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List of Mike Nichols Movies: Ranked Best To Worst

1. The Graduate (1967)
17
2
The Graduate
TV-MA
17
2

The Graduate, which won an Academy Award for Best director, revolves around the life of fresh college graduate Benjamin Braddock who is seduced into having an affair by Mrs. Robinson, the wife of his father’s partner. He is persuaded by his family to go out with Elaine, Mrs. Robinson’s daughter, but things get complicated when Benjamin falls in love with Elaine.  

Directed By:
Mike Nichols
Awards:
BAFTA Award for Best Film, Academy Award for Best Director, Golden Globe Award for Best Director, BAFTA Award for Best Direction
2. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
16
3
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
TV-MA
16
3

Over the course of a distressing night, a bitter aging couple, with the help of alcohol, use their young guests to fuel anguish and emotional pain towards each other. 

Starring:
Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, George Segal, Sandy Dennis, Agnes Flanagan
Directed By:
Mike Nichols
Awards:
BAFTA Award for Best Film from any Source
3. The Remains of the Day (1993)
14
2
The Remains of the Day
PG
14
2

In pre-WWII Britain, James Stevens is a rigidly duty-bound head butler at Lord Darlington’s mansion. Hired as a housekeeper, efficient Miss Kenton tries to challenge his façade, but their developing feelings get buried under wall of Stevens’ strict decorum. As the self-sacrificing butler realizes his master’s pro-Nazi inclinations his unequivocal loyalty is shaken, which he admits to Kenton when they re-unite years later.

Directed By:
James Ivory
5. Silkwood (1983)
12
3
Silkwood
R
12
3

Silkwood is a biographical suspense drama film which tells the story of Karen, who works at a nuclear plant. She decides to raise her voice when she finds out that the working conditions do not meet safety standards. However, this leads to her facing psychological trauma, as well as her death.  

Starring:
Directed By:
Mike Nichols
6. Gilda Live (1980)
11
2
Gilda Live
R
11
2

In this one-woman performance, Comedian Gilda Radner does her Broadway performance for  Saturday Night Live, where she plays the characters that she is best known for .

Starring:
Gilda Susan Radner, Gilda Radner, Don Novello, Paul Shaffer, Nils Nichols, Bob Christianson
Directed By:
Mike Nichols, Lorne Michaels
7. Carnal Knowledge (1971)
13
2
Carnal Knowledge
R
13
2

Carnal Knowledge is a comedy drama film which revolves around two college roommates named Sandy and Jonathan, who becomes good friends. However, their personalities are quite different. While Sandy is gentle and passive, and idolizes women, Jonathan is tough and aggressive, and objectifies them. But what they have in common is that neither of them are able to sustain a relationship with a woman.

Starring:
Ann-Margret, Jack Nicholson, Rita Moreno, Candice Bergen, Art Garfunkel
Directed By:
Mike Nichols
8. Closer (2004)
10
2
Closer
R
10
2

In this movie which is adapted from Patrick Marber’s award-winning 1997 play, Dan Woolf is a struggling writer who saves Alice, a newcomer in London, and later falls for her. A year later, he persuades Anna to have an affair with him but is rejected. Anna marries dermatologist Larry Gray, but also begins an affair with Dan. A lot of complications and emotional stress for all four ensues.

Directed By:
Mike Nichols
9. Charlie Wilson's War (2007)
12
2
Charlie Wilson's War
R
12
2

In the 1980s Congressman Charlie Wilson forms an unlikely partnership with American socialite and friend Joanne Herring and CIA operative Gust Avrakotos to bring an end to the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. His efforts also lead to the formation of the Regan Doctrine which supported anti-communist resistance all over the world. 

Directed By:
Mike Nichols
10. The Birdcage (1996)
11
2
The Birdcage
R
11
2

Armand Goldman and his long-term partner Albert own the popular drag-club, ‘The Birdcage’, in Miami’s South Beach where Albert, a.k.a. drag-queen Starina is the main attraction. Armand’s son Val declares his intentions of marrying Barbara, daughter of conservative right-wing senator, John Keeley. When the Keeleys arrive to meet Val’s ‘family,’ the Goldmans pretend to be ‘straight,’ and end up creating chaos.

Directed By:
Mike Nichols
11. Working Girl (1988)
12
3
Working Girl
R
12
3

Hard working secretary Tess McGill gets upset as she discovers that boss Katherine Parker is about to pinch her idea. When Katherine suffers a broken leg, Tess poses as Katherine and uses her own idea to close a deal with help of investment-broker Jack Trainer. Both grow closer, but Tess is unaware that Jack is Katherine’s boyfriend. Soon, Katherine finds out everything.

Starring:
Melanie Griffith, Harrison Ford, Alec Baldwin, Sigourney Weaver, Kevin Spacey, Joan Cusack, Ricki Lake
Directed By:
Mike Nichols
12. Postcards from the Edge (1990)
13
2
Postcards from the Edge
R
13
2

Suzanne is an actress who is a recovering drug addict. Her production company says that she has to stay with her mother, if she wants to continue working. However, the problem is that her mother, who is a former actress, still treats her like a child. In addition, she is manipulative and self-absorbed.  

Starring:
Shirley MacLaine, Dennis Quaid, Annette Bening, Mary Wickes, Rob Reiner, Meryl Streep, Richard Dreyfuss
Directed By:
Mike Nichols
13. Regarding Henry (1991)
12
2
Regarding Henry
PG-13
12
2

Regarding Henry is a romantic drama film, which tells the story of a successful lawyer who starts to suffer from amnesia after he is shot. With the help of his loving wife and daughter, he tries to rediscover his identity and his career.

Starring:
John Leguizamo, Rebecca Miller, Harrison Ford, Annette Bening, Michael Haley, Stanley Swerdlow, Julie Follansbee
Directed By:
Mike Nichols
14. Primary Colors (1998)
10
2
Primary Colors
R
10
2

This critically acclaimed film was based on former US President Bill Clinton’s first presidential campaign in 1992. The film tells the story of Henry Burton who joins the presidential campaign of Jack Stanton, Governor of Arkansas, who is running for President.

Starring:
John Travolta, Bianca Lawson, Bill Maher, Kathy Bates, Diane Ladd, James Earl Jones, Billy Bob Thornton
Directed By:
Mike Nichols
15. The Day of the Dolphin (1973)
11
2
The Day of the Dolphin
PG
11
2
Starring:
George C. Scott, Paul Sorvino, John Dehner, Severn Darden, Trish Van Devere
Directed By:
Mike Nichols
16. Biloxi Blues (1988)
10
3
Biloxi Blues
PG-13
10
3

Biloxi Blues is a comedy drama film which tells the story of a teenager named Eugene, who is drafted into the United States Army during the Second World War. He is sent to Camp Shelby, near Biloxi, Mississippi, and he sets few goals for his life and starts maintaining a journal.

Starring:
Christopher Walken, Matthew Broderick, Matt Mulhern, Corey Parker, Markus Flanagan
Directed By:
Mike Nichols
17. Teach Me! (1968)
9
2
Teach Me!
9
2
Starring:
Sandy Dennis
Directed By:
Mike Nichols
18. The Fortune (1975)
10
2
The Fortune
PG
10
2
Starring:
Christopher Guest, Harry Dean Stanton, Scatman Crothers, Warren Beatty, Jack Nicholson, Stockard Channing, Rose Michtom
Directed By:
Mike Nichols
19. Wolf (1994)
9
1
Wolf
R
9
1

This romantic horror film tells us the story of Will Randall who becomes a werewolf, and finds himself full of vigor and youth. He fights to regain his job and to woo his former boss’s daughter Laura. 

Starring:
Michelle Pfeiffer, James Spader, David Schwimmer, Christopher Plummer, Madhur Jaffrey, Allison Janney, Jack Nicholson
Directed By:
Mike Nichols
20. Friends with Kids (2011)
9
1
Friends with Kids
R
9
1

Friends with Kids is a romantic comedy drama film, which tells the story of Julie and Jason, who are best friends, but decide to have a baby together while keeping their relationship platonic. 

Starring:
Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Jon Hamm, Megan Fox, Chris O'Dowd, Adam Scott
Directed By:
Jennifer Westfeldt
21. Heartburn (1986)
9
1
Heartburn
R
9
1

Heartburn is a comedy drama film which tells the story of a magazine writer named Rachel who decides to give up her career after she falls in love with a man named Mark Forman, a newspaper columnist who is a playboy. They try to build a life together, but Mark just can’t seem to give up his old tricks.

Starring:
Natasha Lyonne, Mamie Gummer, Jeff Daniels, Miloš Forman, Meryl Streep, Jack Nicholson, Kevin Spacey
Directed By:
Mike Nichols
22. What Planet Are You From? (2000)
8
1
What Planet Are You From?
R
8
1

This science fiction comedy film tells the story of Harold, an extraterrestrial, whose planet plans to take over Earth. He is sent on a mission to earth as a human clone, with the goal to impregnate a human being and take the child back to his planet. However, things get complicated when Harold ends up falling in love.

Starring:
Garry Shandling, Jane Lynch, Judy Greer, Ann Cusack, Greg Kinnear, John Goodman, Sarah Silverman
Directed By:
Mike Nichols
23. Crescendo! The Power of Music (2014)
11
2
Crescendo! The Power of Music
TV-PG
11
2
Directed By:
Jamie Bernstein, Elizabeth Kling
24. The Designated Mourner (1997)
8
1
The Designated Mourner
R
8
1
Role:
Jack
Starring:
Miranda Richardson, David de Keyser
Directed By:
David Hare
25. The Longshot (1986)
9
1
The Longshot
PG-13
9
1
Starring:
Anne Meara, Jonathan Winters, Brad Trumbull, Tim Conway, Jack Weston
Directed By:
Paul Bartel

TV Movie(s)

1. Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall (1962)
12
2
Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall
12
2
Starring:
Julie Andrews, Carol Burnett, Randy Doney
Directed By:
Joe Hamilton
2. Wit (2001)
12
2
Wit
PG-13
12
2
Starring:
Christopher Lloyd, Harold Pinter, Audra McDonald, Emma Thompson, Eileen Atkins
Directed By:
Mike Nichols
Awards:
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Made for Television Movie, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special
3. The 'Annie' Christmas Show (1977)
12
2
The 'Annie' Christmas Show
12
2
Starring:
Reid Shelton, Sandy Faison, Andrea McArdle, Dorothy Loudon, Robert Fitch
Directed By:
Martin Charnin

TV Shows and Videos

Omnibus (1952)
Omnibus
Starring:
Geraldine Page, Jason Robards, Eli Wallach, Peter Falk, Bea Arthur, Jean Stapleton, Patricia Neal
Directed By:
Andrew McCullough, Norman Lloyd, Charles S. Dubin, Harry Horner, Delbert Mann
Playhouse 90 (1956)
Playhouse 90
Starring:
Buster Keaton, Andy Griffith, William Shatner, Charlton Heston, Errol Flynn, Leslie Nielsen, Robert Duvall
Directed By:
John Frankenheimer, Franklin J. Schaffner, Ralph Nelson, Vincent J. Donehue, Arthur Hiller
The Big Party (1959)
The Big Party
Role:
Himself (3 episodes, 1959)
Starring:
Bobby Darin, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Barbara Britton, Abe Burrows
Directed By:
Norman Jewison
Angels in America (2003)
Angels in America
TV-MA
Starring:
Al Pacino, Mary-Louise Parker, James Cromwell, Meryl Streep, Emma Thompson, Jeffrey Wright
Directed By:
Mike Nichols
Awards:
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Miniseries, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special
Family (1976)
Family
Starring:
Jonathan Banks, Leif Garrett, Meredith Baxter, Season Hubley, Mare Winningham, Linda Lavin, Kim Richards
Directed By:
Joanne Woodward, Richard Kinon, Edward Parone, Glenn Jordan, John Erman
The DuPont Show of the Month (1957)
The DuPont Show of the Month
Starring:
Fredric March, Joss Ackland, Barbara Bel Geddes, Elaine Stritch, Harpo Marx, Jackie Cooper, Dick Van Patten
Directed By:
Robert Mulligan, Ralph Nelson, Alex Segal, Sidney Lumet, Daniel Petrie

Mike Nichols Awards

Academy Awards
The Graduate Best Director 1968
Golden Globe Awards
The Graduate Best Director 1968
Primetime Emmy Awards
Angels in America Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special 2004
Angels in America Outstanding Miniseries 2004
Wit Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special 2001
Wit Outstanding Made for Television Movie 2001
BAFTA Awards
The Graduate Best Direction 1969
The Graduate Best Film 1969
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Best Film from any Source 1967