The Best Alan Alda Movies

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Updated August 11, 2023 938 votes 288 voters 32.2K views
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List of the best Alan Alda movies, ranked best to worst with movie trailers when available. Alan Alda's highest grossing movies have received a lot of accolades over the years, earning millions upon millions around the world. The order of these top Alan Alda movies is decided by how many votes they receive, so only highly rated Alan Alda movies will be at the top of the list. Alan Alda has been in a lot of films, so people often debate each other over what the greatest Alan Alda movie of all time is. If you and a friend are arguing about this then use this list of the most entertaining Alan Alda films to end the squabble once and for all.

If you think the best Alan Alda role isn't at the top, then upvote it so it has the chance to become number one. The greatest Alan Alda performances didn't necessarily come from the best movies, but in most cases they go hand in hand.

Items on this list include The Seduction of Joe Tynan and The Four Seasons.

"This list answers the questions, "What are the best Alan Alda movies?" and "What are the greatest Alan Alda roles of all time?"

Brett Ratner and Martin Scorsese are among those who have directed Alan Alda at one point or another during their careers in the film industry.

Most divisive: Resurrecting the Champ
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  • Same Time, Next Year
    1

    Same Time, Next Year

    Ellen Burstyn, Alan Alda, Ivan Bonar
    99 votes
    • Released: 1978
    • Directed by: Robert Mulligan
    In 1951, at a small California inn, George (Alan Alda) and Doris (Ellen Burstyn) have an affair. Instead of writing it off as a one-night stand, the pair decide to meet at the inn every year for a romantic retreat, away from their respective spouses and families. In the decades that follow, both George and Doris face their own personal struggles and hardships, and together they develop a level of love and intimacy that exceeds the ones found in their own marriages.

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  • The Four Seasons
    2

    The Four Seasons

    Alan Alda, Carol Burnett, Rita Moreno
    50 votes
    • Released: 1981
    • Directed by: Alan Alda
    Jack (Alan Alda) and Kate (Carol Burnett) traditionally go on vacation with their friends every new season. Old friend Nick (Len Cariou) surprises everyone when he arrives not with his wife, Anne (Sandy Dennis), but with his new girlfriend, the much younger Ginny (Bess Armstrong). The group -- all of which had grown to be good friends with Anne -- must come to terms with this unexpected development. Ultimately, they learn to accept Nick's decision, and work to welcome Ginny as a friend.

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  • California Suite
    3

    California Suite

    Alan Alda, Jane Fonda, Maggie Smith
    17 votes
    • Released: 1978
    • Directed by: Herbert Ross
    Four comedic scenarios play out at a hotel in this adaptation of the Neil Simon play. Divorced couple Hannah (Jane Fonda) and Bill (Alan Alda) argue over custody of their daughter; an actress (Maggie Smith) frets over her Oscar nomination as her gay husband (Michael Caine) comes out of the closet; a businessman (Walter Matthau) finds a comatose prostitute in his bed, and two competitive doctors (Richard Pryor, Bill Cosby) settle their differences with a free-for-all tennis game.

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  • The Mephisto Waltz
    4

    The Mephisto Waltz

    Alan Alda, Jacqueline Bisset, Curd Jürgens
    15 votes
    • Released: 1971
    • Directed by: Paul Wendkos
    A frustrated pianist himself, music journalist Myles Clarkson (Alan Alda) is thrilled to interview virtuoso Duncan Ely (Curt Jurgens). Duncan, however, is terminally ill and not much interested in Myles until noticing that Myles' hands are ideally suited for piano. Suddenly, he can't get enough of his new friend, and Myles' wife, Paula (Jacqueline Bisset), becomes suspicious of Duncan's intentions. Her suspicions grow when Duncan dies and Myles mysteriously becomes a virtuoso overnight.

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  • What Women Want
    5

    What Women Want

    Mel Gibson, Helen Hunt, Marisa Tomei
    28 votes
    • Released: 2000
    • Directed by: Nancy Meyers
    In the romantic comedy What Women Want, Nick Marshall (Mel Gibson), a chauvinistic advertising executive, gains an unexpected ability to hear women's thoughts after a freak accident. While initially disconcerted, he realizes this newfound skill can be used to his advantage both in his personal life and at work, especially with his tough boss Darcy Maguire (Helen Hunt). As he navigates through this peculiar situation, Nick begins to understand and respect women in a way he never has before, leading to an unforeseen transformation. The film interestingly explores themes of gender dynamics and empathy.

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  • The Aviator
    6

    The Aviator

    Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, Kate Beckinsale
    27 votes
    • Released: 2004
    • Directed by: Martin Scorsese
    In The Aviator, we journey through the life of Howard Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio), an ambitious industrialist and film tycoon. Struggling with obsessive-compulsive disorder, he nonetheless achieves enormous success in aviation and Hollywood. The award-winning movie, directed by Martin Scorsese, showcases Hughes' achievements, including creating a world-class airline and producing big-budget films. Cate Blanchett plays Katharine Hepburn, Hughes's love interest and one of several starlets in his life. A drama based on true events, The Aviator is a testament to one man's triumphs and tribulations in the face of adversity.

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