Jack Lemmon is a proven icon of the Golden Era of Hollywood, who carried his early success into his later years to give some of his best performances. Lemmon sadly passed in 2001 at 76 due to bladder cancer. However, he left behind a legacy of 100 film credits with standouts like The Apartment, Some Like It Hot, Grumpy Old Men, Glengarry Glen Ross, and The Odd Couple making him a recognizable name across various generations of film fans.
Considering such an expansive and memorable career, we will look at Jack Lemmon’s best movies, ranked by Rotten Tomatoes. To help us with a tiebreak for the top stop, we will also consider the audience review to pick the definitive best performance.
10 Missing - 94%
The biographical drama, based on the non-fiction novel The Execution of Charles Horman by Thomas Hauser, follows Ed Horman (Lemmon) as he heads to Chile in search of his son, who went missing during a coup d'état in Chile. The film also stars Sissy Spacek as Ed's wife, who aids him in his quest for their song Charles.
The pairing of Spacek and Lemmon is utterly divine, and much of the fanfare around the movie focused on the two's handling of the subject that brought a human touch to a heavily political topic through their emotional journey to find their son. In addition, the film's sharp cinematic styling and direction of Costa-Gavras is among the best work the director has ever done.
An excellent movie for those who like work based on actual events, Missing is a deserving first entry into the best performances from Jack Lemmon.
9 Some Like it Hot - 94%
From one of the most prolific and well-known writers/directors during the golden age of cinema, Billy Wilder, Some Like It Hot is Wilder's most famous movie. The American crime drama also starred the iconic Marilyn Monroe at the height of her popularity.
Pairing her with Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis, was a combination that many were excited about in the lead-up to the movie. Thankfully, the film delivered and has been cemented as a classic comedy that attributed to the early exploration of gender ambiguity and had a notable effect on the LGBTQ+ community.
The critics had mixed reviews about the movie, with a consensus that it dragged in certain moments — Roger Ebert went as far as to say it was "overly long and poorly paced, stating that it felt plodding at moments." However, with Rotten Tomatoes working on a yay or nay type rating system, it is undeniable that the whacky and clever comedy made the movie a true standout of '50s cinema worthy of its rating.
8 Short Cuts - 95%
Robert Altman-directed comedy-drama Short Cuts features one of the most impressive ensemble casts of the '90s, including names like Andie MacDowell, Julianne Moore, and Tim Robbins, to name a fraction of those included in the project. The movie explores the complexities of everyday life and relationships across 22 principal characters whose stories intersect at points.
In Short Cuts, Jack Lemmon plays the role of Paul Finnigan, a grandparent who has an uncomfortable interaction with his son Howard (Bruce Davison) at a hospital. It is a small part of a broader production but an ideal inclusion among the impressive ensemble cast.
7 Hamlet - 95%
The only entry in this list where Lemmon is not predominantly featured or playing a significant role comes via the 1996 Shakespeare adaptation from Kenneth Branagh, Hamlet. The production is considered one of, if not the best, adaptation of a Shakespeare play in adherence to the original and performances.
In the movie, Lemmon plays the role of Marcellus, a minor part of a sentry who first spots Hamlet's ghost. Most recognize the character through the famous line, "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark."
6 Glengarry Glen Ross - 95%
Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name, Glengarry Glen Ross follows the lives of desperate real estate agents struggling to keep their jobs due to poor performance. The real estate agents become more desperate when corporate send a "motivational speaker" to push them toward either success or retirement.
Among a phenomenal cast, including Al Pacino, Alec Baldwin, and Alan Arkin, Jack Lemmon's role as a struggling salesman, Shelley Levene, manages to stand out. His performance would earn him coveted accolades at the Venice Film Festival, where he won the Best Actor award in two categories. The film also gained critical acclaim for the sharp script from David Mamet that explores themes of masculinity, morality, and capitalism, while presenting an unforgettable battle of the fittest.
5 The Fortune Cookie - 96%
Billy Wilder worked with Jack Lemmon on several films, including The Apartment, Some Like It Hot, Irma La Douce, The Front Page, Avanti, and Buddy Buddy, with the most critically acclaimed film being The Fortune Cookie. The film also boasted the pairing of Lemmon and Walter Matthau, who would work together on multiple projects, including becoming the most recognizable grumpy old men of the '90s.
This combination of performers worked wonders for the movie, and the black comedy about a lawyer convincing his brother-in-law to fake a football injury for profit was a smash hit at the box office. The real draw here is how Matthau and Lemmon play off each other for comedic effect, with the majority of praise going towards their performances and the well-written humorous script.
4 The Odd Couple 98%
While the previously mentioned The Fortune Cookie, is a wonderful example of the strength of Matthau and Lemmon together in a film, The Odd Couple is the quintessential film to understand the appeal of the two coming together on a project. Moreover, the movie is not just one of the best comedies of the '60s but one of the best comedies of all time.
Based on the award-winning play, The Odd Couple follows two divorced men with drastically different personalities living together. The comedic clashing of personalities clicked with critics, who found the witty script, comedic timing, and performances from Matthau and Lemmon to make for an unforgettable experience.
3 It Should Happen to You - 100%
An impressive entry into the list of best performances when considering this to be Lemmon's first major film appearance. However, his role in the 1954 romantic comedy, It Should Happen to You as a documentary filmmaker who becomes disillusioned by his subject, Gladys Glover (Judy Holliday), as she gets swept up in the rekindled fame of a once-dying career, is worthy of its praise.
An early satire of the Hollywood system (released in 1953) and the allure of stardom, the movie was ahead of its time in many ways. Backed by strong performances and a witty script, the film certainly resonated with critics and audiences with a 76% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. It is worth a watch to see a young Jack Lemmon making a debut that would lead to an impressive career.
2 Mass Appeal - 100%
The '80s comedy-drama Mass Appeal explores a shift in culture and view of religion when Father Tim Farley is given a new Deacon, Mark Dolson (Zeljko Ivanek), who looks to challenge tradition and create a more accessible, progressive church. The comedy comes from the clash of personalities. However, the movie notably succeeds in addressing deeper issues like the church's role in modern society and the complexity of tradition meeting progress.
The heartwarming comedy that approaches heavy issues in a palatable way has seen both critical and audience praise, earning an 82% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. For fans of Jack Lemmon, the movie captures the actor in his element, presenting him as a charismatic yet introspective character.
1 Day of Wine and Roses 100%
The 1962 drama film, Day of Wine and Roses, marks the highest-ranked movie from Jack Lemmon by critics and audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, with 100% from critics and 89% from audiences. The movie tells the story of Joe Clay (Lemmon) and his wife Kirsten (Lee Remick), who succumb to alcoholism and see their lives slowly fall apart. The movie is told through flashbacks as the two discuss their past in an AA meeting.
The role was a significant departure for Lemmon, who won over fans with his ability to tackle serious parts outside the comedies he was predominately cast for. The portrayal of alcoholism was also praised for its authenticity and realistic look at the consequences of addiction, making it an impactful movie for many who felt the issue was largely unaddressed in society.
Jack Lemmon is an icon through the various parts he has played over several decades, but Day of Wine and Roses is a comfortable pick from Rotten Tomatoes for the best performance from the actor.
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