The Best Sammy Davis, Jr. Movies

Ranker Film
Updated September 13, 2023 328 votes 124 voters
Over 100 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Sammy Davis, Jr. Movies
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List of the best Sammy Davis, Jr. movies, ranked best to worst with movie trailers when available. Sammy Davis, Jr.'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 Sammy Davis, Jr. movies is decided by how many votes they receive, so only highly rated Sammy Davis, Jr. movies will be at the top of the list. Sammy Davis, Jr. has been in a lot of films, so people often debate each other over what the greatest Sammy Davis, Jr. movie of all time is. If you and a friend are arguing about this then use this list of the most entertaining Sammy Davis, Jr. films to end the squabble once and for all.

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

With films ranging from Convicts 4 to Sweet and Low, this is a great starting point for a list of your favorites.

"This list answers the questions, "What are the best Sammy Davis, Jr. movies?" and "What are the greatest Sammy Davis, Jr. roles of all time?"

If Sammy Davis, Jr. movies are your thing, then check out the greatest movies by George Burns and Bob Hope too.

Most divisive: Sweet and Low
Ranked by
  • Porgy and Bess
    1

    Porgy and Bess

    Sidney Poitier, Dorothy Dandridge, Sammy Davis
    22 votes
    • Released: 1959
    • Directed by: Otto Preminger, Rouben Mamoulian
    This musical drama focuses on the poverty-stricken residents struggling to survive in the Charleston tenement of Catfish Row. The sultry Bess (Dorothy Dandridge) becomes the object of desire of Porgy (Sidney Poitier), a disabled man who gets around in a cart. But Bess is also involved with thuggish Crown (Brock Peters) and drug dealer Sportin' Life (Sammy Davis Jr.). Crown kills a man and goes into hiding, and Bess seeks shelter with Porgy. But, when Crown returns, Porgy must take a stand.
  • A Man Called Adam
    2

    A Man Called Adam

    Morgan Freeman, Louis Armstrong, Sammy Davis
    17 votes
    • Released: 1966
    • Directed by: Leo Penn
    A Man Called Adam is a 1966 dramatic film starring Sammy Davis, Jr., Ossie Davis and Cicely Tyson. Directed by Leo Penn, it tells the story of a self-destructive jazz musician, played by Davis, and his tumultuous relationships with the people in his life. In addition to Davis, the film features appearances by such noted musical names as Louis Armstrong, Mel Tormé and Frank Sinatra, Jr. The picture also marked the film debut of Lola Falana.
  • Ocean's 11
    3

    Ocean's 11

    Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis
    16 votes
    • Released: 1960
    • Directed by: Lewis Milestone
    Danny Ocean (Frank Sinatra) calls on some of his World War II buddies -- including Jimmy Foster (Peter Lawford), Sam Harmon (Dean Martin) and Josh Howard (Sammy Davis Jr.) -- to pull off an elaborate New Year's Eve heist at five casinos in Las Vegas. Eleven members of Danny's crew come together to pull off a perfect robbery, but they suffer a series of setbacks when Duke Santos (Cesar Romero), a former gangster, tries to thwart Ocean's plans to disappear with the money.

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  • Sergeants 3
    4

    Sergeants 3

    Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis
    16 votes
    • Released: 1962
    • Directed by: John Sturges
    Mike (Frank Sinatra), Chip (Dean Martin) and Larry (Peter Lawford) are three rowdy American sergeants stationed in Indian territory. Along with Jonah (Sammy Davis Jr.), a former slave who aspires to be a trooper, the trio attempt to fight back against an Indian chief (Henry Silva) who has conspired to unite all of the local tribes and kill any Americans in sight. But when the sergeants are taken prisoner, they must find a way to warn their regiment of an impending ambush.
  • Robin and the Seven Hoods
    5

    Robin and the Seven Hoods

    Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis
    15 votes
    • Released: 1964
    • Directed by: Gordon Douglas
    Set in Chicago during Prohibition, the Rat Pack's take on the Robin Hood legend finds bootlegger Robbo (Frank Sinatra) and his cronies refusing to pay the greedy Guy Gisborne (Peter Falk) a cut of their profits after Guy shoots mob boss Big Jim (Edward G. Robinson) and takes over. When Big Jim's daughter, Marian (Barbara Rush), gives Robbo a large sum of money, believing he has avenged her father's death, the gangster donates it to an orphanage, cementing his reputation as a softhearted hood.

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  • The Cannonball Run
    6

    The Cannonball Run

    Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore, Farrah Fawcett
    14 votes
    • Released: 1981
    • Directed by: Hal Needham
    Prepare for a high-octane, cross-country adventure in The Cannonball Run. This 1981 action-comedy film follows an eccentric group of competitors participating in the infamous Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash. The star-studded cast features Burt Reynolds as J.J. McClure, a daredevil race car driver, and Dom DeLuise as his trusted sidekick Victor Prinzim. Directed by Hal Needham, this rollicking road movie is brimming with comedic capers and wild stunts, all set against the sprawling backdrop of America's highways. It's a light-hearted romp that never takes its foot off the gas.