The Best Movies of 1974

Updated September 4, 2020 6.5k votes 344 voters 10.2k views110 items

List RulesOnly movies released in theaters in 1974.

List of the best movies of 1974, with movie trailers when available. 1974 was the year that actors Chevy Chase and Jeff Goldblum made their big screen debuts These top movies of 1974 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 1974. You can filter this list of films that came out in 1974 for various bits of information, such as who directed the movie and what genre it is. Think the best 1974 movie isn't as high as it should be? Vote up your favorite so it will rise to the top.

Movies here include everything from The Godfather Part II to Blazing Saddles.

This list answers the questions, "What are the best movies from 1974?" and "What are the most popular movies of 1974?"

1974 was a great year for movies, since a lot of classic films were released in 1974. This is a crowd sourced list that has been voted on by many people, so these top films of 1974 aren't just one persons opinion.

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The Godfather Part II
Al Pacino, Robert De Niro
Released: 1974
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
The Godfather Part II is a 1974 American epic crime film produced and directed by Francis Ford... more
More The Godfather Part II
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Young Frankenstein
Gene Hackman, Mel Brooks
Released: 1974
Directed by: Mel Brooks
Young Frankenstein is a 1974 American comedy film directed by Mel Brooks and starring Gene... more
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The Longest Yard
Burt Reynolds, Bernadette Peters
Released: 1974
Directed by: Robert Aldrich
The Longest Yard is a 1974 American sports comedy film directed by Robert Aldrich. Written by... more
More The Longest Yard
#26 of 204 The Best Sports Movies Ever Made#62 of 150 The Most Inspirational Sports Movies
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Blazing Saddles
Mel Brooks, Gene Wilder
Released: 1974
Directed by: Mel Brooks
Blazing Saddles is a 1974 satirical Western comedy film directed by Mel Brooks. Starring... more
More Blazing Saddles
#37 of 399 The Best Western Movies Ever Made#9 of 922 The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
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Death Wish
Jeff Goldblum, Charles Bronson
Released: 1974
Directed by: Michael Winner
This film is a 1974 American vigilante action film loosely based on the novel of the same name... more
More Death Wish
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The Man with the Golden Gun
Christopher Lee, Roger Moore
Released: 1974
Directed by: Guy Hamilton
The Man with the Golden Gun is the ninth spy film in the James Bond series and the second to... more
More The Man with the Golden Gun
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Chinatown
Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway
Released: 1974
Directed by: Roman Polanski
Chinatown is a 1974 American neo-noir mystery film, directed by Roman Polanski from a... more
More Chinatown
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Thunderbolt and Lightfoot
Clint Eastwood, Jeff Bridges
Released: 1974
Directed by: Michael Cimino
Thunderbolt and Lightfoot is a 1974 American film written and directed by Michael Cimino and... more
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The Conversation
Harrison Ford, Robert Duvall
Released: 1974
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
The Conversation is a 1974 American psychological thriller film written, produced and directed... more
More The Conversation
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Murder on the Orient Express
Sean Connery, Ingrid Bergman
Released: 1974
Directed by: Sidney Lumet
This film is a 1974 British Technicolor mystery film directed by Sidney Lumet, starring Albert... more
More Murder on the Orient Express
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Conversation Piece
Claudia Cardinale, Burt Lancaster
Released: 1974
Directed by: Luchino Visconti
Conversation Piece is a 1974 film by Italian director Luchino Visconti. The film features an... more
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Vampyres
Anulka Dziubinska, Bessie Love
Released: 1974
Directed by: José Ramón Larraz
Vampyres is a 1974 British erotic/lesbian vampire horror film directed by José Ramón Larraz.... more
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The Towering Inferno
O. J. Simpson, Paul Newman
Released: 1974
Directed by: Irwin Allen, John Guillermin
The Towering Inferno is a 1974 American action drama disaster film produced by Irwin Allen... more
More The Towering Inferno
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Earthquake
Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner
Released: 1974
Directed by: Mark Robson
Earthquake is a 1974 American ensemble disaster film directed and produced by Mark Robson. The... more
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The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Gunnar Hansen, Marilyn Burns
Released: 1974
Directed by: Tobe Hooper
This movie is a 1974 American slasher film, directed and produced by Tobe Hooper, who cowrote... more
More The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
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Mr. Majestyk
Charles Bronson, Linda Cristal
Released: 1974
Directed by: Richard Fleischer
Mr. Majestyk is a 1974 American action film directed by Richard Fleischer and starring Charles... more
More Mr. Majestyk
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Herbie Rides Again
Helen Hayes, Stefanie Powers
Released: 1974
Directed by: Robert Stevenson
Herbie Rides Again is a 1974 comedy film. It is the sequel to The Love Bug, released six years... more
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The Four Musketeers
Raquel Welch, Christopher Lee
Released: 1974
Directed by: Richard Lester
The Four Musketeers is a 1974 Richard Lester film that is a sequel to The Three Musketeers,... more
More The Four Musketeers
#72 of 74 The Best Action Movie Sequels#37 of 143 The Best Swashbuckler Movies
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Benji
Edgar Buchanan, Frances Bavier
Released: 1974
Directed by: Joe Camp
This tail-wagging tale begins as Benji visits his pals Cindy and Paul, whose father Paul... more
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The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser
Herbert Achternbusch, Bruno Schleinstein
Released: 1974
Directed by: Werner Herzog
The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser is a 1974 German drama film written and directed by Werner Herzog... more
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Huckleberry Finn
Harvey Korman, Paul Winfield
Released: 1974
Directed by: J. Lee Thompson
Huckleberry Finn is the 1974 musical film version of Mark Twain's American classic, The... more
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Swept Away
Giancarlo Giannini, Mariangela Melato
Released: 1974
Directed by: Lina Wertmüller
Swept Away is a 1974 Italian adventure comedy-drama film written and directed by Lina... more
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Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too
Clint Howard, Howard Morris
Released: 1974
Directed by: John Lounsbery
Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too is a 1974 animated feature from Disney released as a double... more
More Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too
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The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
Jerry Stiller, Walter Matthau
Released: 1974
Directed by: Joseph Sargent
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three is a 1974 American thriller film directed by Joseph... more
More The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
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Airport 1975
Charlton Heston, Myrna Loy
Released: 1974
Directed by: Jack Smight
Airport 1975 is a 1974 disaster film and the first sequel to the successful 1970 film Airport.... more
More Airport 1975
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The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser