List Rules Vote for your favorite movies, regardless of critic reviews or how big the role was.
List of the best Karl Malden movies, ranked best to worst with movie trailers when available. Karl Malden'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 Karl Malden movies is decided by how many votes they receive, so only highly rated Karl Malden movies will be at the top of the list. Karl Malden has been in a lot of films, so people often debate each other over what the greatest Karl Malden movie of all time is. If you and a friend are arguing about this then use this list of the most entertaining Karl Malden films to end the squabble once and for all.
If you think the best Karl Malden role isn't at the top, then upvote it so it has the chance to become number one. The greatest Karl Malden performances didn't necessarily come from the best movies, but in most cases they go hand in hand.
List ranges from Meteor to Where the Sidewalk Ends and more.
"This list answers the questions, "What are the best Karl Malden movies?" and "What are the greatest Karl Malden roles of all time?"
Alfred Hitchcock and John Ford both worked with Karl Malden over the years, as have plenty of other well-known directors. If Karl Malden movies are your thing, then check out the greatest movies by Richard Widmark and Stewart Granger too.
list ordered by
1
27 5
On the WaterfrontMarlon Brando, Eva Marie Saint, Rod Steiger On the Waterfront is a 1954 American crime drama film about union violence and corruption amongst longshoremen. The film was directed by Elia Kazan and written by Budd Schulberg. It stars Marlon ...more
2
23 4
PattonGeorge C. Scott, Karl Malden, Paul Frees Patton is a 1970 American epic biographical war film about U.S. General George S. Patton during World War II. It stars George C. Scott, Karl Malden, Michael Bates and Karl Michael Vogler. It was ...more
3
23 5
A Streetcar Named DesireMarlon Brando, Vivien Leigh, Karl Malden A Streetcar Named Desire is a 1951 American drama film adaptation of Tennessee Williams's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1947 play of the same name. It is the story of a southern lady, Blanche Dubois, ...more
4
20 3
One-Eyed JacksMarlon Brando, Karl Malden, Katy Jurado One-Eyed Jacks, a 1961 Western, is the only film directed by actor Marlon Brando. The picture was originally planned to be directed by Stanley Kubrick from a screenplay by Sam Peckinpah, but ...more
5
22 5
How the West Was WonJohn Wayne, James Stewart, Debbie Reynolds How the West Was Won is a 1962 western film written by James R. Webb and John Gay and directed by John Ford, Henry Hathaway, George Marshall and Richard Thorpe.
6
20 4
The Cincinnati KidAnn-Margret, Steve McQueen, Tuesday Weld The Cincinnati Kid is a 1965 American drama film. It tells the story of Eric "The Kid" Stoner, a young Depression-era poker player, as he seeks to establish his reputation as the best. ...more
7
17 3
Birdman of AlcatrazBurt Lancaster, Telly Savalas, Karl Malden Birdman of Alcatraz is a 1962 film starring Burt Lancaster and directed by John Frankenheimer. It is a largely fictionalized version of the life of Robert Stroud, a federal prison inmate known ...more
8
15 2
GypsyNatalie Wood, Rosalind Russell, Karl Malden Gypsy is a 1962 musical comedy-drama film produced and directed by Mervyn LeRoy. The screenplay by Leonard Spigelgass is based on the book of the 1959 stage musical Gypsy: A Musical Fable by ...more
9
16 4
Baby DollEli Wallach, Rip Torn, Karl Malden Baby Doll is a 1956 American black comedy and drama film directed by Elia Kazan, and starring Carroll Baker, Karl Malden and Eli Wallach. The film also features Mildred Dunnock and Rip Torn. It ...more
10
19 7
Nevada SmithSteve McQueen, Loni Anderson, Suzanne Pleshette Nevada Smith is a 1966 American Western film in Eastmancolor and Panavision directed by Henry Hathaway and starring Steve McQueen, made by Embassy Pictures and Solar Productions in association ...more
11
16 5
The GunfighterGregory Peck, Karl Malden, Richard Jaeckel The Gunfighter is a 1950 western film starring Gregory Peck, Helen Westcott, Millard Mitchell and Karl Malden. This film was directed by Henry King. It was written by screenwriters William ...more
12
12 3
I ConfessAlfred Hitchcock, Montgomery Clift, Anne Baxter I Confess is a 1953 drama film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and starring Montgomery Clift as Fr. Michael William Logan, a Catholic priest, Anne Baxter as Ruth Grandfort, and Karl Malden as ...more
13
12 4
Cheyenne AutumnJames Stewart, Edward G. Robinson, Ricardo Montalbán Cheyenne Autumn is a 1964 Western movie starring Richard Widmark, Carroll Baker, James Stewart, and Edward G. Robinson. Regarded as an epic film, it tells the story of a factual event, the ...more
14
14 6
Kiss of DeathRichard Widmark, Karl Malden, Coleen Gray Kiss of Death is a 1947 film noir movie directed by Henry Hathaway and written by Ben Hecht and Charles Lederer from a story by Eleazar Lipsky. The story revolves around a former robber played ...more
15
11 4
The Hanging TreeGary Cooper, George C. Scott, Karl Malden The Hanging Tree is a 1959 movie directed by Delmer Daves. Karl Malden took over directing duties for several days when Daves fell ill. The film stars Gary Cooper, Maria Schell, George C. Scott ...more
16
12 5
Where the Sidewalk EndsGene Tierney, Karl Malden, Dana Andrews Where the Sidewalk Ends is a 1950 American film noir directed and produced by Otto Preminger. The screenplay for the film was written by Ben Hecht, and adapted by Robert E. Kent, Frank P. ...more
17
11 5
BoomerangArthur Miller, Karl Malden, Lee J. Cobb Boomerang! is a 1947 film based on the true story of a vagrant who was accused of murder, only to be found innocent through the efforts of the prosecutor. It stars Dana Andrews, Lee J. Cobb, ...more
18
7 3
All Fall DownAngela Lansbury, Warren Beatty, Eva Marie Saint All Fall Down is a 1962 American drama film, adapted from the novel All Fall Down by James Leo Herlihy, the author of Midnight Cowboy. It was directed by John Frankenheimer and produced by John ...more
19
7 3
13 Rue MadeleineJames Cagney, Karl Malden, E. G. Marshall 13 Rue Madeleine is a 1947 World War II spy film starring James Cagney, Annabella and Richard Conte. The title refers to the Le Havre address where a Gestapo headquarters is located.
20
8 5
PollyannaJane Wyman, Karl Malden, Hayley Mills Pollyanna is a Walt Disney Productions feature film starring child actress Hayley Mills, Jane Wyman, Karl Malden and Richard Egan in a story about a cheerful orphan changing the outlook of a ...more
21
8 5
Dead RingerBette Davis, Karl Malden, Peter Lawford Dead Ringer, also known as Who is Buried in my Grave? is a 1964 thriller film made by Warner Bros. It was directed by Paul Henreid from a screenplay by Oscar Millard and Albert Beich from the ...more
22
8 5
Bombers B-52Natalie Wood, Karl Malden, Efrem Zimbalist Bombers B-52 is a 1957 Warner Bros. CinemaScope film starring Natalie Wood, Karl Malden, Marsha Hunt and Efrem Zimbalist Jr., and directed by Gordon Douglas, It was adapted from a Sam Rolfe ...more
23
5 2
Back to the Streets of San FranciscoKarl Malden, Darleen Carr Back to the Streets of San Francisco is a 1992 TV movie based on the 1972-1977 series The Streets of San Francisco. Karl Malden plays a police detective and Darleen Carr portrays his daughter; ...more
24
7 5
Beyond the Poseidon AdventureSally Field, Michael Caine, Mark Harmon Beyond the Poseidon Adventure is a 1979 American disaster film, a sequel to the 1972 film The Poseidon Adventure. It was directed by Irwin Allen and starred Michael Caine and Sally Field. The ...more
25
6 4
The Cat o' Nine TailsKarl Malden, James Franciscus, Catherine Spaak The Cat o' Nine Tails is a 1971 Italian giallo film written and directed by Dario Argento. Although it is the middle entry in Argento's so-called "Animal Trilogy", the titular ...more
26
6 4
Murderers' RowAnn-Margret, Dean Martin, Karl Malden Murderers' Row is a 1966 American comedy-spy-fi film starring Dean Martin and very loosely based upon the Matt Helm spy novel Murderers' Row by Donald Hamilton, which was published in 1962. ...more
27
4 2
Fear Strikes OutAnthony Perkins, Karl Malden, Adam Williams Fear Strikes Out is a dramatic feature film depicting the life and career of American baseball player Jimmy Piersall. It is based on Piersall's biography Fear Strikes Out: The Jim Piersall ...more
28
4 2
HotelKarl Malden, Merle Oberon, Rod Taylor Hotel is a 1967 Technicolor film adaptation of the novel of the same name written by Arthur Hailey. The film stars Rod Taylor, Catherine Spaak, Karl Malden, Kevin McCarthy, Michael Rennie, and ...more
29
3 1
The Sting IITeri Garr, Oliver Reed, Jackie Gleason The Sting II is a 1983 film sequel to The Sting. Directed by Jeremy Kagan and written by David S. Ward, it stars Jackie Gleason, Mac Davis, Teri Garr, Karl Malden and Oliver Reed. The film was ...more
30
3 1
The Adventures of Bullwhip GriffinSuzanne Pleshette, Roddy McDowall, Karl Malden The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin is a theatrical feature film produced by Walt Disney Company.
31
3 1
Ruby GentryCharlton Heston, Jennifer Jones, Karl Malden Ruby Gentry is a 1952 film, directed by King Vidor and starring Jennifer Jones, Charlton Heston and Karl Malden. The movie and the name Gentry was the inspiration for the Professional name of ...more
32
3 1
Word of HonorJohn Malkovich, Rue McClanahan, Karl Malden Word of Honor is a 1981 film co-written by David Ackles and I.C. Rapoport. It starred Karl Malden and featured appearances by a young Ron Silver and the film debut of John Malkovich. It was ...more
33
3 1
Twilight TimeKarl Malden, Pavle Vuisić, Petar Božović Twilight Time is a 1982 film directed by Goran Paskaljevic.
34
2 0
Phantom of the Rue MorgueKarl Malden, Merv Griffin, Steve Forrest Phantom of the Rue Morgue is a feature film directed by Roy Del Ruth and starring Karl Malden and Claude Dauphin. The film is an adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's short story The Murders in the ...more
35
10 9
Halls of MontezumaRobert Wagner, Jack Palance, Richard Widmark Halls of Montezuma is a 1951 World War II war film starring Richard Widmark, Richard Boone, Jack Palance, and Karl Malden. The film, which is about U.S. Marines fighting on a Japanese-held ...more
36
8 7
MeteorSean Connery, Natalie Wood, Henry Fonda Meteor is a 1979 science fiction Technicolor disaster film in which scientists detect an asteroid on a collision course with Earth and struggle with international, cold war politics in their ...more
37
7 6
NutsBarbra Streisand, Richard Dreyfuss, Eli Wallach Nuts is a 1987 American drama film directed by Martin Ritt and starring Barbra Streisand and Richard Dreyfuss. The screenplay by Tom Topor, Darryl Ponicsan, and Alvin Sargent is based on Topor's ...more
38
5 4
The Great ImpostorTony Curtis, Karl Malden, Raymond Massey The Great Impostor is a 1961 movie based on the true story of an impostor named Ferdinand Waldo Demara. Loosely based on Robert Crichton's 1959 biography of the same name, it stars Tony Curtis ...more
39
5 4
Take the High Ground!Richard Widmark, Karl Malden, Steve Forrest Take the High Ground! is a film about the Korean War, starring Richard Widmark and Karl Malden as drill instructors who must transform a batch of everyday civilians into soldiers. The film was ...more
40
4 3
They Knew What They WantedCarole Lombard, Charles Laughton, Karl Malden They Knew What They Wanted is a 1940 film with Carole Lombard, Charles Laughton and William Gargan, directed by Garson Kanin. It is based on the 1924 Pulitzer Prize winning play with the same ...more
41
4 3
Wild RoversWilliam Holden, Ryan O'Neal, Karl Malden Wild Rovers is a 1971 American Western film directed by Blake Edwards and starring William Holden and Ryan O'Neal. Originally intended as a three-hour epic, it was heavily edited and changed by ...more
42
3 2
The Summertime KillerKarl Malden, Claudine Auger, Olivia Hussey The Summertime Killer is a 1973 crime film directed by Antonio Isasi-Isasmendi and starring Olivia Hussey.
43
2 1
Billy GalvinKarl Malden, Paul Guilfoyle, Alan North Billy Galvin is a 1986 film directed by John Gray. It stars Karl Malden and Lenny von Dohlen.
44
2 1
The SelloutKarl Malden, Walter Pidgeon, Cameron Mitchell The Sellout is a 1952 crime fiction and drama film written by Charles Palmer and directed by Gerald Mayer.
45
2 1
Come Fly with MeKarl Malden, Hugh O'Brian, Pamela Tiffin Come Fly with Me is a 1963 British comedy film about three beautiful international air hostesses looking for romance and excitement. The film has dramatic or soap opera elements to it, and was a ...more
46
2 1
Vanished Without a TraceKarl Malden, Julie Harris, Tom Hodges Vanished Without a Trace is a 1993 crime and drama television movie written by Jack Baugh, Jefferson Morgan and David Eyre Jr., and directed by Vern Gillum.
47
1 0
Absolute StrangersHenry Winkler, Patty Duke, Karl Malden Absolute Strangers is a 1991 made-for-television CBS docudrama featuring Happy Days star Henry Winkler returning to his first major TV role in eight years. The screenplay, written by Robert ...more
48
4 4
Billion Dollar BrainMichael Caine, Donald Sutherland, Karl Malden Billion Dollar Brain is a 1967 British espionage film directed by Ken Russell and based on the novel of the same name by Len Deighton. The film features Michael Caine as secret agent Harry ...more
49
3 3
ParrishClaudette Colbert, Connie Stevens, Karl Malden Parrish is a 1961 drama film made by Warner Bros.. It was written, produced and directed by Delmer Daves, based on the novel by Mildred Savage. The music score was by Max Steiner, the ...more
50
2 2
BlueTerence Stamp, Ricardo Montalbán, Karl Malden Blue is an American western film in Panavision anamorphic, released by Paramount Pictures on May 10, 1968. Directed by Silvio Narizzano, it stars Terence Stamp, Joanna Pettet, Karl Malden, ...more
