William Hurt’s 10 Best Movies, Ranked According To IMDb

William Hurt was among the most celebrated actors to enter the film industry, garnering multiple Oscar nominations (and winning one) across his four-decade career. The actor passed away in 2022, marking the end of an impressive list of credits, including franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe to critically acclaimed independent films. 

The best way to remember Hurt’s contributions to cinema is by watching his greatest film efforts. IMDb ratings are proven indicators of how audiences feel about movies since the average score is based on thousands of votes. Hurt’s filmography can be dissected to see how fans will remember the actor for the many years of entertainment he provided.

10 Kiss Of The Spider Woman (1985) – 7.3

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The win that won William Hurt the Oscar for Best Actor, Kiss of the Spider Woman has a creative premise. It’s about two men who share a prison cell in Brazil and the progression of their growing feelings for each other. The twist comes from the fact that Hurt’s character has cut a deal with the authorities to spy on his new lover.

Kiss of the Spider Woman showcases perhaps the fining acting ability from Hurt, as he plays a sensitive character against type. It was the first of three nominations he would receive for Best Actor in consecutive years, with this film putting him on the map as a highly talented performer.

9 Mr. Brooks (2007) – 7.3

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Modern audiences can liken Mr. Brooks to shows like Dexter, focusing on a serial killer with a dark passenger. Kevin Costner plays the titular character, but William Hurt technically does so as well since he portrays Brooks’ id, Marshall, who compels him to kill.

Mr. Brooks’ main plot is about his reluctant partnership with a man who’s witnessed him taking lives, with Marshall encouraging him to find a way to remove this obstacle. Hurt has no speaking scenes with anyone apart from Costner, yet has a dominating presence since Marshall effectively controls Brooks’ urges.

8 Smoke (1995) – 7.4

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Set within the primary backdrop of a tobacco store, Smoke is about intertwining stories that are a result of characters visiting said place. William Hurt plays the lead character, Paul, a widower who saves a young man from an accident and decides to help him sort out his life.

Smoke received massive acclaim from viewers and critics alike, with the main praise directed to the way the film connects every character through the store. Its popularity led to a sequel with a similar outline, although Hurt didn’t return for that movie. His role here, however, is what steers the entire plot.

7 Body Heat (1981) – 7.4

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Body Heat usually shows up among William Hurt’s best movies because it’s around the time he started to establish himself. It’s an erotic thriller where Hurt plays a poor lawyer having an affair with a rich man’s wife. The real story begins when the pair decide to kill the husband to be together.

Apart from the rather excessive sexuality in Body Heat, there’s a pretty smart thriller to be unearthed within the story. It’s filled with big-time revelations that come out of nowhere, with several neo-noir elements present that create a sense of tension and mystery.

6 A History Of Violence (2005) – 7.4

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William Hurt garnered another Oscar nomination for this action thriller, which stars Viggo Mortenson in the lead. A History of Violence’s plot is kickstarted when the protagonist kills two robbers in self-defense, with the relative ease with which he does so beginning to shed light on his criminal past.

Hurt plays a crime boss who’s part of the hero’s past, with his character deciding to pay his former associate a visit after learning of his whereabouts. The actor’s commanding presence serves to set the tone of the story, which plays very straight to its title by featuring quote a lot of violence.

5 Sunshine (1999) – 7.5

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This epic historical drama appears to have been a bigger hit with audiences than critics, given its high position in William Hurt’s IMDb filmography. Ralph Fiennes is in the lead role, playing three men across generations of a family in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

William Hurt appears near the end portion of the film, playing a communist leader Andor Knorr, whom the main character decides to side with before turning his back on. Hurt’s screen presence is in full flow during Sunshine as his part is somewhat small but has an impact on the main character’s decisions.

4 Dark City (1998) – 7.6

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It’s rare for a film that goes off the rails to receive a positive reception, which makes Dark City a unique subversion. The neo-noir sci-fi starts off with a simple premise, where Rufus Sewell plays John Murdoch, an amnesiac man accused of killing his wife.

William Hurt plays Inspector Bumstead, who goes through whatever means necessary to catch Murdoch. Dark City goes into outlandish territory when the real culprits turn out to be extraterrestrials who use dead bodies as hosts. However, Hurt and the rest of the cast put in committed performances for viewers to stick around to watch their performances to the end of the story.

3 Captain America: Civil War (2016) – 7.8

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William Hurt was among the first Hollywood legends to appear in the MCU when he played Thaddeus Ross in 2008. However, it was another eight years until he returned in Captain America: Civil War. Here, Ross is part of the government that ratifies the Sokovia Accords to effectively make the Avengers work for them.

Ross is kind of a secondary antagonist in the movie since he revels in putting the Avengers under his thumb. He begins the conflict when the Avengers split into two factions due to disagreements over the Accords before Ross commands Iron Man’s group to apprehend Captain America’s for resisting his demands.

2 Into The Wild (2007) – 8.1

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In this biographical drama, Emile Hirsch plays Chris McCandless aka Alexander Supertramp – a young man who decides to head out into the wild and cut himself off the world. McCandless didn’t survive his adventure in real life, and Into the Wild looks into his final days.

William Hurt plays Walt, the father of the protagonist, who appears sporadically as a way to establish Chris’ backstory. Hurt’s character is the reason why Chris goes out into the world since he doesn’t want to make the same mistakes. The actor manages to play a father who’s both flawed and someone to sympathize with.

1 Avengers: Infinity War (2018) – 8.5

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It’s difficult to keep track of the number of high-profile actors that appear in Avengers: Infinity War, which includes William Hurt’s Thaddeus Ross. Like just about every character, Ross doesn’t have too much screen time, but the loyalties of the Avengers are proven through him.

Ross looks to pick up where Civil War left off by ordering Captain America’s faction to be arrested, only for his orders to be dismissed. The story overall is about Thanos’ quest to assemble the Infinity Stones from the universe, which also signifies Ross’ villainy since he overlooks all that due to his contempt for the Avengers.

About The Author

Saim Cheeda
(1348 Articles Published)

Saim Cheeda is an entertainment writer covering all of Film, TV, Gaming and Books. He’s been a writer for Valnet since 2017, contributing 500+ articles for The Gamer, The Things, Game Rant, Comic Book Resources and Screen Rant. Apart from freelance writing, Saim is a lifestyle blogger, co-owning the blog 3 States Apart.

http://3statesapart.com

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