The Best Roy Scheider Movies

Ranker Film
Updated August 11, 2023 1.2K votes 270 voters
Over 200 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Roy Scheider Movies
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List of the best Roy Scheider movies, ranked best to worst with movie trailers when available. Roy Scheider'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 Roy Scheider movies is decided by how many votes they receive, so only highly rated Roy Scheider movies will be at the top of the list. Roy Scheider has been in a lot of films, so people often debate each other over what the greatest Roy Scheider movie of all time is. If you and a friend are arguing about this then use this list of the most entertaining Roy Scheider films to end the squabble once and for all.

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

List features films like Night Game, Citizen Verdict, and many more

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

Steven Spielberg and David Cronenberg both worked with Roy Scheider over the years, as have plenty of other well-known directors. Movie fans who love Roy Scheider have also been known to enjoy films starring Rod Steiger and Robert Shaw.

Most divisive: Dracula III: Legacy
Ranked by
  • Jaws
    1

    Jaws

    Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss
    91 votes
    • Released: 1975
    • Directed by: Steven Spielberg
    In the classic thriller Jaws, the quiet summer resort of Amity Island is thrown into chaos by a deadly great white shark. Police Chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) must team up with oceanographer Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and grizzled shark hunter Quint (Robert Shaw) to stop it. Directed by Steven Spielberg, this film redefined the horror genre, creating the concept of a summer blockbuster. The film's tension-filled plot and iconic score won it three Academy Awards, including Best Original Score for John Williams. Despite its simple premise, Jaws remains an enduring masterpiece of suspense and fear.

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  • The French Connection
    2

    The French Connection

    Gene Hackman, Fernando Rey, Roy Scheider
    47 votes
    • Released: 1971
    • Directed by: William Friedkin
    In the heart-throbbing 1971 crime thriller, The French Connection, Detective Jimmy Popeye Doyle (Gene Hackman) and his partner, Buddy Russo (Roy Scheider), are New York City cops hot on the trail of a narcotics smuggling ring. Popeye's relentless pursuit of Alain Charnier (Fernando Rey), the suave ringleader, leads them into a high-stakes game of cat and mouse. The film is renowned for its gritty realism, innovative cinematography, and a legendary car chase sequence. It bagged five Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Actor for Hackman, and Best Director for William Friedkin.

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  • Marathon Man
    3

    Marathon Man

    Dustin Hoffman, Laurence Olivier, Roy Scheider
    49 votes
    • Released: 1976
    • Directed by: John Schlesinger
    Thomas "Babe" Levy (Dustin Hoffman) is a Columbia graduate student and long-distance runner who is oblivious to the fact that his older brother, Doc (Roy Scheider), is a government agent chasing down a Nazi war criminal (Laurence Olivier) -- that is, until Doc is murdered and Babe finds himself knee-deep in a tangle of stolen gems and sadistic madmen. Even his girlfriend, Elsa (Marthe Keller), becomes a suspect as everything Babe believed to be true is suddenly turned upside down.

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  • 52 Pick-Up
    4

    52 Pick-Up

    Roy Scheider, Ann-Margret, Vanity
    34 votes
    • Released: 1986
    • Directed by: John Frankenheimer
    Based on a novel by Elmore Leonard, this gritty movie follows a plot to blackmail wealthy industrialist Harry Mitchell (Roy Scheider). Married to an aspiring politician (Ann-Margret), Harry has been caught having an affair with Cini (Kelly Preston), a much younger woman. When Harry doesn't play by the rules of his blackmailers, they begin an escalating chain of violence that extends to murder. Undaunted, Harry decides to fight back against the criminals.

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  • Sorcerer
    5

    Sorcerer

    Roy Scheider, Bruno Cremer, Francisco Rabal
    51 votes
    • Released: 1977
    • Directed by: William Friedkin
    In the small South American town of Porvenir, four men on the run from the law are offered $10,000 and legal citizenship if they will transport a shipment of dangerously unstable nitroglycerin to an oil well 200 miles away. Led by Jackie Scanlon (Roy Scheider), the men set off on a hazardous journey, during which they must contend with dangerously rocky roads, unstable bridges, and attacks from local guerillas. The four fight for their lives as they struggle to complete their dangerous quest.

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  • All That Jazz
    6

    All That Jazz

    Roy Scheider, Jessica Lange, Ann Reinking
    50 votes
    • Released: 1979
    • Directed by: Bob Fosse
    All That Jazz is a gripping exploration of life and death, orchestrated by the renowned director Bob Fosse. This semi-autobiographical musical drama dives into the tumultuous world of Joe Gideon (Roy Scheider), a work-obsessed Broadway director and choreographer grappling with his mortality. As he flits between reality and fantasy, the film delves into Gideon's chaotic lifestyle filled with dance, women, and ceaseless work. Jessica Lange stars as Angelique, a looming presence signifying death. The film clinched four Academy Awards in 1980, including Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design, solidifying its place in cinematic history.