Top 10 Lauren Bacall Films, Ranked (According To IMDb)

One of the most captivating and iconic actresses of all time, Lauren Bacall instantly made her mark with her debut in To Have and Have Not. Her beauty, charisma, and talent not only made a splash, but ensured a long, admirable career that spanned a lifetime.

She once said that she was sure her legacy would be filled with mentions of her late husband, Humphrey Bogart. Though their legacies are irrevocably intertwined, they each were icons in their own right. Bacall’s career ranged from classic noir films of the 1940s to avant-garde films in the early 2000s.

10 Manderlay (2005) – 7.3

Manderlay is a sequel to Dogville, with Bryce Dallas Howard filling in Nicole Kidman’s role. Howard’s character Grace discovers a plantation is being run with the use of slavery in 1933.

The plot consists of Grace freeing the slaves. Bacall plays Mam, the woman who runs the plantation. Critics tentatively praised the attempt to broach the topic of racism, but felt that the film could have done a better job exploring and communicating many of its ideas.

9 Murder On The Orient Express (1974) – 7.3

Murder on the Orient Express follows a detective aboard a train full of interesting characters. When a man is murdered, the detective must uncover which passenger is responsible.

Bacall plays a wealthy widow who becomes a suspect after the murder. The film was quite popular upon its release, and critics have praised the film for its mystery, style, and talented cast. The adaptation also earned the approval of Agatha Christie, who authored the book the film is based on.

8 Dark Passage (1947) – 7.5

Dark Passage is the third of four films husband and wife Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall would make together. Bogart plays a man who’s on the run after being falsely accused of murdering his wife. Bacall plays a woman who offers to help him hide out while he clears his name.

Bacall’s performance was noted as a highlight of the film, making a character who might have seemed slightly insane feel real and likable. The premise is unique, and the mystery and intrigue mark a tone and style fans of this era of filmmaking will be familiar with.

7 Written On The Wind (1956) – 7.5

Written on the Wind follows the adult children of a wealthy family struggling to adjust to adult life. Bacall plays the wife of one of these people, and suffers in a marriage to a violent and immature man. Her character is also the object of the man’s best friend’s affection, a better man who is clearly meant to end up with Bacall.

Responses to this film were mixed, with many criticizing the unlikeability of the main characters, the two wealthy siblings. Others appreciated the dedication to melodrama and strong performances from the cast.

6 The Shootist (1976) – 7.6

Commonly discussed as the last film to star John Wayne, The Shootist is a classic Western. Bacall plays a widow whose path intersects with that of Wayne’s character, and she was nominated for a BAFTA for her performance.

The film was praised by critics mainly for the performances. It mostly adheres to a classic Western formula, which works perfectly as a showcase for iconic actors such as Wayne, Bacall, and also James Stewart, who appears in a supporting role.

5 To Have And Have Not (1944) – 7.8

To Have and Have Not was Lauren Bacall’s first starring role. It’s also become well-known for being the movie she met her future husband on. Bogart and Bacall’s chemistry is electric from the moment they share the screen. Since the film was shot mostly chronologically, the strength of their connection makes the central relationship feel as if it’s unfolding powerfully and organically. Bogart’s Han Solo-type fisherman gets roped into helping French resistance during World War II.

Bacall plays a young runaway who Bogart’s character falls for. It’s been said that, as this was her first major role, the 19-year-old Bacall was frightfully nervous, but you wouldn’t guess it. She performs with the confidence of a person twice her age in a performance that instantly becomes iconic through her unique line delivery and swaggering presence. To watch this film is to watch a star being born.

4 Key Largo (1948) – 7.8

Key Largo is the final film Bacall made with her husband. His character is an army veteran who is visiting the widow of a man he served with. Bacall plays the widow, whose father owns a hotel in Key Largo, Florida. When a hurricane approaches, the guests at the hotel are trapped inside, and many reveal themselves to be criminals and hold the widow, her father, and Bogart’s veteran hostage.

Bacall’s character begins to fall for Bogart’s as he works to save her and her father by outsmarting the criminals. The movie received mostly positive reviews, with many praising the way the film ratchets up the suspense by trapping characters in a small setting.

3 Misery (1990) – 7.8

Misery is a thriller based on a Stephen King novel about an obsessed fan who kidnaps her favorite author. Kathy Bates won an Oscar for her wonderfully unhinged performance, and Bacall has a small but memorable role as the author’s agent.

The performances and frightening, suspenseful nature of the story were met with very positive reviews from critics and audiences alike. This is another example of a film in Bacall’s filmography that was greatly appreciated by the author of the novel it was based on.

2 The Big Sleep (1946) – 7.9

The Big Sleep is about… well, few can really say. Another Bogart and Bacall picture, Bogart stars as a private investigator hired to look into the gambling debts of the youngest daughter of a wealthy man.

Bacall is the eldest daughter, and she and Bogart spend most of the film trying to trick one another into giving information away; she always seems to know more than she’s letting on. A series of murders and introductions of characters who have some part to play in a larger conspiracy make the plot confusing, but the film and performances strike the right tone to entertain.

1 Dogville (2003) – 8.0

Dogville takes a strange approach to telling the story of a woman (Nicole Kidman) trying to hide from gangsters who supposedly want her dead. She finds the small town of Dogville, where citizens operate by strange rules and force her to pay them for her safety with manual labor. A series of horrific escalations of events occur and people do awful things to her, until a twist at the end is reveals who the woman really is.

The whole production is set on a sparsely decorated soundstage, feeling more like a play than a film. The film divided critics, with some praising the ambitious nature of the way the story is told and the themes that are explored, while others felt the film was too harsh in its treatment of its characters and audience. It’s been panned by some and hailed as a masterpiece by others, and shows that Bacall was willing to take risks in her career.

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