# Best 5 movie run ever?

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-5-movie-run-ever/693789
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [July 22, 2014, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-5-movie-run-ever/693789 "2014-07-22T23:18:29Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)
#### Post date: [July 22, 2014, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-5-movie-run-ever/693789/1 "2014-07-22T23:18:29Z")

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So, I was browsing IMDB today and I noticed that Harrison Ford’s page shows these 5 movies consecutively in his profile:

1984 - Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom - Indiana Jones  
1983 - Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi - Han Solo  
1982 - Blade Runner - Rick Deckard  
1981 - Raiders of the Lost Ark - Indy  
1980 - Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back - Han Solo

And I thought to myself “that is damn fine run of movies.” Using IMDB as the source, can anyone else come up with a more impressive run of 5 movies, using the following rules:

1. no movies released in-between (TV shows or other media are fine)
2. must be in a leading or co-leading role

Note: I’m not claiming that this is the best ever; I’m not enough of a film buff to know. I’d just really like to see some other great runs.

eta: [Harrison Ford - IMDb](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000148/)

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### Author: ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)
#### Post date: [July 22, 2014, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-5-movie-run-ever/693789/2 "2014-07-22T23:40:42Z")

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Charlie Chaplin

The Gold Rush  
The Circus  
City Lights  
Modern Times  
The Great Dictator  
Monsieur Verdoux

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### Author: ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [July 22, 2014, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-5-movie-run-ever/693789/3 "2014-07-22T23:40:56Z")

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I’d say that Ford doesn’t qualify based on what you listed. 4 yes, 5 no. ToD sucked monkey-balls.

How about the Duke?

The War Wagon (1967)  
The Green Berets (1968)  
Hellfighters (1968)  
True Grit (1969)  
The Undefeated (1969)  
Chisum (1970)

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### Author: ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)
#### Post date: [July 22, 2014, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-5-movie-run-ever/693789/4 "2014-07-22T23:45:15Z")

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I’ll also add the Marx Brothers

**Monkey Business  
Horse Feathers  
Duck Soup  
A Night at the Opera  
A Day at the Races.**

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### Author: ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)
#### Post date: [July 22, 2014, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-5-movie-run-ever/693789/5 "2014-07-22T23:53:17Z")

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I’ll nominate James Stewart:

The Spirit of St. Louis (1957)

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)

The Man from Laramie (1955)

Strategic Air Command (1955)

Rear Window (1954)

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### Author: ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2014, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-5-movie-run-ever/693789/6 "2014-07-23T00:19:58Z")

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If the TV movie that’s bolded doesn’t count; Tom Hanks

That Thing You Do!  
Mr. White

1995 Toy Story  
Woody (voice)

1995 Apollo 13  
Jim Lovell

\*\* 1994 Vault of Horror I (TV Movie) \*\*

1994 Forrest Gump  
Forrest Gump

1993 Philadelphia  
Andrew Beckett

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### Author: ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2014, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-5-movie-run-ever/693789/7 "2014-07-23T00:31:27Z")

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I’ll go with John Cazale, who’s entire career was an impressive 5-movie run:

1972 - The Godfather  
1974 - The Conversation  
1974 - The Godfather Part II  
1975 - Dog Day Afternoon  
1978 - The Deer Hunter

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### Author: ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2014, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-5-movie-run-ever/693789/8 "2014-07-23T00:41:04Z")

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Cary Grant 1937-39  
**Topper  
The Awful Truth  
Holiday  
Gunga Din  
Only Angels Have Wings**

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### Author: ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2014, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-5-movie-run-ever/693789/9 "2014-07-23T00:42:49Z")

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I can’t think of anything to beat Harrison Ford there. I like Temple of Doom quite a bit.

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### Author: ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2014, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-5-movie-run-ever/693789/10 "2014-07-23T00:44:20Z")

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Gregory Peck

On the Beach  
The Guns of Navarone  
Cape Fear  
How the West Was Won  
To Kill a Mockingbird

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### Author: ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2014, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-5-movie-run-ever/693789/11 "2014-07-23T00:46:42Z")

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Tom Hanks did the following:

League of Their Own  
Philadelphia  
Forrest Gump  
Apollo 13  
Toy Story  
That Thing You Do  
Saving Private Ryan

I know That Thing You Do isn’t that great, but it’s not bad and Saving Private Ryan is great.

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### Author: ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2014, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-5-movie-run-ever/693789/12 "2014-07-23T00:48:09Z")

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> [@Mahaloth](#):
>
> I can’t think of anything to beat Harrison Ford there. I like Temple of Doom quite a bit.

Another vote for it being thoroughly abysmal. Ford would be better represented with 1979’s **The Frisco Kid** than with that other horrible film.

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### Author: ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2014, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-5-movie-run-ever/693789/13 "2014-07-23T00:50:42Z")

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Robert De Niro 1973-76  
**Bang the Drum Slowly  
Mean Streets  
The Godfather, Part II  
Taxi Driver  
1900**

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### Author: ![from\_a\_to\_z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5fc32e/32.png) [@from\_a\_to\_z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/from_a_to_z)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2014, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-5-movie-run-ever/693789/14 "2014-07-23T00:51:47Z")

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I predict that this post will soon be only one among many. Another run for Cary Grant could be  
1937 The Awful Truth  
1938 Bringing Up Baby  
1938 Holiday  
1939 Gunga Din  
1939 Only Angels Have Wings  
1939 In Name Only  
1940 His Girl Friday  
1940 My Favorite Wife

And among the silents, Buster Keaton with  
1923 Three Ages  
1923 Our Hospitality  
1924 Sherlock Jr.  
1924 The Navigator  
1925 Seven Chances

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### Author: ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2014, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-5-movie-run-ever/693789/15 "2014-07-23T01:11:15Z")

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Tom Cruise had a blockbuster run from _Top Gun_ to _The Color of Money_ to _Cocktail_ to _Rain Man_ to _Born On The Fourth Of July_, which gives me an idea for another thread.

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### Author: ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2014, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-5-movie-run-ever/693789/16 "2014-07-23T01:11:43Z")

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Just wanted to say I love of the feedback here - great stuff.

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### Author: ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2014, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-5-movie-run-ever/693789/17 "2014-07-23T01:12:06Z")

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> [@Mahaloth](#):
>
> Tom Hanks did the following:
> 
> League of Their Own  
> Philadelphia  
> Forrest Gump  
> Apollo 13  
> Toy Story  
> That Thing You Do  
> Saving Private Ryan
> 
> I know That Thing You Do isn’t that great, but it’s not bad and Saving Private Ryan is great.

I don’t believe that any of those except Forrest Gump, Toy Story, and Saving Private Ryan were even popular. Apollo 13 could be said to be a decent flick, but it’s not more than that.

Philadelphia was well-intentioned and had nice cinematrography, but it was dull and far from a classic. That Thing You Do falls into the same camp, with even less to recommend it.

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### Author: ![CheshireKat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheshirekat/32/1207_2.png) [@CheshireKat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheshireKat)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2014, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-5-movie-run-ever/693789/18 "2014-07-23T01:22:38Z")

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I think \*\*Deborah Kerr \*\*can top Harrison Ford with these SIX:

1957 An Affair to Remember  
1957 Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison  
1956 Tea and Sympathy  
1956 The King and I  
1956 The Proud and Profane  
1955 The End of the Affair

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### Author: ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2014, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-5-movie-run-ever/693789/19 "2014-07-23T01:25:12Z")

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> [@RealityChuck](#):
>
> I’ll also add the Marx Brothers
> 
> **Monkey Business  
> Horse Feathers  
> Duck Soup  
> A Night at the Opera  
> A Day at the Races.**

My opinion: Start with Animal Crackers and knock off the grossly inferior Day at the Races.

What about W.C. Fields?

> [@](#):
>
> 1941 Never Give a Sucker an Even Break  
> 1940 The Bank Dick  
> 1940 My Little Chickadee  
> 1939 You Can’t Cheat an Honest Man  
> 1938 The Big Broadcast of 1938

The great comics were extreme outliers in the 1930s because normally stars were slotted in a million movies a year and so had dogs amidst the gold. But has anybody ever had five better movies **in a single year** than William Powell in 1936?

> [@](#):
>
> After the Thin Man  
> Libeled Lady  
> My Man Godfrey  
> The Ex-Mrs. Bradford  
> The Great Ziegfeld

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### Author: ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2014, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-5-movie-run-ever/693789/20 "2014-07-23T01:33:02Z")

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> [@Sage\_Rat](#):
>
> Philadelphia was well-intentioned and had nice cinematrography, but it was dull and far from a classic.

I actually agree. I guess I meant it was solid since he won an Oscar. From his point of view, it was a big.

I think Philadelphia is actually a below average movie and it is filled with cardboard characters.

[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-5-movie-run-ever/693789.md?page=2)
