10 Best Donald Sutherland Movies

Sutherland’s big break came in the 1967 war film The Dirty Dozen, which also starred Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine.

Set during World War II, this film is about a rebellious U.S. Army Major who is assigned a dozen convicted murderers to train. He must then lead them into a mass assassination mission of German officers.

In this movie, Sutherland played the dopey but loyal Vernon Pinkley. Though it was a smaller supporting role, the movie put Sutherland on the map and set the tone for the amazing career that was to come for him.

Sutherland truly became a household name when he starred in Robert Altman’s hit movie M*A*S*H.

This classic film follows the staff of a Korean War field hospital as they use humor to try and maintain their sanity amidst the horrors of war. Sutherland stars in the movie as the wisecracking Hawkeye Pierce. This part would later be played by Alan Alda in the spinoff TV series M*A*S*H, which ran from 1972 until 1983.

Sutherland was nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy for his work in the movie. It was this film that made him a household name and cemented him as a Hollywood leading man.

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Sutherland stars in this mystery thriller in the title role as a small-town detective who goes searching for his best friend after he goes missing. His only lead is a connection with a New York prostitute, who is played by Jane Fonda.

Sutherland shows off his dramatic chops in this movie beautifully and is the perfect leading man beside Fonda, who won her first Oscar for the film. The chemistry between Sutherland and Fonda was palpable, and they even began briefly dating behind the scenes.

“It was a wonderful relationship right up to the point we lived together,” Sutherland later said.

This film is sure to have you at the edge of your seat. If you haven’t seen it, be sure to check it out!

Sutherland showed off his versatility when he starred in this beloved horror classic.

This movie follows a married couple, played by Sutherland and Julie Christie, as they grieve the recent death of their young daughter in Venice. There, they meet two elderly sisters, one of whom is psychic and brings a warning from beyond.

Based on the book by Daphne Du Maurier, this is one terrifying and creepy movie. Sutherland is so good in it that he was nominated for Best Actor at the BAFTAs, which is the British version of the Oscars.

After starring in this horror movie, Sutherland showed the world that there was no genre he couldn’t do!

Set during World War II, The Eagle Has Landed tells the story of a plot to kidnap Sir Winston Churchill. Sutherland stars in the movie alongside a star-studded cast that includes Michael Caine, Robert Duvall, Jenny Agutter, and Treat Williams.

This film is an epic that relies on an ensemble of many famous faces, yet Sutherland manages to stand out from all the rest and leave a lasting impression.

With this film, Sutherland showed the world that he was not just the average Hollywood leading man. Instead, he was a superstar who could carry a movie all on his own.

Sutherland tried his hands at horror once again with this cult classic, and it could not have gone better for him.

In this movie, mysterious pods begin to grow and invade the city of San Francisco, California after strange seeds start drifting into space. These pods then start replicating the bodies of San Francisco residents one person at a time.

Sutherland stars in the movie as a scientist who is trying to fight back against what is happening. This is another fun watch that is sure to have you on the edge of your seat for its entirety!

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Ordinary People is arguably some of the best work that Sutherland ever put on film.

The movie, which won the Oscar for Best Picture, tells the story of a wealthy family as they grapple with the death of their older of two sons. His untimely death strains the relationships among the bitter mother (Mary Tyler Moore), the good-natured father (Sutherland) and the guilt-ridden younger son (Timothy Hutton).

As the patriarch of the family, Sutherland plays someone who is desperately trying to hold his family together as it tears apart. He was rightfully nominated for a Golden Globe for his work in this incredible movie. Hutton won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor and Moore was nominated for Best Actress, yet somehow, Sutherland was snubbed by the Academy.

While this is a heavy movie, it is a must-watch for anyone who enjoys both a complex family drama and incredible acting.

Sutherland stars in this amazing movie alongside Will Smith and Stockard Channing.

The film tells the story of a wealthy couple (Sutherland and Channing) in New York City who have their lives intruded upon by a mysterious young black man (Smith) who may not be who he says he is. The twists and turns this movie takes need to be seen to be believed!

This comedy drama is based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning play. It was released to great critical claim, earning Channing an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. While Sutherland was passed over by the Academy once again, he still does a great job anchoring this film.

This movie tells the true story of the renowned runner Steve Prefontaine and his relationship with legendary coach Bill Bowerman.

Sutherland flawlessly portrays Bowerman and acts as the heart of the film. It was rare that Sutherland actually played a real person throughout his career, but that’s exactly what he does in this movie and he does it well.

Sutherland was nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for his work in the film. Sadly and bafflingly, however, he was snubbed by the Academy once again. Nevertheless, you should definitely watch this movie if you’re a fan of sports movies that are based on true stories!

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Finally, younger fans are likely familiar with Sutherland for his work in The Hunger Games film franchise, which also starred Jennifer Lawrence and Liam Hemsworth.

Set in the dystopian future, the first movie in the series is about a televised competition in which two teenagers from each of the twelve Districts of Panem are chosen at random to fight to the death.

Sutherland plays the villainous President Snow, a fascist dictator who leads the counter-revolutionary movement. Nobody plays a villain better than Sutherland, and he did so in all four of The Hunger Games movies that were released between 2012 and 2015!

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