Want to know the best Richard Widmark movies? How about the worst Richard Widmark movies? Curious about Richard Widmark’s box office grosses or which Richard Widmark movie picked up the most Oscar® nominations? Need to know which Richard Widmark 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.
This Richard Widmark page comes from a request from film historian Flora Robison. Richard Widmark (1914-2008) was an American actor who was born in Sunrise Township, Minnesota. His career spanned over 50 years and included work in film, radio, stage and television. Widmark made his debut as a radio actor in 1938 and his debut on Broadway in 1943’s Kiss and Tell. His work on the stage earned him a seven-year movie contract with United Artists.
His first movie role was playing a giggling sociopath, in the classic Kiss of Death (1947). His most notorious scene found Udo happily pushing a wheelchair-bound woman down a flight of stairs to her death. The role earned Widmark his only Oscar® nomination, and won him the Golden Globe® for most promising newcomer. After the success of Kiss of Death, he would work steadily until he retired at the age of 76 in 1992, primarily as a character lead. His stardom would peak around the time he played the U.S. prosecutor in 1961’s Judgment at Nuremberg, but he would continue to act for another 30 years. His final role would be in the John Cusack movie…. True Colors.
His IMDb page shows 79 acting credits from 1947-1992. This page will rank Richard Widmark movies from Best to Worst in six different sortable columns of information. Television appearances, some of his movies made outside of the Hollywood system and his straight to DVD movies were not included in the rankings.
Richard Widmark Movies Ranked In Chronological Order With Ultimate Movie Rankings Score (1 to 5 UMR Tickets) *Best combo of box office, reviews and awards.
Richard Widmark 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 Richard Widmark movies by co-stars of his movies
- Sort Richard Widmark movies by adjusted domestic box office grosses using current movie ticket cost (in millions)
- Sort Richard Widmark movies by yearly box office rank
- Sort Richard Widmark 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 Richard Widmark movie received.
- Sort Richard Widmark 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.
Stats and Possibly Interesting Things From The Above Richard WidmarkTable
- Fifteen Richard Widmark movies crossed the magical $100 million domestic gross mark. That is a percentage of 24.59% of his movies listed. How the West Was Won (1963) was his biggest box office hit.
- An average Richard Widmark movie grosses $74.60 million in adjusted box office gross.
- Using RottenTomatoes.com’s 60% fresh meter. 40 Richard Widmark movies are rated as good movies…or 65.57% of his movies. Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) is his highest rated movie while The Swarm (1978) is his lowest rated movie.
- Fifteen Richard Widmark movies received at least one Oscar® nomination in any category…..or 24.59% of his movies.
- Six Richard Widmark movies won at least one Oscar® in any category…..or 9.83% of his movies.
- An average Ultimate Movie Rankings (UMR)Score is 60.00. 28 Richard Widmark movies scored higher that average….or 45.90% of his movies. How the West Was Won (1963) got the the highest UMR Score while National Lampoon’s Movie Madness (1982) got the lowest UMR Score.
Possibly Interesting Facts About Richard Widmark
1. Richard Widmark’s daughter was married to baseball legend Sandy Koufax from 1969 to 1982.
2. Richard Widmark was married to playwright Jean Hazlewood from 1942 to her death in 1997. One of the few successful Hollywood marriages.
3. Widmark Airport is located in Green City, Missouri and was named in honor of Richard Widmark. Widmark contributed funds to the construction of the airport.
4. Richard Widmark and director Robert Totten had artistic differences during the filming of 1969’s Death of a Gunfighter. Totten was replaced by Don Siegel. When the film was completed, Siegel, saying that Totten directed more of the film than he did, refused to take screen credit for it, but Widmark didn’t want Totten’s name on it. A compromise was reached whereby the film was credited to the fictitious Alan Smithee, thereby setting a precedent for directors who, for one reason or another, did not want their name on a film they made. On IMDB, Alan Smithee has over 100 projects to his name….but the first was Death of a Gunfighter.
5. Richard Widmark made three movies with Sidney Poitier…..1950’s No Way Out, 1964’s The Long Ships and 1965’s The Bedford Incident.
6. Check out Richard Widmark‘s career compared to current and classic actors. Most 100 Million Dollar Movies of All-Time.
Taking A Closer Look At Richard Widmark’s Top Five Movies
5. Kiss of Death (1947) What a start to a movie career. Victor Mature was the star of the movie, but Richard Widmark stole the show. His Tommy Udo, a fiend who delights in pushing crippled wheelchair using women down stairs, is the primary reason to see this movie. Widmark based his character on The Joker from the Batman comics. Widmark would receive an Oscar® nomination for Best Supporting Actor (his only nomination) and would win a Golden Globe® as most promising newcomer. One of my favorite quotes about Widmark in Kiss of Death….comes from writers Raymond Borde and Etienne Chaumeton who wrote, “one will remember that nasty little creep with the wild eyes and high-pitched laugh, neurotic to the core”. Well that nasty little creep went on to make many classic movies over the next 50 years.
4. Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) Judgment at Nuremberg is a fictionalized film account of the post-World War II Nuremberg Trails. Widmark played prosecuting attorney Colonel Tad Lawson and is joined by another all-star cast….Spencer Tracy (nominated Best Actor), Burt Lancaster, Maximilian Schell (won Oscar® for Best Actor), Judy Garland (nominated Best Supporting Actress), Montgomery Clift (nominated Best Supporting Actor), William Shatner(yep Captain Kirk), and Marlene Dietrich. Movie was nominated for 11 Oscars®, including a Best Picture nomination and 2 Oscar® wins. According to critics and audiences this is Widmark’s best movie with a 86% score. – See more at: http://cogersonmoviescore.com/richard-widmark-movies-best-to-worst.html#sthash.HQW9Chp0.dpuf
3. Murder on the Orient Express (1974) Murder on the Orient Express is based on the 1934 novel by Agatha Christie. Albert Finney stars as Hercule Poirot, who is asked by his friend Bianchi, a train company director, to investigate the murder of an American business tycoon, Mr. Ratchett aboard a train with an all-star cast of suspects. That all-star cast included Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Sean Connery, Sir John Gielgud, Vanessa Redgrave, Michael York and Anthony Hopkins. Widmark plays the very nasty Mr. Ratchett in one of my favorite Widmark roles. Movie earned 6 Oscar® nominations, including a win for Best Supporting Actress (Ingrid Bergman) and was Widmark’s 3rd biggest box office hit.
2. The Alamo (1960) By 1945 John Wayne had decided to make a movie about the 1836 Battle of the Alamo. It took Wayne 15 years to get The Alamo to the big screen. The result was one of the biggest hits of 1961 and 7 Oscar® nominations, including one for Best Picture. Wayne originally intended that Widmark should play Davy Crockett, while Wayne himself would have taken the small role of Sam Houston so he could focus his energy on directing the picture. However, Wayne was only able to get financial backing if he played one of the main parts, so he decided to play Crockett and cast Widmark as Jim Bowie. Rumor has it that Widmark was not a happy camper about the change in his roles, as he did not really want to play Jim Bowie at all.
1. How The West Was Won (1963) Talk about a big movie….an all-star cast (Gregory Peck, Debbie Reynolds, James Stewart, John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Karl Malden, Eli Wallach and narrated by Spencer Tracy).. 3 directors (John Ford, Henry Hathaway and George Marshall)….and 5 segments that span four generations from 1839 to 1889. This western was one of the biggest hits of the 1960s, it earned 8 Oscar® nominations, including one for Best Picture. It won three Oscars®. Widmark appears as ruthless railroad man, Mike King, who violates a treaty by building on Indian territory.
By the way, Richard’s wife Jean Hazelwood was the screenwriter for The Secret Ways. That’s a bit of trivia people may not have known.
1 Didn’t know about Richard’s wife Jean and The Secret Ways. Thanks. It seems that the Widmarks were like the Clooneys in that there was more than one talented family member.
2 At the end of the 1950s Widmark claimed his reputation as a serious actor took a bit of a dip, it especially taking him a while to recover from the ghastly flop of Saint Joan, and he credited the Duke with reviving his fortunes in being offered meaty acting roles such as those in Judgement at Nuremberg (1961) and How the West Was Won (1962/3) After Wayne put him in The Alamo (1960) Richard said in an interview “I’m in demand again!”
3 In 1969 Richard made a western which the world has ignored but which I thought was a minor classic – Death of a Gunfighter.; and he followed that up in 1972 with another study of ageing decline which to paraphrase Burt Lancaster “Nobody went to see but me and my family.”
but which I thought was also a little gem – When the Legends Die.
Hey Bob….glad the Duke helped out Widmark…especially since they did not really get along while making The Alamo. I will have to check out Death of a Gunfighter….thanks for the comment.
I am one of those people that did not know that information….thanks for sharing.
Jean wasn’t happy about the move to California. She wanted them to stay in NY and do theatre. But there was an option on Widmark if his screen debut turned out well and Kiss of Death got his a nomination even though Widmark didn’t think anyone would.
I would say Kiss of Death turned out more than just “well”…..put him on the Hollywood map…..and he stayed there for 30 more years.
Yes, I was on purpose being understated as he was. 🙂
🙂
Thanks to Steve Lensman of England who goes under the name of Top 10 Charts on Youtube for creating a Richard Widmark top 30 video of movie poster art.
The highest ranked film I have not seen is Twilight’s Last Gleaming which is quite high for one I have not seen.
It is a beautiful video.
The quote he uses about violence in his career and his opinion on gun control is perfect.
It reminds me of the story about how Richard would apologize after every take on No Way Out for making racist comments to Sidney and Poitier would point out that they were actors and doing a job.
Richard was a classy man.
And I want to make a shout out to England’s Valerie Tomlinson who is still a member of the Richard Widmark fanclub on yahoogroups. I am not on that website anymore. Perhaps I should go back there. WE two go way back.
HI FLORA:
1 As Bruce says Richard and Sidney made 3 films together and one of them was The Bedford Incident (1965) which Richard produced for a small company in which he had a stake; so as he clearly would have had a say in the casting of that film and Sidney was in it I think that illustrates their respect and liking for each other.
2 Richard produced two other movies for a different small company in which he had shares and they were Time Limit (1957) and The Secret Ways (1961).. That company also made Richard Widmark’s The Trap [1959 and also known as The Baited Trap] but Richard did not directly produce that film.
3 Ironically all four films that I have mentioned have always been well up in my own list of Widmark faves but I was unaware of his production connection with them when I first admired them. The Secret Ways has a particular nostalgic value for me as it was the very last film I saw before I joined the Armed Forces.
Yours BOBBY
Thank you Flora, I’m glad you enjoyed the video. Alan Ladd next. “Shane! Come back Shane… Shaaaaane!”
Twilight’s Last Gleaming is a tense thriller and well worth a look. Burt Lancaster is the main villain this time out, a role similar to the one in Seven Days in May, except this time he’s threatening to start World War III
I don’t think I’ve seen No Way Out, there’s a photo in my video of a very young Sidney Poitier, must have been one of his first films.
Good points Bob…..a link to the video Flora is talking about . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvsFmlc_AU8
It was his screen debut.
🙂
Hey Flora, for some reason my reply popped up below Roberts. “Shaaaaaane….” [Stop it Steve!]
And it’s happened again! 🙂
Hey Steve….you can’t be using my website to push your videos…..lol. Glad your videos are getting some much deserved attention!
Thanks Bruce, but why were my replies ending up down here? Was it a glitch? Shall I try again?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvsFmlc_AU8
Hey Flora….a link to Steve’s You Tube Widmark video.
Your reply to Flora ended up below Roberts, so it wasn’t just me. The plot thickens…. 🙂
Hey Steve…..well they are all under Floras original comment….they go in the order they were received…since Bob was first to reply….your comment went under his. it just depends on which reply button you push…for your last two comments….they are right under my comments….which are under her comments….makes sense to me….lol.
When I look at my comment counter…behind the curtain Wizard stuff….this comment only counts as one….even though it is now up to …counting…13 when counting the actually comments.
Steve – I look forward to Alan Ladd’s tribute.
AS for order of comments – LOL.
I notice that you did one on Burt Lsncaster as well.
Hey Flora….it is out there now….https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQiKwzYHmhk
Steve. I now have a gmail account that works so I can comment on your videos on youtube. Hooray.
Hello hello testing testing – Broadsword Calling Danny Boy – Broadsword Calling Danny Boy
Oh wait I get it now, Robert was replying to Flora. I thought his was just a normal post. Now it makes sense.
You can clean up this mess now Bruce. Sorry about that. This page is starting to look like my thread at the HTF. 🙂
And I am replying to you Steve about how wonderful that Burt Lancaster video is. I still cannot get into my yahoo account, so to comment as me I comment on Bruce’s site.
My favourite Richard movie if the three Richard did with life long friend Poitier is The BEdford Incident. My favourite movie overall is Panic in the streets.
I have done a letterboxd list of Richard Widmark movies as well as a stand alone Madigan review that is attached to my Henry Fonda list of favourite movies.
Thanks Flora, remember you can always reply on the actual video page too.
Btw Bruce was saying nasty things about Dick Widmark on my youtube page… wait wait I’m kidding, Bruce loves Widmark. phew! 🙂 He did complain about Madigan though [STOP IT STEVE!] I’m messing with you Flora and Alan Ladd is now waiting available for viewing. [Bruce shakes his head]
I stand by my comment….seems Madigan was way too high….if you look at this fine website here (rubbing knuckles on sleeve)…you will see Madigan barely cracked the Top 20…..much less got to the Top 10…..still it is a good video.
🙂
Yep….that is what was happening.
Your threat at the HTF? LOL!
Don’t know what that is but it sounds funny.
🙂
Oh, Danny Boy
The pipes the pipes are calling
From Glen to Glen
And down the…….
🙂
This page 63 comments. When this one is finished there will be 64.
Richard was close friends with Henry. After Jean died, Richard married Susan Blanchard who was once married to Henry….
I know this because I m a Richard Widmark fan.
I have read a lot on Widmark.
Just in case people don’t understand this and are wondering about my private email to Bruce about why I did not want Bruce to edit the page for my “interesting facts” the way I am listed on Gregory Peck’s page on Ultimate Movie Rankings and don’t want to try and find my comment about this without a lot of research:
I was a member of the official Gregory Peck fan club on yahoogroups (I’m not on yahoogroups anymore). He had met the founder of the website and was interested in the idea of the internet as a fan base. Within this group, from around the world (or North America, I cannot remember) we made birthday book for Mr. Peck on his 85th birthday with stationary which matched our interest. Mine was musical stationary.
Because I was too upset when he died, I did not take part in a tribute book for his widow.
But Gregory Peck was a man who was comfortable being in public as a movie star.
Richard Widmark, on the other hand, was a very private man who preferred to keep his personal life and professional life separate. He did not like his name in the gossip columns. And he was dismayed when his daughter married a famous pitcher.
I was also a member of the Richard Widmark fanclub on yahoogroups. I don’t know if it exists anymore, but it was falling apart after he died as few people wrote on it.
Originally, there were only two members on it. The founder was a woman who called herself Actress Amy. The other member was myself.
Eventually, Richard’s daughter found the website after there were hundreds of members or more and showed it to him. He was flattered but overwhelmed. And we were never made an official fan club, because that was too much involvement for him.
Eventually, Tom hanks decided that Richard Widmark should get a lifetime achievement Academy award. Mr. Widmark was in his 90s by then and did not want to travel that far for an award that he felt was being offered to him because he was old.
Therefore, his daughter contacted us and told him he did not want the award, and to stop trying to convince the Academy to give it to him. So we stopped.
Some people enjoy combining their fame and their personal life. Others do not. Richard Widmark did not. Therefore, it would to me seem disrespectful to his memory to change the page.
Thanks for explaining Flora.
In looking over my earlier comments and the possibly interesting facts, since it was mentioned in another actor’s page in talking about what actors were like off screen, I will mention this family story here.
After Jean Hazelwood died, Richard Widmark married Susan Blanchard who had been married to Henry Fonda. Like Jimmy Stewart, Richard was very close friends with Henry and their families knew each other well. Henry’s son Peter was very close to Susan.
Therefore, after Richard Widmark married Susan Blanchard, Peter Fonda considered Richard Widmark to be his step-father until Mr. Widmark died.
Thanks for adding the information…..if you want….you can write your 10 interesting facts about Widmark…like you did with Peck….and I will add those to the page….and give you the writing credit…like we did with Peck..though I do like the fact on Alman Smithee.
Oh, no. I just like to talk. I think being Italian I talk a lot. I am allowed to make a comment like that, because I am talking about my own ethnicity.
Got your e-mail…..I understand your logic…but remember the offer is out there whenever you want to take it up.
Smithee has directed many movies since the one he made with Widmark….lol.
We all love Smithee…