73 William Holden Movies, Ranked Best to Worst

Norma Desmond, a faded silent film star living a reclusive life, is desperate to make a comeback and hires small-time screenwriter Joe to improve the script she is preparing. She convinces him to move into her Sunset Boulevard mansion, but erupts into a violent rage after he falls for young script reader Betty.

After Japanese commandant Colonel Saito orders British POWs to build a railway bridge over the River Kwai, senior British officer Colonel Nicholson initially opposes illegal use of prisoners but later convinces fellow soldiers against delay-tactics in order to prove British superiority. Meanwhile, escaped US commander Shears is forced to join a four-man commando mission to destroy the bridge.

During WWII, two American airmen trying to escape German POW camp at Stalag 17, are caught and killed. The remaining prisoners think they have a traitor amidst them and they suspect Sergeant Sefton to be an informer as he often traded with the guards for small privileges. When Sefton receives rough treatment from fellow prisoners, he decides to find the real culprit.

A gang of aging outlaws led by Pike Bishop escapes to Mexico after they are ambushed by Pike’s former partner Deke Thornton who is leading a group of bounty hunters. There they encounter the tyrannical General Mapache. A violent end awaits all as they are forced to work with Mapache and Thornton catches up to them. 

Aging Howard Beale, the longtime anchor of UBS Evening News, learns that he will be fired in two weeks due to declining ratings and decides to go on a rant about his feelings on live television. Noticing the spike in viewership and ratings, network executives decide to exploit his emotional outbursts by taking the show to a new extreme.

Sabrina, the young daughter of the family’s chauffeur, is in love with the master’s playboy son, David. David on his part continues to consider her a child until she returns home after a two year stint in Paris. By then, he is engaged to be married and the wedding is important for the family business. Then there is also Linus, David’s older brother. 

Picnic is a romantic drama film which tells the story of Hal Carter, who arrives in a small town in Kansas, to meet his friend Alan. Alan promises Hal a job, and invites him to the town’s Labor Day picnic. Things get complicated when Hal is attracted to Alan’s girlfriend.

This romantic comedy drama film tells the story of Harry Brock, an arrogant business tycoon who hires a journalist named Paul Verall, to teach his girlfriend proper etiquette and make her more presentable. Soon Verall comes to relize that Harry is a corrupt crook, and meanwhile, Harry’s girlfriend starts to develop feelings for Verall.

The Horse Soldiers is an adventure war film which tells the story of Colonel John Marlowe, who faces a lot of obstacles while leading his team of Union Cavalry soldiers to destroy enemy railroads. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the mission turns out to be way harder than his expectations.

Set during the Korean War, The Bridges at Toko-Ri is a war drama film which revolves around a Navy fighter pilot who has been assigned for a dangerous bombing mission over North Korea. However, he has mixed feelings towards this mission, as he is suffering from battle fatigue, and longs to return to civilian life and live with Nancy, his wife.

This comedy-drama film tells the story of Henry Barnes, a philosophy professor, who becomes suicidal after losing all hope in life. However, when he meets a young couple, Peggy and Jason Taylor, his views about his life start to change. 

During the Second World War, an elite group of Canadian commandos is teamed up with an American squad consisting of convicts from military prisons. Although initially they don’t get along with each other, eventually they develop a friendship, and soon, they are sent on a dangerous mission together to Italy.

The Country Girl is a musical drama film which tells the story of Frank Elgin, a fading actor who gets an opportunity to make a comeback when director Bernie Dodd offers him the leading role in his new musical. However, Frank finds himself very insecure and begins to turn to alcohol. Frank’s wife Georgie finds it harder and harder to cope with her husband’s lack of spirit, and feels that Bernie is responsible for all his troubles.  

Set in 1878 Texas, the film shows three western outlaw buddies, Jim, Lorn and Wahoo, saving a young orphan girl from a ruthless racketeer. They then take her to a rancher to be brought up in his ranch. Later Jim and Wahoo become rangers, while Lorn continues with his old ways. Meanwhile the girl grows up to be a beautiful woman. 

Although Joe Bonaparte is an excellent violin player, he decides to pursue a career in boxing instead. His father however tries to convince him not to throw away his musical talent, but he continues to pursue his boxing career till a tragedy occurs in the ring.

A massive fire breaks out during the opening ceremony of the world’s biggest skyscraper, and it threatens to destroy not only the tower but also everyone inside. The city’s rescue teams try their best to fight the fire and save the people trapped inside. 

District attorney, John Conroy, is tasked to bring down a crime syndicate but the mob has connections in high places, making his task difficult. He gets help in the form of journalist Jerry McKibbon, who also finds himself being hindered by political corruption. Will the two succeed especially after an assassin is hired to kill McKibbon?

While traveling to Texas, ex-confederates Tod and Dan stumble upon a stagecoach robbery, and after snatching the loot from the robbers the two go separate ways. When they meet later, Tod is an honest ranch-helper, while Dan, now a rustler, is trying to steal Tod’s cattle. Also, both are vying for the same girl. Can they continue to be the friends they were?

In early 1862, Phoebe Titus is the only American woman in the Arizona Territory to run her own freight company. She and a young Peter Muncie fall in love but Peter leaves to explore California. In the meantime, a dandy named Jefferson Carteret teams up with Phoebe’s competitor Ward to bring down Phoebe by any means necessary. 

A war film set in 1941 during the Battle of the Atlantic, the film The Key is based on the 1951 novel Stella written by Jan de Hartog. The movie, which tells the love story of a former tugboat captain, was one of the most popular films in Britain in 1958. 

Ferris, Dhana and Ng were co-fighters and friends during the WWII. But their path has become divergent since then. Ferris is now a rich businessman enjoying the company of Dhana, now the head of a schoolteacher's union, while Ng has become a committed revolutionist. Trouble starts when Dhana is arrested for carrying explosive for the insurgents. 

Dick Richmond, a bookie who uses phony realty business as a front, hires not-too-bright Ellen Grant as his secretary to cover-up his betting operations. Inadvertently, she involves the ‘realtor’ Richmond into a low-cost housing scheme when her friends are in need. Then, there is Peggy, Richmond’s ex-girlfriend, who is trying to get him back. Can Ellen help him out of this problem?

Toward the Unknown is a drama film which tells the story of a dishonored pilot, who is no longer allowed to fly. However, in order to clear his name, he takes part in an experimental aircraft test. 

Force of Arms is a romantic drama film, which tells the story of an American infantryman who is on leave, who falls in love with an officer from the Women’s Army Corps. 

Broadway star Beatrice Page, who is past her prime, chooses a script about a mother and a teenage daughter, by promising playwright Stanley Krown. But she wants him to rewrite the young girl’s role more befitting her age. When Stanley shows reluctance, she gets her producer ex-husband to convince Stanley. But later, she accepts that she is more suitable for mother’s role. 

Those Were the Days! is a romantic comedy film which takes us to the lives of Petey and Martha Simmons, who remember their first meeting and romance in college, on their 35th anniversary. The film shows their early life in a flashback.

Felix is a successful filmmaker who spends $30 million on a musical, but the project flops unexpectedly. Therefore, in order to revive his career, he decides to create an erotic film. Although Felix believes that it has the potential to become the most popular film till date, the only problem is that his lead actress Sally wants to maintain her good girl screen image.

Growing up in a Kenyan wildlife reserve with her mother and stepfather, 11-years-old Tina is comfortable with tribal customs and enjoys company of wild animals, especially her best friend, a lion. Worried that Tina is turning into a primitive, uncivilized girl, mother Christine calls Tina’s biological father, Robert, to help with Tina’s upbringing. But that may not be all that Christine wants.  

Submarine Commander Ken White, remembers his early years in his navy career, when two of his men were killed while following his orders. Even though he receives a promotion, the events still continue to haunt him, and also affect his marriage. When the Korean War flares up, he is called back to active duty again, and lead the submarine once more. 

Based on the best-selling novel by aviator and writer Ernest K. Gann, this film is about early air mail operations. Four McDonald brothers are hired by an airlines to fly the national air mail for the country's Air Mail Service when the company spots them performing stunt flying at a carnival.  

Al Walker, a violent criminal, escapes after killing the prison warden, and with his gang, takes Dr. Andrew Collins, his family, and friends, hostage. While spending the night in Walker’s captivity, Collins, a police psychologist, gets him talking and learns about his recurring violent dream. The psychologist traces the roots of his dream to his childhood, helping him overcome the criminal mindset.

In order to win back his girlfriend, a student named Greg decides to improve himself at sports. He tries to revive crew boat racing, but although his father, a billionaire, is the biggest donor of the college, he decides to do it without any help.

In order to inherit everything, the son of Satan, Damien, makes sure that he eliminates everyone who tries to reveal his true identity. Even the close relatives are not spared!

During the Chinese Civil War in 1949, two priests Rev. O’Banion and Rev. Bovard are constantly harassed by members of the Communist People’s Party, led by their leader Ho San. He continues his persecution of the priests, but after he receives disturbing orders from his superiors, he begins to question his own ideology.

I Wanted Wings is a war drama film, which revolves around the lives of three different men, a playboy, a mechanic and a well-known football player, who join the US Army Air Corps.

Paris- When It Sizzles is a romantic comedy film which tells the story of a young assistant of a Hollywood screenwriter, who tries to come up with a way to help him overcome his writer’s block.

Three Vietnam veterans, who have got accustomed to violence, kidnap innocent pairs and brutalize and torture them on their two-weeks hunting trips every year. Then they allow the victims to escape only to hunt them down and kill. But the evil tormentors receive their retribution when the father of one of their earlier victims stalks them to take a vicious revenge. 

After a rancher’s family is massacred by a gang of outlaws, he decides to pay a team of convicts in order to take revenge against them. 

The Proud and the Profane is a romantic drama war film, which takes us to the time of the Second World War. It tells the story of a Red Cross volunteer Lee Ashley, who wants to find out the details of her husband’s death, and this leads her to New Caledonia. She eventually falls in love with Lt. Col. Colin Black, despite his harsh manner. 

Six struggling young actors share an apartment to make their ends meet. Their landlady soon provides them a play that was left long ago by an evicted tenant. However, soon it turns out that he is now a successful theater producer and is trying to rewrite his first play. Therefore, when the young actors come to know about this, they try to sell his own play to him.

In this spy spoof, a retired James Bond is persuaded to rejoin the secret service to counter shadowy organization SMERSH, allegedly responsible for murdering secret agents. Sir James devises a plan to assemble a group of agents, all named James Bond 007, to confuse SMERSH. Each new Bond is assigned a specific role. Now Sir James must nab the brain behind SMERSH.