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List of the best movies of 1971, with movie trailers when available. Academy Award winning actor Daniel Day-Lewis made his big screen debut in Sunday Bloody Sunday in 1971. These top movies of 1971 are listed by popularity, so the movies with the most votes are at the top. This list consists of all different movie genres, but each film was released in 1971. You can filter this list of films that came out in 1971 for various bits of information, such as who directed the movie and what genre it is. Think the best 1971 movie isn't as high as it should be? Vote up your favorite so it will rise to the top.
This list is made up of a variety of movies, including A Clockwork Orange and The French Connection.
This list answers the questions, "What are the best movies from 1971?" and "What are the most popular movies of 1971?"
1971 was a great year for movies, since a lot of classic films were released in 1971. This is a crowd sourced list that has been voted on by many people, so these top films of 1971 aren't just one persons opinion.
list ordered by
1
88 37
Dirty HarryClint Eastwood, Don Siegel, Andrew Robinson Dirty Harry is a 1971 American action film produced and directed by Don Siegel, the first in the Dirty Harry series. Clint Eastwood plays the title role, in his first outing as San Francisco ...more
2
85 39
The French ConnectionGene Hackman, Roy Scheider, Fernando Rey The French Connection is a 1971 American dramatic thriller film directed by William Friedkin and produced by Philip D'Antoni. It stars Gene Hackman, Fernando Rey, and Roy Scheider. The film was ...more
3
64 27
The Last Picture ShowJeff Bridges, Cybill Shepherd, Cloris Leachman The Last Picture Show is a 1971 American drama film directed by Peter Bogdanovich, adapted from a semi-autobiographical 1966 novel of the same name by Larry McMurtry. Set in a small town in ...more
4
96 53
A Clockwork OrangeMalcolm McDowell, Warren Clarke, Steven Berkoff A Clockwork Orange is a 1971 dystopian crime film adapted, produced, and directed by Stanley Kubrick, based on Anthony Burgess's 1962 novella A Clockwork Orange. It employs disturbing, violent ...more
5
78 42
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate FactoryGene Wilder, Jack Albertson, Tim Brooke-Taylor Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is a 1971 musical fantasy film directed by Mel Stuart, and starring Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka. The film, a film adaptation of the 1964 novel Charlie and ...more
6
52 26
DuelDennis Weaver, Jacqueline Scott, Lou Frizzell Duel is a 1971 television thriller film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Richard Matheson, based on Matheson's short story of the same name. It stars Dennis Weaver as a terrified ...more
7
53 27
Play Misty for MeClint Eastwood, Donna Mills, Jessica Walter Play Misty for Me is a 1971 American psychological thriller film, directed by and starring Clint Eastwood, in his directorial debut. Jessica Walter and Donna Mills co-star. The original music ...more
8
52 27
Brian's SongDick Butkus, James Caan, Billy Dee Williams Brian's Song is a 1971 ABC Movie of the Week that recounts the details of the life of Brian Piccolo, a Wake Forest University football player stricken with terminal cancer after turning pro, ...more
9
56 31
Big JakeJohn Wayne, Maureen O'Hara, Harry Carey Big Jake is a 1971 Western film directed by George Sherman, written by Harry Julian Fink and Rita M. Fink, produced by Michael Wayne, edited by Harry Gerstad, starring John Wayne, Richard Boone ...more
10
41 24
Straw DogsDustin Hoffman, David Warner, Peter Vaughan Straw Dogs is a 1971 psychological thriller directed by Sam Peckinpah and starring Dustin Hoffman and Susan George. The screenplay by Peckinpah and David Zelag Goodman is based upon Gordon M. ...more
11
40 25
Support Your Local GunfighterJames Garner, Suzanne Pleshette, Joan Blondell Support Your Local Gunfighter is a 1971 comic western film starring James Garner, directed by Burt Kennedy, and written by James Edward Grant. The film shares many cast and crew members and plot ...more
12
45 31
The Omega ManCharlton Heston, Anthony Zerbe, Eric Laneuville The Omega Man is a 1971 American science fiction film directed by Boris Sagal and starring Charlton Heston. It was written by John William Corrington and Joyce Corrington, based on the 1954 ...more
13
43 30
Harold and MaudeRuth Gordon, Tom Skerritt, Bud Cort Harold and Maude is a 1971 American romantic dark comedy directed by Hal Ashby and released by Paramount Pictures. It incorporates elements of dark humor and existentialist drama, with a plot ...more
14
33 20
McCabe & Mrs. MillerWarren Beatty, Julie Christie, Shelley Duvall McCabe & Mrs. Miller is a 1971 American Western film starring Warren Beatty and Julie Christie, and directed by Robert Altman. The screenplay is based on Edmund Naughton's 1959 novel McCabe. ...more
15
30 17
Carnal KnowledgeJack Nicholson, Ann-Margret, Candice Bergen Carnal Knowledge is a 1971 American comedy-drama film directed by Mike Nichols and written by Jules Feiffer. It stars Jack Nicholson, Art Garfunkel, Ann-Margret and Candice Bergen.
16
39 27
Fiddler on the RoofPaul Michael Glaser, Chaim Topol, Molly Picon Fiddler on the Roof is a 1971 American musical comedy-drama film produced and directed by Norman Jewison. It is an adaptation of the 1964 Broadway musical of the same name, with music composed ...more
17
29 18
The DevilsVanessa Redgrave, Oliver Reed, Gemma Jones The Devils is a 1971 British historical drama horror film directed by Ken Russell and starring Oliver Reed and Vanessa Redgrave. Russell's screenplay is based partially on the 1952 book The ...more
18
47 37
Diamonds Are ForeverSean Connery, Sammy Davis, Jr. Diamonds Are Forever is the seventh spy film in the James Bond series by Eon Productions, and the sixth and final Eon film to star Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The film is ...more
19
36 27
And Now for Something Completely DifferentJohn Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle And Now for Something Completely Different is a 1971 British comedy anthology film based on the television comedy series Monty Python's Flying Circus featuring sketches from the first two ...more
20
33 24
Vanishing PointCharlotte Rampling, Cleavon Little, Dean Jagger Vanishing Point is a 1971 American action road movie directed by Richard C. Sarafian and starring Barry Newman, Cleavon Little, and Dean Jagger. The film is notable for its scenic film locations ...more
21
33 24
The Abominable Dr. PhibesVincent Price, Caroline Munro, Joanna Lumley The Abominable Dr. Phibes is a 1971 British horror film starring Vincent Price and American actor Joseph Cotten. Its art deco sets, dark humour and performance by Price have made the film and ...more
22
30 22
KluteSylvester Stallone, Jane Fonda, Donald Sutherland Klute is a 1971 thriller film directed and produced by Alan J. Pakula, written by Andy and Dave Lewis, and starring Jane Fonda, Donald Sutherland, Charles Cioffi and Roy Scheider. It tells the ...more
23
40 33
Get CarterMichael Caine, Britt Ekland, Ian Hendry Get Carter is a 1971 British film directed by Mike Hodges and starring Michael Caine, Ian Hendry, Britt Ekland, John Osborne and Bryan Mosley. The screenplay was adapted by Hodges from Ted ...more
24
26 18
Mary, Queen of ScotsVanessa Redgrave, Timothy Dalton, Ian Holm Mary, Queen of Scots is a 1971 Universal Pictures biographical film based on the life of Mary, Queen of Scots. Leading an all-star cast are Vanessa Redgrave as the titular character and Glenda ...more
25
33 26
WalkaboutJenny Agutter, John Meillon, David Gulpilil Walkabout is a 1971 film set in Australia, directed by Nicolas Roeg and starring Jenny Agutter, Luc Roeg and David Gulpilil. Edward Bond wrote the screenplay, which is loosely based on the novel ...more
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