CallingJack Nicholsonprolific would be an understatement, given how often he appeared in movies between the early 1960s and 2010, whenthe actor announced his retirement. In that time, he won three Academy Awards and had pivotal roles in some of the most acclaimed films of all time – from various genres – includingOne Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,The Shining,The Departed, andChinatown.
Dozens of movies mean that not everything Nicholson’s appeared in is going to be well-known, because it’s hard to keep up when an actor averages one or two movies a year over the course of approximately 50 years.What follows is an attempt to highlight some of the more obscure movies he’s appeared in that are nevertheless worth checking out, alongside a couple that were a little more widely known, but feel underrated in the sense that some viewers misinterpreted them.
10’Carnal Knowledge' (1971)
Director: Mike Nichols
Carnal Knowledgeis an intentionally uncomfortable film, and one that would’ve been ashock to the system for manyback in the early 1970s, considering some of the things it deals with still feel heavy today. It’s about two quite unlikable male friends as they navigate their respective relationships in flawed and sometimes hard-to-watch ways, with the film exploring what might nowadays be called toxic masculinity.
It’s not a film that’s fun to watch, andit’s definitely not one that presents main characters who are likable,with Jack Nicholson impressingalongsideArt Garfunkelas the two men at the center of the story.Carnal Knowledgeis also one of the more under-appreciated movies directed byMike Nichols, a director who collaborated with Nicholson a handful of times throughout his filmmaking career.
Carnal Knowledge
Rent on Apple TV
9’The Two Jakes' (1990)
Director: Jack Nicholson
As far asiconic movies from the 1970sgo, few are held in as high regard asChinatown. Released in 1974, it’s perhaps the pinnacle of the neo-noir genre, retaining various film noir characteristics and blending them seamlessly with the more hard-edge filmmaking found throughout the 1970s, predominantly as part of the New Hollywood movement. Film noir movies were already dark, butChinatownjust pushed the darkness, violence, and cynicism further than many had gone before.
Then, 16 years later,Chinatowngot a somewhat surprising sequel calledThe Two Jakes, notable for being one of three feature films Jack Nicholson directed. He reprises his role as Jake Gittes here, too, a detective undertaking a new case while also being haunted by the events of the original movie. It’s not nearly as good asChinatown, but it’s not awful, either, and is technically sound throughout,with Nicholson perhaps doing better work here as a director than an actor(he looks a little like he’s on autopilot when it comes to acting, at least by his standards).
8’Wolf' (1994)
Jack Nicholson was of course inThe Shining, which is one of the most iconic horror movies of all time, but it’s otherwise not a genre seen too often when exploring his most noteworthy film roles. Similarly, Mike Nichols tended to stay away from the genre, which makesWolfinteresting, because it wasone of the few horror movies Nicholson appeared in andthe only true horror film Nichols ever made.
It takes a werewolf narrative most horror fans are likely familiar with and pushes things a little further when it comes to violence and adult content, at least compared to the horror movies of old. Nicholson commits, and there are solid supporting performances from the likes ofMichelle Pfeiffer,James Spader, andChristopher Plummer, too.Wolfis messy and doesn’t always work, but parts are engaging, and it’s certainly a worthwhile curiosity worth checking out for anyone who thinks it sounds intriguing.
Watch on Tubi
7’Mars Attacks!' (1996)
Director: Tim Burton
Anyone expecting something that even comes close to feeling genuine might well have found themselves disappointed byMars Attacks. It’s a throwback to the low-budget sci-fi B-movies of the 1950s, while also functioning as a parody of that style of filmmaking, complete with intentionally clunky special effects, a ridiculous story, and fairly one-dimensional characters who, in a subversive twist, are actually generally played by A-list stars.
There’s a contrast created by seeing well-regarded actors take part in the sort of B-movie that well-known actors tended to stay away from in the 1950s,and when judged as a parody,Mars Attackscan be pretty funny and entertaining. It’s well-known, but underrated in the sense that not everyone seems in on the joke. Hopefully, the idea of Jack Nicholson hamming it up as two characters – one of them being the President of the United States – will be enough to convince anyone on the fence to checkMars Attacksout.
Mars Attacks!
6’Heartburn' (1986)
One final Jack Nicholson + Mike Nichols collaboration worth mentioning,Heartburnseesthe pair working withMeryl Streep, an actress who herself appeared in numerous movies directed by Nichols. Nicholson and Streep play two people who meet at a wedding, fall for each other, and then get married themselves, only to begin realizing they may have rushed into things too abruptly.
Heartburnis a little comedic early on, but goes on to feel more focused on drama as it gets heavier and morehonest about things like love dying a slow death, infidelity, and absent parenting. No one should go in expecting a standard and breezy romantic comedy, butas a romantic dramedy, it works fairly well. There are some clichéd moments here and there, and it’s not perfectly written/assembled, but parts ring true, and the leads are both reliably great, as the two tend to be.
5’The King of Marvin Gardens' (1972)
Director: Bob Rafelson
Bob Rafelsonwas a director whose best-known films often featured Jack Nicholson, with the pair’s best movie made together beingFive Easy Pieces(1970). Then, a couple of years later, the two collaborated again to make the less well-known and perhaps slightly inferiorThe King of Marvin Gardens, thoughthe presence of Nicholson alongsideother acting greats like Ellen Burstynand Bruce Dern does nevertheless make it compelling enough.
It’s about a man with connections to the mob that’s not so much a crime movie, and more of a character drama, focusing on the lead character’s ambitious dreams and showcasing – with brutal honesty – how life gets in the way of such things. It’s an odd, quiet, and fairly sad movie, which might make it a bit of a hard sell. Still, those who don’t mind slow-paced dramas from the 1970s and like the actors involved should put in the effort to seek outThe King of Marvin Gardens, with the possibility they’ll be pleasantly surprised by what they see.
4’Prizzi’s Honor' (1985)
Director: John Huston
Prizzi’s Honorwas something of a family affair, considering Jack Nicholson was married toAnjelica Hustonat the time this movie came out (she has a role in the film, too), and it was directed by her father, the acclaimed filmmakerJohn Huston. It ended up being John Huston’s second-last movie, with the filmmaker passing away in 1987 after creating a sizable body of work that began in 1941 with theHumphrey BogartclassicThe Maltese Falcon.
It’s not quitean outstanding crime movie, but it has its charms, focusing on a hitman who works for a wealthy crime family and starts to find himself in trouble when he falls in love with a woman who also turns out to be an assassin.Prizzi’s Honorisa fun blend of romance, crime, and comedy genres, ultimately feeling a little light and not hugely memorable, but still being relatively engaging in any event.
Rent on Amazon
3’The Shooting' (1966)
Director: Monte Hellman
Jack Nicholson appeared in a huge number of movies throughout the 1960s, oftentimes being supporting roles in low-budget affairs,including someRoger Cormanmovies.The Shootingmight not have made him a full-on star, but it likely contributed to his steadily rising profile during the late 1960s and, by the decade’s end, he had achieved stardom, or at least was on the cusp of it.
The Shootingisimportant within the filmography of Jack Nicholsonbecause it’s a quality Western that rises above its technical/budgetary limitations, and also showcases Nicholson in a relatively prominent role. It could also make for one part of an undeniably effective double feature withRide in the Whirlwind, given that movie also came out in 1966, was directed byMonte Hellman, and starred both Jack Nicholson andMillie Perkins.
The Shooting
Watch on Max
2’The Missouri Breaks' (1976)
Director: Arthur Penn
Outside of being an underrated Jack Nicholson movie, it’s also possible to callThe Missouri Breaksa rather underratedMarlon Brandomovie, and perhaps one ofthe most underrated Westerns of all time, too. That’s a lot of underrating, sure, but considering both actors had won Oscars recently, as of 1976, (Nicholson for 1975’sOne Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nestand Brando for 1972’sThe Godfather), it’s surprisingly their combined star power didn’t lead to the film having a bigger impact.
The Missouri Breaksissimple and kind of odd in a mostly endearing way, following Brando’s character ceaselessly tracking down a gang led by Nicholson’s character, pitting two acting titans against each other. It’s a film that also has a great director attached,Arthur Penn, and the music was composed by none other thanJohn Williams, right betweenJawsandStar Wars. It’s not a popular movie, and it’s a little strange at times, but there was undeniable talent involved and the results are often interesting to watch.
1’The Passenger' (1975)
Director: Michelangelo Antonioni
Michelangelo Antonioniwas a distinctive director whonotablymade some “thrillers” with prominent arthouse qualities, most famously with 1966’sBlow-Upand then also in 1975 withThe Passenger. The latter stars Jack Nicholson as a journalist in northern Africa who’s there to cover an ongoing conflict, but finds his world turned upside down when he discovers the dead body of a man who looks similar to him.
He adopts this man’s identity and then things get even more strange, withThe Passengerbecoming the sort of slow-paced psychological thriller that can be interpreted any number of ways. It doesn’t offer many answers, and it takes its time to an extent that may frustrate some, but it’s also one of the boldest films Jack Nicholson ever appeared in, and gave the legendary actor a chance to play the sort of unusual character one didn’t see him portray all that often.
