The Best Movies of 1973

Updated September 4, 2020 7.3k votes 406 voters 10.4k views107 items

List RulesOnly movies released in theaters in 1973.

List of the best movies of 1973, with movie trailers when available. 1973 was a tough year for martial arts fans, as Bruce Lee died before Enter the Dragon was released to theaters. These top movies of 1973 are listed by popularity, so the movies with the most votes are at the top. This list consists of all different movie genres - from Charlotte's Web to The Exorcist - but each film was released in 1973. You can filter this list of films that came out in 1973 for various bits of information, such as who directed the movie and what genre it is. Think the best 1973 movie isn't as high as it should be? Vote up your favorite so it will rise to the top.

The list you're viewing has a variety of movies, like Serpico and American Graffiti, in it.

This list answers the questions, "What are the best movies from 1973?" and "What are the most popular movies of 1973?"

1973 was a great year for movies, since a lot of classic films were released in 1973. This is a crowd sourced list that has been voted on by many people, so these top films of 1973 aren't just one persons opinion.

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High Plains Drifter
Clint Eastwood, Geoffrey Lewis
Released: 1973
Directed by: Clint Eastwood
High Plains Drifter is a 1973 American film directed by and starring Clint Eastwood, written... more
More High Plains Drifter
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American Graffiti
Harrison Ford, Ron Howard
Released: 1973
Directed by: George Lucas
American Graffiti is a 1973 American coming of age comedy-drama film directed and co-written... more
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Papillon
Dustin Hoffman, Steve McQueen
Released: 1973
Directed by: Franklin J. Schaffner
Papillon is a 1973 prison film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, based on the best-selling... more
More Papillon
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The Exorcist
Max von Sydow, Ellen Burstyn
Released: 1973
Directed by: William Friedkin
The Exorcist is a 1973 American supernatural horror film directed by William Friedkin, adapted... more
More The Exorcist
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White Lightning
Burt Reynolds, Laura Dern
Released: 1973
Directed by: Joseph Sargent
White Lightning is a 1973 American action film from United Artists starring Burt Reynolds as... more
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Walking Tall
Joe Don Baker, Noah Beery
Released: 1973
Directed by: Phil Karlson
Walking Tall is a 1973 American action semi-biopic film of Sheriff Buford Pusser, a former... more
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114
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Live and Let Die
Jane Seymour, Roger Moore
Released: 1973
Directed by: Guy Hamilton
This film is the eighth spy film in the James Bond series to be produced by Eon Productions,... more

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133
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Enter the Dragon
Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan
Released: 1973
Directed by: Robert Clouse
Enter the Dragon is a 1973 Hong Kong martial arts action film directed by Robert Clouse;... more
More Enter the Dragon
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Magnum Force
Clint Eastwood, Suzanne Somers
Released: 1973
Directed by: Ted Post
Magnum Force is a 1973 American action film and the second to feature Clint Eastwood as... more
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The Sting
Paul Newman, Robert Redford
Released: 1973
Directed by: George Roy Hill
The Sting is a 1973 American caper film set in September 1936, involving a complicated plot by... more
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37
Westworld
Yul Brynner, James Brolin
Released: 1973
Directed by: Michael Crichton
Westworld is a 1973 science fiction western-thriller film written and directed by novelist... more
More Westworld
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Serpico
Al Pacino, Judd Hirsch
Released: 1973
Directed by: Sidney Lumet
Serpico is a 1973 American drama film directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Al Pacino. Waldo... more
More Serpico
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42
Soylent Green
Charlton Heston, Edward G. Robinson
Released: 1973
Directed by: Richard Fleischer
Soylent Green is a 1973 American science fiction film directed by Richard Fleischer and... more
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Paper Moon
Tatum O'Neal, Randy Quaid
Released: 1973
Directed by: Peter Bogdanovich
Paper Moon is a 1973 American comedy-drama film directed by Peter Bogdanovich and released by... more
More Paper Moon
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The Three Musketeers
Raquel Welch, Christopher Lee
Released: 1973
Directed by: Richard Lester
The Three Musketeers is a 1973 film based on the novel by Alexandre Dumas, père. It was... more
More The Three Musketeers
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The Wicker Man
Christopher Lee, Britt Ekland
Released: 1973
Directed by: Robin Hardy
The Wicker Man is a 1973 British mystery horror film directed by Robin Hardy and written by... more
More The Wicker Man
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Cahill U.S. Marshal
John Wayne, George Kennedy
Released: 1973
Directed by: Andrew V. McLaglen
Cahill U.S. Marshal is a 1973 American Western film in Technicolor starring John Wayne as a... more
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Dillinger
Richard Dreyfuss, Cloris Leachman
Released: 1973
Directed by: John Milius
Dillinger is a 1973 gangster film about the life and criminal exploits of notorious bank... more
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Scarecrow
Al Pacino, Gene Hackman
Released: 1973
Directed by: Jerry Schatzberg
Scarecrow is a 1973 road movie starring Gene Hackman and Al Pacino.... more
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Sleeper
Woody Allen, Diane Keaton
Released: 1973
Directed by: Woody Allen
Sleeper is a 1973 futuristic comic science fiction film, written by Woody Allen and Marshall... more
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The Last Detail
Jack Nicholson, Randy Quaid
Released: 1973
Directed by: Hal Ashby
The Last Detail is a 1973 American comedy-drama film directed by Hal Ashby and starring Jack... more
More The Last Detail
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Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid
Bob Dylan, Kris Kristofferson
Released: 1973
Directed by: Sam Peckinpah
This film is a 1973 American Western drama film directed by Sam Peckinpah and starring James... more
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The Train Robbers
John Wayne, Ann-Margret
Released: 1973
Directed by: Burt Kennedy
The Train Robbers is a 1973 Western Technicolor film starring John Wayne, Ann-Margret, Rod... more
More The Train Robbers
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Charlotte's Web
Debbie Reynolds, Danny Bonaduce
Released: 1973
Directed by: Charles August Nichols, Iwao Takamoto
Charlotte's Web is a 1973 American animated musical film produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions... more
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Charley Varrick
Walter Matthau, Norman Fell
Released: 1973
Directed by: Don Siegel
Charley Varrick is a 1973 crime film directed by Don Siegel and starring Walter Matthau,... more
More Charley Varrick
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Dillinger