Few American filmmakers were as daring, idiosyncratic, and polarizing as Robert Altman. With his overlapping dialogue, sprawling ensembles, and subversive takes on genre, Altman created films that demand attention — and inspire debate. A recent ranking offers a Top 10 Altman Films, showcasing the range of his career.
1. McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971)
A revisionist Western starring Warren Beatty and Julie Christie, this film strips away the glamour of the Old West. With Vilmos Zsigmond’s dreamlike cinematography and a haunting Leonard Cohen soundtrack, it feels like a mournful ballad about broken dreams.
2. The Long Goodbye (1973)
Altman reimagines Raymond Chandler’s detective Philip Marlowe, played with slouchy brilliance by Elliott Gould. A 1970s noir that both honors and undermines its genre, it ends with one of the most shocking twists of Altman’s career.
3. The Player (1992)
A scathing Hollywood satire starring Tim Robbins as a morally bankrupt studio exec. Its opening tracking shot is legendary, and the film skewers the very industry it belongs to.
4. Nashville (1975)
Perhaps Altman’s most ambitious work, this sprawling portrait of America through its country music scene features 24 main characters, interwoven storylines, and a sharp critique of fame, politics, and the American dream.
5. 3 Women (1977)
A surreal, dream-born story starring Shelley Duvall and Sissy Spacek, exploring shifting identities and female bonds. It’s one of Altman’s most unsettling and mesmerizing character studies.
6. MASH* (1970)
The film that put Altman on the map. A darkly comic, anti-war satire set during the Korean War (but reflecting Vietnam), it was so influential it spawned one of the most successful TV series of all time.
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7. Short Cuts (1993)
Based on Raymond Carver’s stories, this ensemble drama captures the interconnected lives of Los Angeles residents. Featuring a powerhouse cast including Julianne Moore, Robert Downey Jr., and Jack Lemmon, it’s Altman at his most Carver-esque and humanistic.
8. Gosford Park (2001)
A British murder mystery with a stellar ensemble, this late-career gem combines upstairs/downstairs dynamics with a classic whodunit structure. It even inspired Julian Fellowes’ Downton Abbey.
9. California Split (1974)
A gritty, intimate portrait of gambling addiction, with George Segal and Elliott Gould as compulsive gamblers. It’s Altman at his most raw and observational.
10. A Prairie Home Companion (2006)
Altman’s final film, released just before his death, serves as both a celebration of performance and a meditation on mortality. Set backstage at a radio variety show, it feels like a poignant farewell.
Robert Altman’s filmography is vast, unpredictable, and often divisive. Depending on mood, one might swap in Popeye, The Company, or even Kansas City. But what’s consistent is how Altman redefined the possibilities of storytelling in cinema. His movies invite rewatching — and heated debate.
