Bruce Dern names his five favourite movies of all time
A staple of American cinema in the latter stages of the 20th century, Bruce Dern is known as one of the greatest stars in the history of Hollywood. Working with such established filmmakers as Alexander Payne, Sydney Pollack, Patty Jenkins, Francis Ford Coppola, Quentin Tarantino and Hal Ashby, Dern has earned his place among the ranks of all-time cinema icons.
Making a name for himself on the small screen in the 1960s, with roles in westerns such as Stoney Burke and Wagon Train, Dern made the leap to feature films, starring in big-screen genre flicks like Hang ‘Em High in 1968, where he appeared opposite Clint Eastwood. Yet, it was in the following decade that he would truly thrive, appearing in such classics as The Cowboys and Silent Running before he received an Oscar nomination in 1978 for his role in Coming Home.
Remaining a considerable star to this day, Dern continues to work with the industry’s very best minds thanks to decades of career experience. Back in 2019, he sat down with Rotten Tomatoes to discuss his favourite movies from years gone by, naming a list of eclectic titles that reveal to fans the directors he believes to be the greatest of all time.
His first pick is the 1984 film Amadeus by director Miloš Forman, which tells the story of the early life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Speaking about the movie, the actor stated: “That guy did that. You know what I mean?” before praising the iconic musician himself, “When Mozart is writing the piece at the end of the movie and [Antonio] Salieri cannot even keep up with him. He’s that quick and he’s that ahead”.
From one classic to another, Dern names the Francis Ford Coppola flick The Godfather: Part II as his next favourite. Starring the likes of Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and James Caan, the film is known as one of the greatest sequels of all time, with Dern adding: “After Godfather, I wouldn’t know how he would make a Godfather: Part II, but he did it. Because of the time span and what it covered, it’s an opera. I mean, there are acts, and it just worked, and I hadn’t seen that done really well”.
The ‘Best Picture’ winner, The Last Emperor, takes the next spot on Dern’s list of favourites, picking the biographical epic that dramatises the life story of Pu Yi, the final emperor in Chinese history. “It really happened. He [director Bernardo Bertolucci] also could make a movie,” the actor states, lathering extra praise onto a film that was beloved by audiences and critics alike, taking home nine Academy Awards back in 1988.
His penultimate pick is the all-time British classic Lawrence of Arabia, starring the iconic Peter O’Toole. Gorgeously shot by director David Lean, the film, which tells the story of the English officer T.E. Lawrence, who led a decisive battle in WWI, is adored by Dern, who states: “I saw Lawrence of Arabia in theaters. I’d been an actor for about a year and a half; I was under contract to Elia Kazan. I went to the movie and I was absolutely blown away”.
Bookending the actor’s list is one of his very own movies, opting for the 2013 Alexander Payne ‘Best Picture’ nominee Nebraska, where the actor plays a disgruntled father making a trip across the country to claim lottery winnings. “I’m very proud of my movie,” the actor exclaims, “I don’t really know what a great film is. I don’t know what the ingredients should be. But I certainly think Nebraska is a credit to the industry of filmmaking and it’s done very, very well”.
Take a look at the full list of Bruce Dern’s all-time favourite movies below.
Bruce Dern’s five favourite movies:
- Amadeus (Miloš Forman, 1984)
- The Godfather: Part II (Francis Ford Coppola, 1974)
- The Last Emperor (Bernardo Bertolucci, 1987)
- Lawrence of Arabia (David Lean, 1962)
- Nebraska (Alexander Payne, 2013)
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