The time has come to find out which are the 10 best films that made the name of actor Jack Nicholson great
We have arrived at a new and unmissable appointment with our guides. After having dealt with the best films of Quentin Tarantino, this time we will find out which films made Jack Nicholson a world-famous icon in the world of cinema. The actor, director and screenwriter, born in 1937, can boast an incredible career, which has earned him three Oscar Awards, twice as Best Actor in a Leading Role and once as Best Actor in a Supporting Role. So let’s find out what the ten unmissable titles are, to better appreciate this extraordinary actor.
10. Easy Rider | Jack Nicholson: the top 10 of the best films
We begin our journey with a 1969 film, directed and starring Dennis Hopper. We are talking about Easy Rider. The film tells the journey undertaken by two motorcyclist friends, who decide to travel the United States, from Los Angeles to Louisiana, on their Choppers. The adventure will lead them to clash and reflect on the structure of American society, harshly contrasted with the hippie culture of the time and their lifestyle.
Easy Rider can be considered one of the actor’s first public successes. Upon its release, the film managed to achieve great popularity, becoming a true cult, also thanks to the soundtrack, composed of timeless songs such as Born to be Wild. Not to mention the excellent cast; alongside Jack Nicholson and Dennis Hopper, we also find Peter Fonda, Phil Spector e Luke Askew.
9. Chinatown | Jack Nicholson: the top 10 of the best films
Let’s continue with Chinatownthriller masterpiece by Roman Polanski from 1974. The film tells the events of the private investigator Jake Gitteshired by the beauty Evelyn Mulwray with the aim of investigating an alleged betrayal by her husband. This will start a series of intense and mysterious entanglements. This film was also a great success, so much so that in 1991 it was included among the films in preservation in National Film Registry, of the United States Library of Congress.
It is Jack Nicholson himself who lends his face to the protagonist, allowing him to increase his fame even further, after having taken part in a very successful film, such as Easy Rider. Alongside the actor, in Chinatown we also find Faye Dunaway, John Hustonp, Perry Lopez e John Hillerman. The film received numerous Oscar nominations, winning the statuette for Best Original Screenplay.
8. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest | Jack Nicholson: the top 10 of the best films
Here we are at another great cinematic classic that you will surely have heard of, even without having seen it. We are talking about One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest1975, directed by Miloš Forman. The film tells about Randle Patrick Murphy, a man locked up in a psychiatric hospital, in order to avoid forced labor. The rebellious and anarchic character of the prisoner is difficult to reconcile with the strict rules of the psychiatric hospital to which the inmates must usually submit.
A true cinematic gem, based on the novel of the same name by Ken Kesey e winner of five Oscars (Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor for Jack Nicholson, Best Actress for Louise Fletcher and Best Adapted Screenplay). The film immediately made its way into the hearts of critics and audiences for its courage to bring to the big screen for the first time a topic that had until then been considered a taboo, namely the treatment reserved for mentally disabled people in psychiatric institutions.
7. Profession: reporter (The Passenger) | Jack Nicholson: the top 10 of the best films
Let’s continue with Profession: reporter1975 film, by the Italian Michelangelo Antonioni. It is certainly worth including it in this guide, also because it is included in the list of 500 best films of history, according to Empire. The film is about David Locke, a successful journalist, with a brilliant career, but tired and bored with life. Things change when he discovers the body of a man who looks like him. David then decides to fake his death, assuming the identity of the deceased, unaware of the dead man’s true identity.
The film, presented in competition at the 1975 Cannes Film Festival, received excellent feedback due to the excellent acting performance of Nicholson, who here plays alongside Maria Schneider, Steven Berkoff e Ian Hendry. Profession: reporter is an excellent film capable of delving into the theme of identity and the alienation of individuals from the society to which they belong.
6. Shinning | Jack Nicholson: the top 10 of the best films
It certainly cannot be missing from the top 10 of Jack Nicholson’s best films Shinning1980 film, by Stanley Kubrick. It’s a horror-thriller, based on a novel by Stephen King. We find ourselves in a cold and isolated mountain hotel, where Jack Torrance, an aspiring writer, moves away after accepting the job of winter caretaker. His wife follows him Wendy and his little son Dannywho possesses paranormal powers, which allow him to see the terrible past events that occurred in the hotel.
The film ranks right up there among the most loved of the thriller/horror genre, so much so that he is still remembered for having managed to leave the audience in suspense, until the last minute. Nicholson’s look in one of the film scenes is one of the most iconic in the cinematic world to date, his masterful interpretation of the character of Jack Torrance will remain imprinted in the minds of spectators for a long time to come. At his side we find Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, Scatman Crothers e Barry Nelson.
5. Terms of Endearment | Jack Nicholson: the top 10 of the best films
Let’s now move on to a 1983 film, directed by James L. Brooks, it’s about Desire for tendernessbased on the novel by Larry McMurtry. A very intimate portrait of a widowed woman and her relationship with her thirty-year-old daughter Emma; a relationship made of intense conflicts, mainly due to Emma’s marriage, but also of unconditional love. Nicholson’s performance in this film earned him another Oscar, as Best Supporting Actor, despite not being the first choice for that role. In fact, before him, Brooks had thought of Burt Reynolds (the role was written especially for him), James Garner, Harrison Ford and Paul Newman.
In the cast, alongside Nicholson, they act Shirley MacLaine, Debra Winger, Jeff Daniels e Danny DeVito. Terms of Endearment managed to scoop up awards at the 1984 Oscar ceremony. In addition to the aforementioned recognition for Nicholson, the film also won statuettes for Best Film, Best Director, Best Leading Actress to Shirley MacLaine e Best Adapted Screenplay.
4. Batman | Jack Nicholson: the top 10 of the best films
In the ranking of the actor’s best works we cannot fail to mention his presence in the film BatmanOf Tim Burtonfrom 1989, in the guise of Joker. He was one of the first actors to make this character, which he faces here, iconic Batman, determined more than ever to save Gotham City in any way from his arch-enemy, whose characteristics have changed after falling into a vat of acid.
Jack Nicholson has never made a secret of how attached he is to the iconic Joker. It can’t be otherwise, given that his performance gave inspiration to all subsequent actors who lent their face to the character. Upon its release the film was a real success with the public, grossing over four hundred million dollars. In Batman, Nicholson stars alongside Michael Keatonas Batman, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl, Pat Hingle e Billy Dee Williams.
3. Code of Honor | Jack Nicholson: the top 10 of the best films
Here we are at another film worthy of being included in this guide. We are talking about Honor code, from 1992, in which Nicholson stars alongside other world-famous film stars. The plot takes us to Guantanamo, in one of the American naval bases. The place will be the scene of a murder of a comrade. It will therefore be the task of a Navy lawyer to demonstrate with all his strength that two Marines, accused of beating their comrade, were following their commander’s orders.
The highly respectable cast features the participation of Tom Cruise e Demi Moore. Code of Honor is directed by Rob Reiner, who was praised for his masterful work, achieving enormous success with audiences and critics. Code of honor was nominated for several Oscars and Golden Globesincluding two nominations for Best Supporting Actor, for Jack Nicholson.
2. Something has changed | Jack Nicholson: the top 10 of the best films
Let’s now move on to a film, from 1997, Something is changeddirected by James L. Brooks. The film focuses on Melvin, a grouchy and reclusive writer from New York. The man, a racist misanthrope, also feels a strong hatred for gays, Jews, the elderly and animals. Due to a series of vicissitudes, he will find himself forced to take care of her dog Simona nice gay painter, his neighbor and he will find himself hanging out Carol, the waitress who works in the place where he goes every day to eat. It will be precisely these people who will lead him to discover a new side of his personality.
Alongside Nicholson, they act Helen Huntas Carol Connelly and Greg Kinnear, in those of Simon Bishop. Hunt’s chemistry with the protagonist earned both actors an Oscar, as Best Leading Actor for Jack Nicholson and Best Leading Actress for Helen Hunt. Also in the cast Cuba Gooding Jr., Skeet Ulrich, Shirley Knight, Yeardley Smith, Lupe Ontiveros e Bibi Osterwald.
1. The Departed – Good and Evil | Jack Nicholson: the top 10 of the best films
We close this guide with one of the actor’s most recent films, The Departed – Good and evilfrom 2006. Film directed by Martin Scorsese, which boasts a stellar cast capable of bringing the film to success. The plot tells about Billy Costigana young policeman who, undercover, infiltrates a criminal gang led by the boss Frank Costello. At the same time, however, Colin Sullivan, a young criminal, infiltrates the police department as an informant for the gang. The situation worsens when it becomes clear in both factions that there is an infiltrator.
As anticipated, in addition to Jack Nicholson, who plays the boss here…