The Best Jane Fonda Movies

Ranker Film
Updated September 15, 2023 4.0K votes 688 voters 64.0K views
Over 600 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Jane Fonda Movies
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Vote for your favorite movies, regardless of critic reviews or how big the role was.
Latest additions: Book Club 2: The Next Chapter, Moving On
Most divisive: Peace, Love & Misunderstanding

List of the best Jane Fonda movies, ranked best to worst with movie trailers when available. Jane Fonda'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 Jane Fonda movies is decided by how many votes they receive, so only highly rated Jane Fonda movies will be at the top of the list. Jane Fonda has been in a lot of films, so people often debate each other over what the greatest Jane Fonda movie of all time is. If you and a friend are arguing about this then use this list of the most entertaining Jane Fonda films to end the squabble once and for all.

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

List is made up of many different films, including Searching for Debra Winger and 9 to 5.

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

Jane Fonda has worked with many famous directors, including big names like Garry Marshall and Sidney Lumet. If you're a fan of Jane Fonda, then check out our lists of the best Whoopi Goldberg and Ellen Burstyn movies as well.

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  • Coming Home
    1

    Coming Home

    Jane Fonda, Jon Voight, Bruce Dern
    106 votes
    • Released: 1978
    • Directed by: Hal Ashby
    The wife of a Marine serving in Vietnam, Sally Hyde (Jane Fonda) decides to volunteer at a local veterans hospital to occupy her time. There she meets Luke Martin (Jon Voight), a frustrated wheelchair-bound vet who has become disillusioned with the war. Sally and Luke develop a friendship that soon turns into a romance, but when her husband, Bob (Bruce Dern), returns unexpectedly, she must decide between staying with him and pursuing her new love.

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  • On Golden Pond
    2

    On Golden Pond

    Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, Jane Fonda
    128 votes
    • Released: 1981
    • Directed by: Mark Rydell
    Cantankerous retiree Norman Thayer (Henry Fonda) and his conciliatory wife, Ethel (Katharine Hepburn), spend summers at their New England vacation home on the shores of idyllic Golden Pond. This year, their adult daughter, Chelsea (Jane Fonda), visits with her new fiancée and his teenage son, Billy (Doug McKeon) on their way to Europe. After leaving Billy behind to bond with Norman, Chelsea returns, attempting to repair the long-strained relationship with her aging father before it's too late.

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  • 9 to 5
    3

    9 to 5

    Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Dolly Parton
    111 votes
    • Released: 1980
    • Directed by: Colin Higgins
    In the comedic whirlwind 9 to 5, three office workers, Doralee Rhodes (Dolly Parton), Violet Newstead (Lily Tomlin), and Judy Bernly (Jane Fonda) find themselves at the mercy of a tyrannical boss, Franklin Hart Jr. (Dabney Coleman). The trio endures sexist, egotistical, and hypocritical treatment until chance events empower them to seize control of their workplace. As they navigate this new territory, hilarity ensues, revealing the absurdities of corporate life. This satirical comedy won two Golden Globe awards, reflecting its blend of humor and social commentary.

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  • Julia
    4

    Julia

    Jane Fonda, Vanessa Redgrave, Jason Robards
    127 votes
    • Released: 1977
    • Directed by: Fred Zinnemann
    This Oscar-winning drama, based on the writing of Lillian Hellman, depicts the relationship between two friends and its unexpected consequences. After Lillian (Jane Fonda), a renowned playwright, reunites in Russia with her childhood playmate Julia (Vanessa Redgrave), the writer is recruited to smuggle funds into Germany to aid the anti-Nazi movement. Waiting in the wings is Lillian's lover and mentor, Dashiell Hammett (Jason Robards), who is unaware of her dangerous assignment.
  • Klute
    5

    Klute

    Jane Fonda, Donald Sutherland, Roy Scheider
    116 votes
    • Released: 1971
    • Directed by: Alan J. Pakula
    This acclaimed thriller stars Jane Fonda as Bree Daniel, a New York City call girl who becomes enmeshed in an investigation into the disappearance of a business executive. Detective John Klute (Donald Sutherland) is hired to follow Daniel, and eventually begins a romance with her, but it appears that he hasn't been the only person on her trail. When it becomes clear that Daniel is being targeted, it's up to her and Klute to figure out who is after her before it's too late.

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  • The China Syndrome
    6

    The China Syndrome

    Jane Fonda, Jack Lemmon, Michael Douglas
    101 votes
    • Released: 1979
    • Directed by: James Bridges
    A news reporter (Jane Fonda) and her cameraman (Michael Douglas) are unintentional witnesses to a SCRAM incident, an emergency core shutdown procedure at a nuclear power plant in California. The crew prevents a catastrophe, but the plant supervisor (Jack Lemmon) begins to suspect the plant is in violation of safety standards, and tries desperately to bring it to the attention of the public, fearing that another SCRAM incident will produce an atomic disaster.

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