Charles Bronson's 25 Most Memorable Movies Ranked Worst To Best

He's remembered as a cinematic icon today, but it took Hollywood a long time to warm up to the idea of Charles Bronson as a movie star. 

Born in 1921 as Charles Buchinsky, he served in the Air Force during WWII before turning to acting, with early roles in films like 1952's "Pat and Mike" and uncredited work in the 1952 Judy Holliday vehicle "The Marrying Kind." After changing his last name during the House Un-American Activities Committee proceedings (he was afraid Buchinsky sounded too Eastern European), Bronson continued to slowly but steadily gain larger roles throughout the 1950s, specializing in Westerns, noirs, and action movies, almost always playing the heavy. He also found early work in the emerging realm of television, earning an Emmy nomination for his supporting performance as a soldier in the "General Electric Theater" episode "Memory in White."

Like Steve McQueen — a co-star, contemporary, and occasional rival — Bronson's big breakthrough came in 1960 with a supporting role in "The Magnificent Seven," followed shortly thereafter with breakout work (literally) in 1963's "The Great Escape." That's where he met his eventual wife Jill Ireland, who would appear alongside him in 16 films (and produce two others). 

Bronson left McQueen for Robert Aldrich's masterpiece of a "men on a mission" flick "The Dirty Dozen," putting him alongside the toughest leading men of his generation: Lee Marvin, Telly Savalas, Robert Ryan, John Cassavetes, Ernest Borgnine, Jim Brown. Like Leonardo DiCaprio in "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood," the next phase of his career took him abroad, with Sergio Leone's 1968 spaghetti Western "Once Upon a Time in the West" (which cemented his screen persona as a silent, stoic action figure) and Sergio Sollima's "Violent City" (alongside Savalas and Ireland).

Like Leone leading man Clint Eastwood, Bronson's European celebrity translated well to Hollywood — and at the age of 53 he took on his most famous role: that of vigilante killer Paul Kersey in 1974's "Death Wish." From then on out he starred almost exclusively in revenge thrillers, typically playing an ordinary man pushed to the limit by societal violence. Although such films were rarely critical darlings, many were significant hits with a core audience that stuck with him until the end, as Bronson blazed a blueprint still followed by many VOD action heroes today. But, despite rumors to the contrary, he never really appeared on "The Andy Griffith Show."

Although so many films presented him as unstoppable, Charles Bronson died in 2003 at age 81, a Hollywood icon whose legend has only grown in the decades since. Let's take a look back at one of Hollywood's greatest action hero's 25 most memorable movies.

If Albert Johnson weren't real, he would've eventually been created as a role for Charles Bronson. But Johnson was indeed a real person, and the true story of his pursuit by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police served as the basis for the Bronson vehicle "Death Hunt." It's actually the third time this tale was brought to the screen (after the 1972 film "The Mad Trapper" and the 1975 British made-for-TV production "Challenge to Be Free"), and unfortunately, there still hasn't been a good version made of it.

Bronson plays Johnson, an isolated American trapper living in the Yukon territory in 1931. One day he breaks up an organized dog fight and nurses a wounded German Shepherd back to health. But the dog's owner, Hazel (Ed Lauter), and his posse attack Johnson for taking their animal, and when one of Hazel's men is killed in the brawl, Johnson has to go on the run from the Canadian Mounties, led by Sgt. Edgar Millen (Lee Marvin). Millen chases Johnson through the harsh wilderness, where his survival skills are put to the test.

In his review for The New York Times, Vincent Canby said, "Nothing in 'Death Hunt' makes a great deal of sense, though the scenery is rugged and the snowscapes beautiful." Although he believed the script was "full of unintentionally funny moments," he did find merit in Bronson and Marvin's performances, calling both "such old hands at this sort of movie that each can create a character with ease, out of thin, cold air." Other reviews weren't much better for the film, which earned a 17% Rotten Tomatoes rating.

After spending decades as a supporting player in Hollywood, Bronson rose to leading man status by going to Europe, most notably starring in Sergio Leone's "Once Upon a Time in the West" (1968). While overseas, he frequently collaborated with director Terence Young ("Dr. No," "From Russia with Love"), including on this Franco-Italian production that mines a lot of influence from Leone's spaghetti Westerns while adding in a Japanese twist.

Set in the 1870s, it stars Bronson as Link Stuart, a bandit who robs a train carrying the Japanese ambassador and a ceremonial sword meant as a gift for U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant. When Link's partner Gauche (Alain Delon) double-crosses him and absconds with the sword, he must team up with one of the ambassador's guards, Kuroda Jubei (Toshiro Mifune), to recover the priceless weapon or commit harakiri. To do that, he'll have to track down Gauche, which he aims to do through his girlfriend Christina (Ursula Andress).

Contemporary assessment of the film has been decidedly mixed, resulting in a 40% Rotten Tomatoes score. On the positive side, Travis Johnson of SBS called it, "A weird but plausible Western from one of the fathers of modern action cinema, with a stacked international cast." On the negative, David Nusair of Reel Film Reviews said it had "a top-notch, thoroughly promising setup that's employed to mostly underwhelming effect." So it's strictly for Bronson fans, to say the least.

"The Valachi Papers" was one of many European productions Bronson starred in during his years abroad, which helped propel him from supporting actor to leading man. Directed by frequent collaborator Terence Young, it casts Bronson as real life American gangster Joseph Valachi, the first mafioso to publicly acknowledge the existence of organized crime. 

While serving time in an Atlanta penitentiary, Valachi is marked for death by the head of his crime family, Vito Genovese (Lino Ventura), who's imprisoned there as well. Valachi becomes an FBI informant, recounting his time in the Mafia from his rise in 1929 to his incarceration for heroin possession in 1959. His testimony takes him all the way to the United States Senate, where he blows the whistle on Genovese's illegitimate business dealings.

In his two-and-a-half star review, Roger Ebert called "The Valachi Papers" "an ambitious but not inspired movie about the mob." Although he found Bronson's performance to be "interesting," he thought the film failed to "approach the psychological or narrative depth of "The Godfather,'" which had been released that same year and quite definitively set the gold standard for Mafia movies. Bad timing to be sure, although modern assessment has been kinder, with Matt Brunson of Film Frenzy calling it "a satisfying slice of Mafia mayhem."

"From Noon Till Three" was a fascinating change of pace for Bronson in multiple ways. As Roger Ebert wrote in his tepid review, "it's interesting and even a little unsettling to see him in a whimsical Western romance," considering he was "usually at the silent center of action movies." Yet, Bronson proves himself to be just as capable at sweeping a lady off her feet as he is blowing a bad guy away, even if the movie surrounding him isn't quite up to his level.

Adapted by writer-director Frank D. Gilroy from his own novel, the film stars Bronson as Graham Dorsey, a bank robber who romances beautiful widow Amanda Starbuck (played by Bronson's real life wife, Jill Ireland) while his gang engages in a disastrous holdup. When he learns his posse has been captured, Graham goes on the run, and Amanda decides to write a memoir about their brief fling. The book proves to be a bestseller, inspiring a stage play and a popular song, "Hello and Goodbye" (which earned a Golden Globe nomination). But things get complicated when Graham returns intent on reigniting their romance, which could destroy the legend Amanda has created about them.

Reviews for the film were generally mixed, resulting in a 50% Rotten Tomatoes score, but Bronson at least earned kudos for stepping outside of his comfort zone. "The movie opens unsteadily and takes too long to close," Ebert added in his writeup, "but the things that happen between noon and three give us new ideas about Bronson's possibilities." Not bad for a performer he previously found to be "a superb physical actor with limited emotional range."

Of the many ultra-violent action films Bronson made with Thompson, "10 to Midnight" just might be the grisliest, filled with graphic violence, explicit nudity, and a fair share of naughty words. It centers on Los Angeles police detective Leo Kessler (Bronson), a seasoned veteran tracking down a psychotic serial killer with his rookie partner, Paul McAnn (Andrew Stevens). The murderer is butchering young women, and eventually sets his sights on Kessler's daughter Laurie (Lisa Eilbacher), who was friends with several of his victims.

Roger Ebert went scorched earth on "10 to Midnight," calling it in his zero star review "a scummy little sewer of a movie," adding that the people who made it "have every right to be ashamed of themselves." He continued, "This movie indicates that Charles Bronson just doesn't care anymore, and is just going through the motions for the money. I admired his strong, simple talent once. What is he doing in a garbage disposal like this?"

Although Ebert's reaction was overtly hostile, most other reviews weren't much better, as reflected in its 40% Rotten Tomatoes rating. Still, some contemporary critics have found merit in it, such as Matt Brunson of Film Frenzy, who called it an "alternately nifty and nasty police procedural." Like many Bronson films, it's gained a cult following thanks to home video and cable screenings (despite broadcast cuts that excise so much of the film that it's barely feature length).

"The Stone Killer" was Bronson's attempt at countering Clint Eastwood's Dirty Harry, a vigilante cop who doesn't play by the rules and does whatever it takes to catch the killer (another frequent plot point of the era that hasn't aged particularly well). 

Directed by frequent collaborator Michael Winner, it centers on a Mafia don (Martin Balsam) who has formed an elite squad of Vietnam vets to murder his mob rivals as revenge for a massacre of Sicilians in 1931 (known as "The Night of Sicilian Vespers"). When grizzled Detective Lou Torrey (Bronson) stumbles upon this plot, he takes matters into his own hands to stop it.

The film received better than typical reviews for a Bronson picture. Roger Ebert awarded the film three stars and called it "a superior example of its type — tough cop against the mob — and probably the best violent big city police movie since 'Dirty Harry.'" Writing for The New York Times, Roger Greenspun said, "Anyone suspected of liking a Michael Winner movie may be assumed guilty until proven innocent. Since there is no way I can be proven innocent, I might as well confess to liking Winner's latest, 'The Stone Killer,' very much indeed." So even the Bronson-agnostic couldn't help but couldn't help but have their generally rock-solid defensiveness chiseled by the film's skill.

"The Mechanic" marked Bronson's return to Hollywood filmmaking after years spent abroad achieving stardom in Europe. It was also one of his first collaboration with director Winner, who guided him through some of his most popular (and critically reviled) films of the '70s and '80s. (Another collaboration, "Chato's Land," in which Bronson plays a half-Native American who kills a bigoted sheriff in self defense, was released the same year.)

Bronson plays Arthur Bishop, a seasoned hit man who delights in making his victim's deaths look like accidents. His work has made him a rich man, but he's increasingly lonely and depressed as he approaches middle age. Even his regular call girl (played by Bronson's wife, Jill Ireland) can't perk up his mood with their paid romantic role play. After killing one of his handlers, "Big Harry" McKenna (Keenan Wynn), in a manner that makes it look like he had a heart attack, Bishop decides to take on a protege, looking no further than Big Harry's hotheaded son, Steve (Jan-Michael Vincent, at the time, one of Hollywood's top rising stars). But as Steve proves adept at killing people, Bishop begins to worry he'll figure out who murdered his old man.

Critical reception was on the whole negative, resulting in a 33% Rotten Tomatoes score. Yet even the bad reviews found merit in the movie. Roger Ebert praised Bronson as "a good movie actor" who "knows how to listen," even though he found the film lacking overall. Vincent Canby of The New York Times called it a "non-stop, mostly irrelevant physical spectacle." 

Modern assessment has been kinder, with Matt Brunson of Film Frenzy declaring it one of Bronson's "signature pieces from the era." Among Bronson fans, it's considered one of his most beloved projects, and was even remade as a Jason Statham vehicle (and got a sequel) in the 2010's.

Bronson spent the first decade of his career in virtual obscurity, appearing in bit parts across film and television. The best of his early roles came with this Western update of Shakespeare's "Othello," which hinted at the immense potential he had as a leading man.

Directed by Delmer Daves, "Jubal" centers on a cowboy (Glenn Ford) who arrives in a small town badly injured and searching for work. A local rancher (Ernest Borgnine) takes him on despite his injury, but their amicable relationship is threatened by Borgnine's unfaithful wife (Valerie French), who comes on to Ford despite him being in love with another woman. Things are further complicated when a jealous cowhand (Rod Steiger) starts spreading rumors about Ford and French's supposed love affair. Bronson costars as Reb, a drifter hired on to the ranch, who lends Ford a helping hand when he needs it most.

With a 100% Rotten Tomatoes rating, "Jubal" remains Bronson's best reviewed film, and its stature has only grown thanks to a Criterion Blu-ray release. Jonathan Rosenbaum of The Chicago Reader called it a "taut, neurotic melodrama." Writing for Creative Loafing, Matt Brunson praised it as "a movie of roiling tensions," singling out Bronson as being "still comfortably ensconced in his position as one of Hollywood's most reliable supporting actors."

Of the many action exploitation films Bronson churned out throughout the 1970s, "Mr. Majestyk" comes with a higher pedigree than usual. Directed by Oscar-winning journeyman Richard Fleischer ("20,000 Leagues Under the Sea," "Soylent Green") and written by tough guy poet Elmore Leonard, it's typical of a type of role Bronson excelled at throughout his career: an ordinary man pushed to his limits by an unjust society.

Bronson plays Vince Majestyk, a Vietnam War veteran making his living as a melon farmer in rural Colorado. When petty crook Bobby Kopas (Paul Koslo) tries to force him into employing unskilled farmhands, Majestyk chases him off with Kopas' own shotgun. Kopas brings assault charges against him, leading Majestyk, an ex-con, to be arrested before his crop can be harvested. While in jail he runs afoul of mobster Frank Renda (Al Lettieri), who's being transferred to a maximum security prison. When Majestyk foils Renda's escape attempt, he must protect his land and his workers against the mob.

Critical reaction was enthusiastic, especially for a Bronson picture. Howard Thompson of The New York Times called it "a competently standard showcase for Charles Bronson's superhero cool," adding, "Except for some dutiful splattering of gore, it ticks along rather steadily under Richard Fleischer's unruffled direction." Writing for Film Frenzy, Matt Brunson said, "Leonard's brusque dialogue, Bronson's stabilizing presence, and director Richard Fleischer's able handling of action set-pieces combine to make this a breezy watch." Overall, the film earned an 82% Rotten Tomatoes score, making it one of the actor's best reviewed star vehicles. 

Bronson scored a knockout hit with the boxing drama "Hard Times," the directorial debut of action movie maestro Walter Hill ("The Warriors," "48 Hours"). 

Set during the Great Depression, it centers on a drifter named Chaney (Bronson) who bare-knuckles his way through Louisiana. He soon meets the fast-talking Speed (James Coburn), who manages his illegal matches while decrepit cut man Poe (Strother Martin) tends to his wounds. Unable to put up the cash for their next fight, Speed borrows some from a gang of mobsters led by Doty (Bruce Glover). Although Chaney handily wins the fight, Speed gambles away the money he owes the loansharks, and his debt is sold to fish tycoon Chick Gandil (Michael McGuire). Gandil forces the novice boxer to go up against professional prize fighter Street (Nick Dimitri), or else his partner will be killed.

In his three star review, Roger Ebert called "Hard Times" "a powerful, brutal film containing a definitive Charles Bronson performance." He added, "As Bronson creates it, the character of Chaney becomes curiously interesting. We know little about Chaney, and learn little," yet everything "is simply implied by the Bronson presence." He continued, "That's what makes Bronson so good for roles like this; he seems to exist already as a character, so exposition isn't necessary." It's a sentiment most critics shared for the film, which earned a stellar 92% Rotten Tomatoes rating.

Bronson's breakout role came with "The Magnificent Seven," an action-packed American remake of Akira Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai" that would become a classic in its own right. 

Directed by macho auteur John Sturges (who previously worked with Bronson on the 1959 war film "Never So Few"), it centers on seven American gunfighters who are hired by the residents of a small Mexican village to protect them against a posse of bandits. The gang of seven, led by Cajun gunslinger Chris Adams (Yul Brynner), train the villagers to defend themselves in a fight against the nefarious leader of the bandits, Calvera (Eli Wallach).

Bronson costars as one of the Seven, a former professional named Bernardo O'Reilly who has fallen on hard times, agreeing to defend the village because he needs the money. As is the case with each member of the gang, he rises to the occasion and proves himself a hero when duty calls. He even makes friends with many of the village children, and teaches them an important lesson in heroism. When Chris and Steve McQueen's Vin Tanner (in his own star-making performance) first encounters O'Reilly, the character is memorably chopping wood, hulking and intense — for generations of moviegoers, it was their first introduction to Bronson.

Despite a phenomenal cast that included not only Bronson, Brynner and McQueen but James Coburn, Robert Vaughn, Eli Wallach and Horst Buchholz, reviews at the time were decidedly mixed, though not terrible. James Powers of The Hollywood Reporter said, "About two-thirds of the film is good, tough, unromantic period Western. About one-third is sentimental nonsense and it backwashes the remainder." Variety more or less agreed, calling it "a rip-roaring rootin' tootin' western with lots of bite and tang and old-fashioned abandon" for the first two-thirds. 

The film has nonetheless soared in respect and recognition, harnessing a beloved spot in pop culture, holding an 89% Rotten Tomatoes score, and earning a recent remake with Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt. 

Elmer Bernstein's iconic, Oscar-nominated score placed eighth on AFI's Top 25 Film Scores, and the film itself placed seventy-ninth on the AFI's 100 Most Thrilling Films. Three sequels followed, none with Bronson.

In the 1960s, Bronson starred in three of the most iconic action films of the decade, each one centering on a group of disparate men pulled together for a mission: "The Magnificent Seven," "The Great Escape," and "The Dirty Dozen." Although he only had supporting roles, these titles pointed the way towards the stardom he would achieve as a leading man — first in Europe, then in America.

Directed by Robert Aldrich, "The Dirty Dozen" stars Lee Marvin as Major John Reisman, who in the lead up to D-Day is ordered to train a group of soldiers to parachute behind enemy lines and assassinate a cadre of Germans staying at a French chateau. But these are no ordinary soldiers: they're a rogues gallery of ex-cons, murderers, and rapists, spared the death penalty in exchange for their service. They were the original Suicide Squad. Bronson plays Joseph Wladislaw, aka prisoner #9, who infiltrates the chateau disguised as a German soldier.

Much like other 1967 releases "Bonnie and Clyde" and "Point Blank," "The Dirty Dozen" gained notoriety for its graphic violence, made possible by the collapse of the censorious Production Code and formation of the MPAA ratings system. (Roger Ebert sarcastically called a key action sequence in which Germans are set on fire "a delightfully sadistic, brutal, inhumane scene.") The film proved to be a critical and commercial hit that earned four Oscar nominations, winning for Best Sound Effects. Its lasting impact has continued to grow, and its influence can be seen on such recent movies as "Inglourious Basterds" and various "Suicide Squad" incarnations. For Bronson, it was just one more step towards achieving iconography.