AA Best Supp Actor Nom
1970
Five Easy Pieces (1970)
AA Best Picture Nom
AA Best Actor Nom
1997
As Good as It Gets (1997)
AA Best Actor Win
1971
Carnal Knowledge (1971)
1987
Broadcast News (1987)
AA Best Picture Nom
1980
The Shining (1980)
1989
Batman (1989)
2003
Something's Gotta Give (2003)
1975
Tommy (1975)
1987
The Witches of Eastwick (1987)
2002
About Schmidt (2002)
AA Best Actor Nom
1973
The Last Detail (1973)
AA Best Actor Nom
2003
Anger Management (2003)
1985
Prizzi's Honor (1985)
AA Best Picture Nom
AA Best Actor Nom
1994
Wolf (1994)
1970
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970)
2007
The Bucket List (2007)
1975
The Passenger (1975)
1976
The Missouri Breaks (1976)
1963
The Raven (1963)
2001
The Pledge (2001)
1981
The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981)
1996
Mars Attacks! (1996)
1987
Ironweed (1987)
AA Best Actor Nom
1960
The Little Shop of Horrors (1960)
1982
The Border (1982)
1986
Heartburn (1986)
1978
Goin' South (1978)
1992
Hoffa (1992)
1968
Head (1968)
1972
The King of Marvin Gardens (1972)
1990
The Two Jakes (1990)
1964
Ensign Pulver (1964)
1971
Drive He Said (1971)
1995
The Crossing Guard (1995)
1975
The Fortune (1975)
1968
Psych-Out (1968)
1996
Blood and Wine (1996)
1976
The Last Tycoon (1976)
2010
How Do You Know (2010)
1967
Hells Angels on Wheels (1967)
1963
The Terror (1963)
1971
A Safe Place (1971)
1996
The Evening Star (1996)
1992
Man Trouble (1992)
Jack Nicholson 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 Jack Nicholson movies by co-stars of his movies
- Sort Jack Nicholson movies by actual domestic box office grosses using current movie ticket cost
- Sort Jack Nicholson movies by adjusted domestic box office grosses using current movie ticket cost
- Sort Jack Nicholson 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 Jack Nicholson movie received.
- Sort Jack Nicholson 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 | One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) AA Best Picture Win AA Best Actor Win |
Danny DeVito & Louise Fletcher |
109.00 | 573.1 | 858.60 | 3 | 90 | 09 / 05 | 100.0 | |
| 2 | The Departed (2006) AA Best Picture Win |
Leonardo DiCaprio & Matt Damon |
132.40 | 216.9 | 474.90 | 16 | 90 | 05 / 04 | 99.9 | |
| 3 | Terms of Endearment (1983) AA Best Picture Win AA Best Supp Actor Win |
Shirley MacLaine & Danny DeVito |
108.40 | 371.0 | 371.00 | 2 | 83 | 11 / 05 | 99.9 | |
| 4 | Chinatown (1974) AA Best Picture Nom AA Best Actor Nom |
Faye Dunaway & John Huston |
29.20 | 168.3 | 168.30 | 17 | 94 | 11 / 01 | 99.5 | |
| 5 | Reds (1981) AA Best Picture Nom AA Best Supp Actor Nom |
Warren Beatty & Diane Keaton |
40.40 | 156.6 | 156.60 | 13 | 84 | 12 / 03 | 98.7 | |
| 6 | Easy Rider (1969) AA Best Supp Actor Nom |
Peter Fonda & Dennis Hopper |
54.60 | 414.3 | 414.30 | 3 | 86 | 02 / 00 | 98.6 | |
| 7 | A Few Good Men (1992) AA Best Picture Nom AA Best Supp Actor Nom |
Tom Cruise & Directed by Rob Reiner |
141.30 | 367.1 | 631.80 | 5 | 76 | 04 / 00 | 98.3 | |
| 8 | Five Easy Pieces (1970) AA Best Picture Nom AA Best Actor Nom |
Karen Black | 27.00 | 187.6 | 187.60 | 13 | 80 | 04 / 00 | 98.3 | |
| 9 | As Good as It Gets (1997) AA Best Actor Win |
Helen Hunt & Greg Kinnear |
148.50 | 348.7 | 737.90 | 6 | 73 | 07 / 02 | 97.5 | |
| 10 | Carnal Knowledge (1971) | Ann-Margret & Candice Bergen |
37.40 | 244.5 | 244.50 | 9 | 78 | 01 / 00 | 97.3 | |
| 12 | Broadcast News (1987) AA Best Picture Nom |
William Hurt & Holly Hunter |
51.20 | 141.3 | 185.60 | 18 | 85 | 07 / 00 | 97.0 | |
| 13 | The Shining (1980) | Directed by Stanley Kubrick | 44.00 | 182.5 | 182.50 | 18 | 83 | 00 / 00 | 96.9 | |
| 11 | Batman (1989) | Michael Keaton & Kim Basinger |
249.90 | 678.5 | 1,113.40 | 1 | 75 | 01 / 01 | 96.8 | |
| 14 | Something's Gotta Give (2003) | Diane Keaton & Keanu Reeves |
124.70 | 223.0 | 476.80 | 16 | 71 | 01 / 00 | 95.6 | |
| 15 | Tommy (1975) | Ann-Margret & Oliver Reed |
47.80 | 251.6 | 251.60 | 9 | 65 | 02 / 00 | 94.3 | |
| 16 | The Witches of Eastwick (1987) | Michelle Pfeiffer & Susan Sarandon |
63.80 | 175.8 | 175.80 | 11 | 71 | 02 / 00 | 93.6 | |
| 17 | About Schmidt (2002) AA Best Actor Nom |
Kathy Bates | 65.00 | 120.8 | 199.00 | 41 | 85 | 02 / 00 | 92.5 | |
| 18 | The Last Detail (1973) AA Best Actor Nom |
Randy Quaid | 14.40 | 87.6 | 87.60 | 25 | 89 | 03 / 00 | 91.1 | |
| 19 | Anger Management (2003) | Adam Sandler | 135.60 | 242.5 | 349.90 | 12 | 54 | 00 / 00 | 90.4 | |
| 20 | Prizzi's Honor (1985) AA Best Picture Nom AA Best Actor Nom |
Angelica Huston & Directed by John Huston |
26.70 | 80.9 | 80.90 | 32 | 78 | 08 / 01 | 90.2 | |
| 21 | Wolf (1994) | Michelle Pfeiffer | 65.00 | 171.7 | 346.10 | 19 | 60 | 00 / 00 | 89.5 | |
| 22 | On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970) | Barbra Streisand | 16.20 | 112.8 | 112.80 | 22 | 74 | 00 / 00 | 87.8 | |
| 23 | The Bucket List (2007) | Morgan Freeman & Directed by Rob Reiner |
93.50 | 146.4 | 274.80 | 30 | 54 | 00 / 00 | 84.1 | |
| 24 | The Passenger (1975) | Maria Schneider | 5.50 | 28.7 | 28.70 | 66 | 89 | 00 / 00 | 82.8 | |
| 25 | The Missouri Breaks (1976) | Marlon Brando | 15.40 | 77.9 | 77.90 | 43 | 69 | 00 / 00 | 80.0 | |
| 26 | The Raven (1963) | Peter Lorre & Boris Karloff |
3.90 | 48.3 | 48.30 | 62 | 78 | 00 / 00 | 79.7 | |
| 27 | The Pledge (2001) | Directed by Sean Penn | 19.70 | 37.7 | 56.10 | 101 | 76 | 00 / 00 | 75.4 | |
| 28 | The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981) | Jessica Lange | 15.60 | 60.4 | 60.40 | 55 | 68 | 00 / 00 | 74.8 | |
| 30 | Mars Attacks! (1996) | Annette Benning & Michael J. Fox |
37.80 | 92.1 | 247.20 | 39 | 57 | 00 / 00 | 74.8 | |
| 29 | Ironweed (1987) AA Best Actor Nom |
Meryl Streep | 7.40 | 20.4 | 20.40 | 92 | 78 | 02 / 00 | 74.5 | |
| 31 | The Little Shop of Horrors (1960) | Directed by Roger Corman | 1.40 | 22.3 | 22.30 | 115 | 77 | 00 / 00 | 71.7 | |
| 32 | The Border (1982) | Harvey Keitel | 6.10 | 22.4 | 22.40 | 81 | 76 | 00 / 00 | 71.1 | |
| 33 | Heartburn (1986) | Meryl Streep | 25.30 | 73.6 | 73.60 | 38 | 59 | 00 / 00 | 70.6 | |
| 34 | Goin' South (1978) | John Belushi | 7.40 | 34.3 | 34.30 | 68 | 70 | 00 / 00 | 68.2 | |
| 35 | Hoffa (1992) | Danny DeVito | 24.30 | 63.1 | 76.10 | 52 | 59 | 02 / 00 | 67.1 | |
| 36 | Head (1968) | The Monkeys | 2.10 | 17.6 | 17.60 | 114 | 69 | 00 / 00 | 59.8 | |
| 37 | The King of Marvin Gardens (1972) | Bruce Dern | 2.90 | 18.3 | 18.30 | 95 | 65 | 00 / 00 | 53.0 | |
| 38 | The Two Jakes (1990) | Harvey Keitel | 10.00 | 25.5 | 25.50 | 98 | 62 | 00 / 00 | 51.0 | |
| 39 | Ensign Pulver (1964) | Walter Matthau | 3.90 | 44.5 | 60.90 | 73 | 52 | 00 / 00 | 43.3 | |
| 40 | Drive He Said (1971) | Bruce Dern & Karen Black |
2.60 | 16.8 | 16.80 | 100 | 61 | 00 / 00 | 42.9 | |
| 41 | The Crossing Guard (1995) | Directed by Sean Penn | 0.90 | 2.2 | 2.20 | 197 | 63 | 00 / 00 | 37.1 | |
| 42 | The Fortune (1975) | Warren Beatty | 9.10 | 47.8 | 47.80 | 51 | 48 | 00 / 00 | 36.8 | |
| 43 | Psych-Out (1968) | Dean Stockwell | 1.50 | 12.7 | 12.70 | 139 | 58 | 00 / 00 | 34.3 | |
| 44 | Blood and Wine (1996) | Michael Caine | 1.10 | 2.7 | 2.70 | 197 | 61 | 00 / 00 | 32.6 | |
| 45 | The Last Tycoon (1976) | Robert DeNiro & Robert Mitchum |
3.50 | 17.7 | 17.70 | 95 | 53 | 01 / 00 | 28.6 | |
| 46 | How Do You Know (2010) | Owen Wilson & Paul Rudd |
30.20 | 41.3 | 66.50 | 96 | 45 | 00 / 00 | 24.8 | |
| 47 | Hells Angels on Wheels (1967) | Adam Roarke | 6.50 | 57.9 | 57.90 | 43 | 39 | 00 / 00 | 24.0 | |
| 48 | The Terror (1963) | Boris Karloff | 1.80 | 22.4 | 22.40 | 97 | 46 | 00 / 00 | 17.6 | |
| 49 | A Safe Place (1971) | Orson Welles | 2.40 | 15.8 | 15.80 | 107 | 46 | 00 / 00 | 13.4 | |
| 50 | The Evening Star (1996) | Shirley MacLaine | 12.80 | 31.1 | 31.10 | 111 | 39 | 00 / 00 | 11.8 | |
| 51 | Man Trouble (1992) | Ellen Barkin | 4.10 | 10.6 | 10.60 | 129 | 32 | 00 / 00 | 1.9 |
Jack Nicholson Has 12 Oscar® and 17 Golden Globe® Nominations
1. 1969’s Easy Rider….nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar®
2. 1970’s Five Easy Pieces….nominated for a Best Actor Oscar®
3. 1971’s Carnal Knowledge….nominated for a Best Actor Golden Globe®
4. 1973’s The Last Detail….nominated for a Best Actor Oscar®
5. 1974’s Chinatown….nominated for a Best Actor Oscar®…won Golden Globe®
6. 1975’s One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest…..won Best Actor Oscar® and Golden Globe®
7. 1981’s Reds….nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar®
8. 1983’s Terms of Endearment….won Best Supporting Actor Oscar® and Golden Globe®
9. 1985’s Prizzi’s Honor….nominated for a Best Actor Oscar®….won Golden Globe®
10. 1987’s Ironweed….nominated for a Best Actor Oscar®
11. 1989’s Batman…..nominated for a Best Actor Golden Globe®
12. 1992’s A Few Good Men….nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar®
13. 1992’s Hoffa…..nominated for a Best Actor Golden Globe®
14. 1997’s As Good As It Gets….won Best Actor Oscar®
15. 2002’s About Schmidt….nominated for a Best Actor Oscar®…won Golden Globe®
16. 2003’s Somethings Gotta Give…..nominated for a Best Actor Golden Globe®
17. 2006’s The Departed……nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe®
Check out Jack Nicholson‘s career compared to current and classic actors. Most 100 Million Dollar Movies of All-Time.
If you do a comment….please ignore the email address and website section.
I’m a huge Jack fan. How could I have missed so many of his movies? (Kids, work, etc., etc., I guess.) I saw Easy Rider at a midnight show when I was in college and loved it, but I think you’re right that I’d have a different reaction now. Chinatown is probably my all-time favorite movie. Some other favorites: One Lew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, The Departed, Five Easy Pieces, As Good As It Gets.
Hey Brianlokker….I have seen Easy Rider twice now…..the first time was about twenty years ago….and even then I thought “why was this movie so big”….most recently I watched in about 2 years…..and other when Jack is on screen…the rest of the time….it is a pretty unwatchable movie…..your favorites you listed are all classics…thanks for reading
Great page, he has so many great movies, I was well into the twentys before I started saying, “bad movie”, I agree with you that he does not have many movies left in him
Hey YankeesRule….he is lots of quality movies…thanks for the comment
“I’m just your average horny little devil” Jack Nicholson in The Witches of Eastwick, one of my guilty pleasure favourites.
Three Oscars eh? I’m not surprised. Great actor. Cuckoo’s Nest deserves to be on top, I thought The Departed was a little overrated but I’m glad Scorsese finally got his Oscar. And Chinatown should be higher on the moviescore. In my opinion Terms of Endearment shouldn’t be in the top 10 let alone no.2!
Okay the Joker… hmmm I liked Heath Ledger’s cackling young psycho in Dark Knight but I enjoyed Jack’s Joker a lot more and I liked Tim Burton’s two gothic Batman movies more than Chris Nolan’s flashy reboot, maybe I’m showing my age here. 🙂
Thank you Steve……my wife loves Terms of Endearment…so I have had the joys of watching it numerous times….Jack’s part is awesome…but the wife loves the mom/daughter love/hate part….I found a great photo of Jack and Witches…that I could not find room for on the hub….but it is how I imagine how Jack’s real life is too….thanks for commenting
Actually after posting that comment…I was like just post the photo…Jack has had such a hard life in the movies
Hoho a very nice picture chosen there Cogerson. I might use that on my forum if you don’t mind? 🙂
Found it at RottenTomatoes.com….Jack Nicholson….and there are two types of photos….professional and community….we are allowed to post community photos here at movie pages….so post away
I was thinking Eastwood, but saw that it was Caine.
So many great movies. I need to make it a point to watch a more of his movies, as I have only seen 4 out of the top 10. That being said The Departed was AWESOME. But my favorite performance from Jack has to be as the Joker in Batman. Thanks for the list.
GO ICEMONKEYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BryRog….after seeing Heath Ledger as the Joker….it makes Jack’s joker seem very sane….your are welcome for the list
My favorite is #17 Prizzi’s Honor, I love the ending when they both try and kill each other, and Jack is just a little better.
LodgeRul34….I love the ending of Prizzi’s Honor as well….