Every James Coburn Movie, Ranked Best To Worst By Fans By Fans

James Coburn didn’t just walk into a scenehe leaned into it, like the room was lucky to be sharing oxygen.
He had that rare movie-star superpower: making “doing absolutely nothing” look like an art form. One eyebrow, one smirk,
one perfectly timed shrug, and suddenly everyone else is acting at him.

Coburn’s filmography is a buffet: iconic Westerns, war movies with grit under the fingernails, spy spoofs with a wink,
crime stories, oddball cult classics, late-career character turns, and even voice work in modern animation.
So if you’ve ever asked, “Where do I even start with James Coburn?”welcome. This is your fan-powered map.

How This “By Fans” Ranking Was Built

There’s no single sacred tablet listing “The One True Coburn Order.” Fan taste is messy, emotional, and occasionally fueled by
nostalgia and popcorn. So this ranking follows a simple rule: go where the fans go.

• Fan-vote momentum: Lists where fans actively vote movies up and down.
• Audience-driven ratings: Big, long-running movie databases that reflect broad public sentiment.
• Context from film institutions: Because sometimes the “why it matters” is as fun as the movie itself.

In short: this is a fan-informed ranking that favors titles with lasting popularity, rewatchability, and the kind
of Coburn presence people quote with their whole chest.

Complete Ranking: Best to Worst

Below is the full list in one continuous ranking. Top entries get a little extra love (because fans do that). Lower entries
aren’t “bad” so much as “for Coburn completionists, trivia champions, and people who genuinely enjoy saying,
‘I watched that so you don’t have to.’”

Top-Tier Coburn: The Movies Fans Bring Up First

1. The Great Escape (1963) A legendary WWII prison-break epic. Coburn fits right into an all-timer cast,
   and fans keep returning for the tension, the teamwork, and the pure classic-movie electricity.
2. The Magnificent Seven (1960) A cornerstone Western with iconic swagger. Coburn’s cool factor is practically
   a supporting character of its own, and fans still treat this as required viewing.
3. Cross of Iron (1977) A grimy, cynical war film with sharp edges. Coburn brings hard-earned intensity that
   fans of serious war cinema never forget.
4. Our Man Flint (1966) Spy spoof perfection: stylish, silly, and oddly charming. Coburn makes Flint feel like
   the only man who could casually outsmart a global crisis… while looking like he just woke up from a nap.
5. Duck, You Sucker! (1971) A big, emotional spaghetti Western with revolution in the bloodstream.
   Fans love the scale, the heart, and Coburn’s mix of charisma and melancholy.
6. Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973) A dusty, mournful legend-of-the-West story. Coburn’s presence anchors
   the film’s “end of an era” mood in a way fans find endlessly haunting.
7. In Like Flint (1967) More Flint, more fun. Fans rank it high because Coburn makes the absurdity feel
   effortlesslike the joke is that he’s never breaking a sweat.
8. Hard Times (1975) Grit, fists, and survival. Fans love it for the tough vibe and the grounded, scrappy
   storytelling that still plays well today.
9. Charade (1963) A sleek romantic mystery with iconic leads and sharp dialogue. Fans appreciate that Coburn
   can show up and instantly raise the “danger” level without overplaying it.
10. Major Dundee (1965) Big Western ambition, big personalities. Fans who like their classics a little rough
    around the edges often ride hard for this one.

The Fan-Favorite Core: High Rewatch Value

11. Affliction (1997) Coburn’s late-career powerhouse and a role fans point to when they want “serious actor”
    receipts. It’s heavy, human, and unforgettable.
12. The Last of Sheila (1973) A twisty mystery that fans love for its cleverness and rewatchable structure.
    It’s the kind of movie that makes you want to pause and accuse your friends.
13. Hell Is for Heroes (1962) A war film with grit and tension. Fans keep it high because it feels tough,
    focused, and unsentimental.
14. Harry in Your Pocket (1973) A crime story with a sly edge. Fans who like Coburn a little shadier tend to
    bump this up the list.
15. Midway (1976) Big-scale WWII storytelling. Fans of classic war epics appreciate the scope and the era’s
    old-school craftsmanship.
16. The President’s Analyst (1967) Satire, paranoia, and “what is happening?” energyin the best way.
    Fans adore it as a cult classic that feels sharper every time you revisit it.
17. Ride Lonesome (1959) Lean, classic Western storytelling. Fans of the genre respect it for doing a lot with
    a little.
18. Payback (1999) A hard-boiled crime ride with attitude. Fans often rank it high for its blunt force style
    and punchy momentum.
19. Looker (1981) A slick sci-fi thriller with a satirical streak. Fans love the “this feels oddly modern”
    quality.
20. What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? (1966) War comedy with a mischievous grin. Fans who like genre
    mash-ups keep this one in rotation.
21. Waterhole No. 3 (1967) Western hijinks with double-cross flavor. Fans like the caper energy and Coburn’s
    easygoing charm.
22. The Americanization of Emily (1964) Smart, sharp, and still surprisingly relevant. Fans appreciate the
    anti-glory stance and the wit.
23. Bite the Bullet (1975) A rugged endurance Western. Fans who like dusty landscapes and stubborn characters
    rank it solidly.
24. The Man from Elysian Fields (2001) A late-career drama with an elegant, uncomfortable edge. Fans often
    remember Coburn’s gravitas here.
25. Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round (1966) A heist-leaning thriller with style. Fans like it as a “hidden gem”
    Coburn vehicle.
26. The Internecine Project (1974) Espionage intrigue with a cool, clinical vibe. Fans who enjoy clever plots
    give it points.

Deep Cuts Fans Still Defend Loudly

27. A High Wind in Jamaica (1965) Darker, stranger, and memorable. Fans who like unsettling classics tend to
    keep this higher than you’d expect.
28. The Death of a Soldier (1986) A serious TV-film style drama that sticks with viewers who find it.
29. American Gun (2002) Small-scale, heavy themes, late-career work. Fans rank it as thoughtful and somber.
30. The Muppet Movie (1979) Yes, really. Fans love the cameos and the cheerful chaosand it’s hard to dislike
    a movie that feels like a warm hug with jokes.
31. Maverick (1994) A fun, glossy Western comedy-adventure. Fans keep it mid-high because it’s breezy and
    rewatchable.
32. Firepower (1979) Action-thriller territory. Fans who like globe-trotting crime stories tend to be kinder
    to it than critics.
33. Draw! (1984) A Western-leaning TV-movie vibe, often remembered by fans who grew up catching it on reruns.
34. Young Guns II (1990) Nostalgia-powered fun. Fans like it as a continuation of the myth-making, even if
    it’s not subtle.
35. Monsters, Inc. (2001) Coburn’s voice work is a delight here; fans of animated films often bump this up
    because it’s simply an excellent movie.
36. The Last Hard Men (1976) A tough Western with hard edges. Fans who like grim, late-era Western moods
    appreciate it.
37. Snow Dogs (2002) Family-comedy territory. Fans rank it as light entertainmentmore comfort-watch than
    cinema-history.
38. Missing Pieces (2000) A quieter title with a smaller footprint, but some fans enjoy its offbeat angle.
39. A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die (1972) Spaghetti Western flavor. Fans who enjoy the genre’s vibe keep it
    out of the basement.
40. The Nutty Professor (1996) A crowd-pleasing comedy where Coburn adds “serious face” contrast that helps
    the joke land.
41. Hard Contract (1969) Cold-blooded spy/assassin energy. Fans of moody late-60s thrillers tend to respect it.
42. The Carey Treatment (1972) A medical mystery that fans file under “solid, watchable, underrated.”
43. Loving Couples (1980) Messy adult drama. Fans generally rank it lower, but it has its defenders.

The Completionist Zone: Interesting, Uneven, or Mostly for Diehards

44. Last of the Mobile Hot Shots (1970) An odd, moody drama. Fans often cite it as “interesting, but not my go-to.”
45. Eraser (1996) A big ‘90s action ride. Fans who love that era enjoy it; others keep it mid-to-low.
46. Hudson Hawk (1991) A swing-for-the-fences oddity. Some fans adore the weirdness; others bounce right off it.
47. Keys to Tulsa (1997) Crime drama with a smaller fan base; usually ranked low-mid due to limited cultural footprint.
48. Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993) Beloved by some, shrugged at by others. Fans often rank it as “fun,
    but not essential Coburn.”
49. Martin’s Day (1985) Lesser-known thriller territory; often lands lower simply because fewer fans have seen it.
50. Deadfall (1993) A curiosity pick for many fans; usually ranked low due to uneven reception.
51. The Baltimore Bullet (1980) Niche appeal. Pool-hustle fans and Coburn diehards are the main audience here.
52. Candy (1968) A chaotic farce that divides viewers. Fans tend to rank it low unless they love the era’s oddness.
53. Noah’s Ark (1999) A TV-miniseries style production; ranked low mainly because it lives outside most fan movie rotations.
54. Shake, Rattle and Roll: An American Love Story (1999) Smaller footprint, limited fan conversation.
55. High Risk (1981) Adventure/heist energy, but not a major fan staple.
56. Proximity (2001) A late-era thriller that fans tend to rank low unless they’re exploring everything.
57. The Cherokee Kid (1996) A TV-movie Western-comedy that some fans enjoy as a lighter, genre-bending detour.
58. Crossover (1980) Less-seen and less-discussed; typically placed low by fans due to limited exposure.
59. The Lion’s Roar (1985) Documentary-style niche interest; generally for completists.
60. The Murder Men (1961) Early TV-film territory; fans rank it low mostly because it’s hard to find and rarely revisited.
61. Face of a Fugitive (1959) A smaller Western that fans place near the bottom compared with the bigger classics.
62. Bruce Lee: Path of the Dragon (1998) Short documentary content; usually ranked low as it’s not a “movie night” pick.
63. The Loved One (1965) Dark satire that some fans love, but it often drops low due to niche appeal.
64. The Second Civil War (1997) Satirical TV film with a limited audience; tends to rank low despite interesting themes.
65. Malibu (1983) Lesser-known drama; not a major fan staple.
66. Walter and Henry (2001) Small-scale drama; usually placed low because fewer fans have seen it.
67. The Set-Up (1995) Typically ranked near the bottom as a lesser-known thriller in the wider fan conversation.
68. Mr. Murder (1998) Generally last in fan rankings due to limited visibility and lower rewatch buzz.

What Fans Keep Loving About James Coburn

Across genres and decades, fans tend to agree on a few “Coburn truths”:

• Effortless cool: He doesn’t chase the scenehe lets the scene chase him.
• Range without fuss: Comedy, war, Western, dramahe shifts gears without announcing it.
• Magnetic stillness: Some actors fill space by moving. Coburn fills it by not.
• Late-career power: When he goes serious, it hits harder because you didn’t see it coming.

How to Watch This List Without Getting Overwhelmed

A 3-Night “Start Here” Mini-Marathon

• Night 1: The Magnificent Seven (classic Coburn cool) + Charade (slick fun).
• Night 2: The Great Escape (big classic) + The President’s Analyst (cult brain food).
• Night 3: Cross of Iron (serious intensity) + Affliction (late-career knockout).

Pick Your Coburn Flavor

• Want swagger? Go Flint: Our Man Flint then In Like Flint.
• Want dust and myth? Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid and Ride Lonesome.
• Want “this is oddly brilliant”? The Last of Sheila and Looker.
• Want family-friendly? Monsters, Inc. or Snow Dogs.

Real-World Watching Experiences (About )

Watching James Coburn in chronological order feels like time-travel with better cheekbones. You start in lean Western territory,
where the frames are wide, the dialogue is tight, and every character looks like they’ve been personally offended by the sun.
Early Coburn roles often have that “future star warming up” energyhe’s already distinctive, but you can feel him testing how
little he needs to do to get your attention. Spoiler: not much.

The fun part is noticing how his screen persona evolves without ever breaking its core promise: confidence. In the ‘60s,
Coburn’s charm reads like a dare. He’s not begging you to like him; he’s just standing there, calm as a parked motorcycle,
waiting for the rest of the cast to catch up. That’s why fan favorites like The Magnificent Seven hit so hardhe’s not
“performing cool.” He’s behaving like cool is a normal household chore, like taking out the trash.

Then you hit the ‘70s and the vibe changes. The movies get grittier, the heroes get more complicated, and Coburn looks right at
home in stories where people make ugly choices and call it survival. Watching Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid or
Cross of Iron after the lighter Flint films is like realizing your friend who tells great jokes also has a terrifyingly
accurate opinion about human nature. Fans often rank these high because they feel honest: Coburn’s charisma doesn’t disappear,
but it gains weight.

A surprisingly great “fan experience” move is pairing one classic with one deep cut. Do The Great Escape and then
something less famous like Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round. The contrast highlights how flexible Coburn is: he can be part
of an ensemble that’s basically a Mount Rushmore of cool, then turn around and carry a more niche thriller with the same steady
confidence. Even when a film is uneven, he tends to be watchablelike a reliable playlist you put on when you’re cleaning the
kitchen and suddenly you’re dancing with a sponge.

The late-career stretch is where a lot of viewers have their “Oh wow, that was him?” moment. You get prestige drama,
you get strange little projects, and you even get animation where his voice does all the work. For many fans, Affliction
is the turning point: it reframes Coburn from “icon of cool” to “serious actor who can break your heart.” After that, revisiting
the earlier swagger roles feels richerlike you now understand the shadow behind the grin.

And honestly, the most realistic experience of all? You’ll watch a mid-ranked Coburn title and still find yourself thinking,
“Okay… that movie was a mess, but he was great.” That’s the Coburn effect: even when the film is forgettable, the presence
often isn’t.

Conclusion

If you only watch a handful, start with the fan-crowned essentials: The Great Escape, The Magnificent Seven,
Cross of Iron, the Flint films, and Affliction. If you keep going, you’ll discover the deeper truth fans already
know: James Coburn wasn’t just in movieshe was the shortcut to making them cooler.