10 Best Gene Hackman Movies

First on our list of Hackman’s greatest hits was his turn as Reverend Frank Scott in The Poseidon Adventure. When a massive wave flipped everything upside down on New Year’s Eve, Hackman’s unorthodox preacher stepped up and led survivors through the ship.

Hackman brought a perfect mix of grit and charisma to Scott. He was truly a man of God who believed in muscle as much as prayer. His Scott was flawed, stubborn, and occasionally arrogant, yet impossible not to root for.

Up next, Hackman won his first Oscar as Detective Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle in The French Connection. He became a relentless narcotics cop hunting a heroin smuggler through the dirty streets of 70s New York. And, of course, Hackman made Doyle real and raw. He was a cop who broke all the rules. Racist, violent, and obsessed, Doyle wasn’t likable, but Hackman made you watch his every move.

The famous car chase showed his intensity, but his smaller moments also proved his talent. Ultimately, The French Connection changed crime movies forever and showed Hackman could carry a film with a gritty energy that Hollywood still tries to copy today.

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As another one of the best Gene Hackman movies, I had to include Mississippi Burning. In this one, Hackman played Anderson as a Southern-born agent who understood the dark heart of racism in 1960s Mississippi while investigating the murder of civil rights workers.

Hackman balanced fury and being strategically cunning in this role, earning him an Oscar nomination. He made Anderson feel authentic and complex rather than a simple hero. Looking back on it today, Hackman’s performance reminds audiences why fighting for civil rights requires both compassion and occasionally fighting fire with fire.

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Hackman defied expectations as Superman’s nemesis Lex Luthor, actually refusing to shave his head for the famously bald villain. I mean it. The director, Richard Donner, even had to trick him into shaving his mustache and only convinced him to wear a bald cap for one scene.

Despite this resistance, Hackman embodied the character with such humor and narcissistic charisma. So much so that audiences didn’t mind the characters’ differences from the comic book’s appearance.

Once he became one of audience’s favorite villains, Hackman’s Luthor returned for Superman II and remained one of the few redeeming elements of Superman IV: The Quest for Peace.

Next, Hackman earned his second Academy Award for his portrayal of Little Bill Daggett in Unforgiven. In Clint Eastwood‘s Western, Hackman created a villain who genuinely believed himself to be the story’s hero, bringing depth to what could have been a one-dimensional antagonist.

Throughout the film, Hackman shared the screen with veteran actors Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, and Richard Harris. When faced with his impending death, he delivered the heartbreaking line “I was building a house!” with such disbelief that it revealed everything about his character’s dreams. In response, when Eastwood’s Will Munny coldly said, “Deserve’s got nothin’ to do with it” before pulling the trigger. Ultimately, the impact resonated far beyond a typical Western showdown, earning a place on today’s list.

Before becoming one of Hollywood’s most celebrated actors, Hackman was just another working performer struggling between theater and TV roles, when Warren Beatty remembered him from their brief scene together in Lilith. This led to Hackman’s breakthrough role as Clyde’s older brother in Arthur Penn’s Bonnie and Clyde.

Under Penn’s guidance, he learned to perform specifically for the camera. He brought energy to scenes like Buck’s enthusiastic vault over a teller’s window during a robbery. Most impressively, Hackman prepped for his character’s death scene by running around his motel room “on all fours, trying to emulate the movements of a bull that had been wounded in the back of the neck and is dying.” This dedication earned him his first Oscar nomination at age 37, and launched his film career.

Another one of Gene Hackman’s best movies was Heist (2001), where he played Joe Moore, a veteran thief planning one heist before retirement.

In this crime thriller, Hackman brought his trademark intensity to a new character. His Moore commanded respect through quiet authority, delivering Mamet’s sharp dialogue with perfect timing. His chemistry with Delroy Lindo created a shorthand between professionals that convinced us they’d worked together for decades.

In this adaptation of Elmore Leonard’s novel, Hackman delivered one of his best performances as Harry Zimm, a B-movie director whose career has seen better days. Playing opposite John Travolta‘s loan shark, Hackman transformed what could have been a one-note caricature into something far more nuanced and entertaining.

He based the character on what he called “the phoniest man he ever met in Hollywood” (a former agent), bringing authenticity to every scene alongside Travolta. Though initially worried he wouldn’t nail the comedy, Hackman delivered lines like “The guy’s been in town for two days and already he thinks he’s David O. F—ing Selznick”. His mockery of showbiz balanced some sleazy opportunism, truly showcasing his range beyond his dramatic roles.

Next, one of Hackman’s top roles was in No Way Out. In this one, he played Defense Secretary David Brice, a Washington politician hiding a deadly secret.

In this film, his character desperately covered up his involvement in a murder while simultaneously hunting for a Soviet spy. Hackman made Brice both intimidating and paranoid, showing how quickly a man can unravel when trapped by his own lies.

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Capping our list of the best Gene Hackman movies, we had to include Hackman’s brilliant portrayal of Royal Tenenbaum in Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenenbaums. The aging con man faked a terminal illness to reconnect with his estranged family, showcasing Hackman’s perfect comedic timing.

Behind his schemes and inappropriate comments was genuine regret for abandoning his children. And, to many, Anderson’s stylized world might have seemed an odd fit. But Hackman adapted brilliantly, proving his range extended well beyond the realism of his earlier work. Fittingly, this late-career gem earned him a Golden Globe and stands as one of his final great performances before retirement.