Kirk Douglas’ 10 Best Movies, Ranked

Kirk Douglas was one of the most acclaimed and important Hollywood stars of the 20th century whose vast and varied career included countless incredible movies. Following his acting debut in 1946, Douglas quickly made a name for himself as a talented actor, and by the 1950s became one of the most important and interesting leading men in showbusiness. Having appeared in more than 90 films that showcased his explosive acting style, the legacy of Douglas was unmatched in the realm of filmmaking.

Having lived to the ripe old age of 103, before he died in 2020, Douglas stood as the last remanent of an earlier age of filmmaking in Hollywood. With a career that included biopics, film noirs, melodramas, sci-fi, Westerns, and many more, Douglas came from a transformative time in movie history when actors could try anything and weren’t as pigeonholed by expectations. The long career of Douglas included collaborations with acclaimed directors like Stanley Kubrick and Douglas best films have truly stood the test of time.

10

20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (1954)

Kirk Douglas as Ned Land

Kirk Douglas teamed up with Walt Disney to play Ned Land in an adaptation of Jules Verne’s science fiction adventure classic 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea in 1954. An incredible feat of special effects for its time, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was one of the first films ever made in CinemaScope and filmed entirely in Technicolor. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea proved that Walt Disney Productions had major potential outside of animation, and Douglas served as the perfect live-action star for this fantastical children’s adventure.

With an incredible ensemble cast that also featured James Mason as Captain Nemo and Petter Lorre as Conseil, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was mostly remembered for its iconic fight against a giant squid. A marvel for both its epic special effects and beautifully shot cinematography, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was a genre film that went above and beyond when it came to old-fashioned adventurous fun. A large part of its success was due to the magnificent appeal of Douglas, leading to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea standing on one of Disney’s best live-action efforts.

9

Gunfight At The O.K. Corral (1957)

Kirk Douglas as Doc Holliday

As just one of many famous actors to play Doc Holliday, Kirk Douglas tackled the Western genre in Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in 1957. Joined by Burt Lancaster as Marshal Wyatt Earp and Lee Van Cleef in a minor role, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral was based on the actual event in 1881 which was widely regarded as the most famous gunfight to ever occur in the Old West. While Gunfight at the O.K. Corral took many liberties with the truth, it still expertly showcased Douglas’s rapidly increasing star power.

While Gunfight at the O.K. Corral may not live up to the very best stories based on the real-life outlaws of Holliday and Earp, Douglas together with Lancaster made an undeniably charming team and in terms of pure entertainment the film worked well. A story of friendship and revenge that culminated in the epic shootout, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral was a pure Western that came together well in its final climax. While Douglas may have had more impressive roles, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral was one of his more fun endeavors.

8

Out Of The Past (1947)

Kirk Douglas as Whit Sterling

One of Kirk Douglas’ early acting triumphs was as Whit Sterling in the woefully unknown film noir Out of the Past. With a complexly tragic storyline, darkly brooding cinematography, and a classic femme fatale love interest, Out of the Past had all the makings of a film noir classic complete with the acting expertise of Douglas, Robert Mitchum, and Jane Greer. While not very acclaimed at the time of its release, in the decades since Out of the Past has been reappraised as one of the best film noirs ever made.

While the focus of Out of the Past was on Mitchum as Jeff Bailey, a man desperately trying to escape his dark past, Douglas was a real highlight as a crooked and convincing antagonist. Douglas’ role in Out of the Past proved earlier in his career his strength at playing morally complex villains, which would later be overshadowed by his leading man hero status in the 1950s and 1960s. A real showcased of Douglas’ acting strength, Out of the Past was one not to be missed.

7

The Strange Love Of Martha Ivers (1946)

Kirk Douglas as Walter O’Neil

The career of Kirk Douglas started incredibly strong with his acting debut in The Strange Love of Martha Ivers. A fascinating tale of hidden secrets, childhood repression, and the mysterious death of an aunt, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers was a dark love triangle whose story was imbued with far more depth than the average film noir of this era. A jigsaw puzzle to be pieced together by the viewers, the story of Martha was a raw and powerful tale that kept viewers hooked right until its very last scene.

The Strange Love of Martha Ivers was a moderate success at the time of its release but has since been reassessed for its compelling narrative, incredible style, and the depth of its characterization, and garnered 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. Douglas was fantastic in his role as the timid Walter O’Neil whose portrayal can be easily accessed as The Strange Love of Martha Ivers entered the public domain in 1974 due to an unrenewed copyright registration (via Austin Chronicle.) Douglas himself ranked The Strange Love of Martha Ivers among the films that he was most proud of (via Huff Post.)

6

Champion (1949)

Kirk Douglas as Midge Kelly

Before Rocky or Raging Bull, acting legend Kirk Douglas delivered one of the definitive boxing performances in the sports drama Champion. For portraying Midge Kelly in Champion, Douglas gained his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and finally broke through as a major star in Hollywood. The mix of Douglas’ intense physical performance and realistic underdog attitude made for a winning combination as the down-on-his-luck fighter boxed his way to the top, mainly by stepping on other people.

While Champion took many liberties with the Ring Lardner short story it was based on, it found new energy as it guided viewers through gymnasium training, shady manager’s offices, and into the ring for intense fight sequences. As a stark, realistic study of boxing rackets and the underhand tactics that went on behind the scenes, Champion worked well. And as a showcase of Douglas’ immense talent and potential, it was a total knockout.

5

The Bad And The Beautiful (1952)

Kirk Douglas as Jonathan Shields

The Bad and the Beautiful looked behind the scenes of the movie business in the melodramatic story of a big-time film producer who alienated everybody around him. A tale of Hollywood, starlets, and the deep seedy underbelly of showbusiness, The Bad and the Beautiful earned Kirk Douglas his second Academy Award nomination for his role as the struggling filmmaker Jonathan Shields. With several allusions to real-life Hollywood personalities and productions, The Bad and the Beautiful was an unusually engaging and revealing look at the mysterious workings of entertainment for this era.

Douglas played Shields, the unscrupulous movie producer shamelessly using an actress, director, and writer to achieve his own success. The Bad and the Beautiful featured a lot of interesting commentary about the workings of Hollywood and the psychology behind it. The Bad and the Beautiful simultaneously dismantled the Hollywood studio system while also acting as an homage to it, highlighting that for all the shady goings-on in the background, it was still an astounding force to be reckoned with.

4

Spartacus (1960)

Kirk Douglas as Spartacus

Three years after Kirk Douglas and director Stanley Kubrick had a highly effective collaboration with Paths of Glory the two worked together again on the swords and sandals epic Spartacus. An important film in the historical epic genre, Spartacus was also notable for its behind-the-scenes controversies. Spartacus was written by blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo and after President John F. Kennedy crossed the picket lines to view the movie, it acted as a major moment in the ending of McCarthyism.

Douglas exuded star power and charisma in the title role of Roman gladiator Spartacus and managed to pull off a great movie after the original director, Anthony Mann, was replaced after just one week of shooting. A massive film both in scale and spectacle, Spartacus was the epitome of Douglas’ leading man persona and star power during this era. The power of effectiveness of this version of Spartacus was truly magnificent and for over 60 years it has remained one of the greatest historical epics ever produced.

3

Ace In The Hole (1951)

Kirk Douglas as Charles “Chuck” Tatum

With darkness rarely seen in his long and varied career, Kirk Douglas brought a dastardly intensity to the role of the cynical and disgraced newspaper reporter Chuck Tatum in Ace in the Hole. In the story of a man who was willing to do anything to get a good story, Tatum exploited the plight of a man stuck in a cave to try and reignite his own faltering career. Ace in the Hole was the first film directed by the acclaimed auteur Billy Wilder after he parted ways with his long-time writing partner Charles Brackett and proved he still had what it took to make great movies.

A powerful portrayal of the dark relationship between the press and the way news was circulated, Ace in the Hole explored the way that the public can be manipulated and messed with by the media. Ace in the Hole worked primarily due to the committed portrayal of Douglas, who gave a seedy and unlikable energy to the character of Tatum that was representative of the film’s overall message. While Ace in the Hole was not as well-regarded as other Wilder movies, like Sunset Boulevard or The Apartment, it deserved to rank among Wilder’s best works.

2

Lust For Life (1956)

Kirk Douglas as Vincent van Gogh

Kirk Douglas gave one of his most impressive performances as the struggling painter Vincent van Gogh in the heart-wrenching biopic Lust for Life. A faithful adaptation of the story of the tortured genius woefully underappreciated in his own time, Douglas brought pathos and vulnerability to his portrayal of Van Gogh as the pain behind his eyes was apparent throughout. A slow-moving and dialogue-heavy film, Lust for Life was a poignant character study that was presented with care and love towards its subject.

Not only did Douglas bear a striking resemblance to the real Van Gogh, but Lust for Life portrayed the complexities and contradictions hidden at the core of his existence. Equally impressive was Anthony Quinn as the painter Paul Gauguin, whose convincing portrayal earned him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. A fascinating and enjoyable biopic, despite being released during the 1950s, Lust for Life still felt incredibly modern and relevant.

1

Paths Of Glory (1957)

Kirk Douglas as Colonel Dax

There was no other choice for Kirt Douglas’s crowning achievement as an actor than his portrayal of Colonel Dax in Paths of Glory. A truly marvelous anti-war movie by filmmaking visionary Stanley Kubrick, Paths of Glory was the powerful story of a commanding French officer who must defend his soldiers against charges of cowardice after refusing to send them into a suicidal attack. In a highly intense film, Douglas brought a real sense of maturity to his role of Colonel Dax and proved that he had the acting chops to stand against any of his contemporaries.

Paths of Glory was controversial upon its release for its perceived anti-military tone and the way it criticized governmental censorship. However, in the years since its release, it gained a reputation as one of the most effective anti-war movies ever made. With impressive battle sequences, a humanist view of the conflict, and a powerful message, Paths of Glory stood as an extraordinarily important entry in the careers of both Kubrick and Kirk Douglas.

Sources: Rotten Tomatoes, Austin Chronicle, Huff Post