8 Best Movies of 1973

By Vlad Zakh · June 27, 2026

A look back at 1973, one of cinema’s most memorable years, ranking the films that have best stood the test of time. In The Sting (1973): Two con artists team up to pull off an elaborate scheme against a ruthless crime boss. Don’t overlook Amarcord (1973): A nostalgic, comic portrait of life in a small Italian coastal town during the fascist era.

The Long Goodbye (1973)

TMDB ★ 7.4

A private detective's loyalty to an old friend drags him into a tangled web of murder and deception.

Directed by Robert Altman · 1h 52m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Enter the Dragon (1973)

TMDB ★ 7.4

A martial artist infiltrates a crime lord's island tournament as an undercover agent for British intelligence.

Directed by Robert Clouse · 1h 42m · Rated R

Where to watch

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Serpico (1973)

IMDb ★ 7.7 RT 93% Metacritic 83

An honest police officer's refusal to accept bribes makes him a target within his own corrupt department.

Directed by Sidney Lumet · 2h 09m · Rated R

Nominated for 2 Oscars8 wins & 13 nominations

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Exorcist (1973)

IMDb ★ 8.1 RT 78% Metacritic 83

A mother seeks the help of two priests after her young daughter becomes violently possessed.

Directed by William Friedkin · 2h 02m · Rated R

Won 2 Oscars18 wins & 21 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, AMC, HBO Max · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Paper Moon (1973)

TMDB ★ 7.9

A small-time con man and a sharp-tongued young girl team up to swindle their way across Depression-era America.

Directed by Peter Bogdanovich · 1h 42m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Papillon (1973)

TMDB ★ 7.8

A wrongly convicted man endures brutal imprisonment while repeatedly attempting to escape a notorious penal colony.

Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner · 2h 31m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Amarcord (1973)

TMDB ★ 7.9

A nostalgic, comic portrait of life in a small Italian coastal town during the fascist era.

Directed by Federico Fellini · 2h 03m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, HBO Max · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Sting (1973)

IMDb ★ 8.2 RT 93% Metacritic 83

Two con artists team up to pull off an elaborate scheme against a ruthless crime boss.

Directed by George Roy Hill · 2h 09m · Rated PG

Won 7 Oscars18 wins & 6 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix, built to fix a specific annoyance: most recommendation sites are just algorithm-driven noise. Our lists are researched and organized by who's in a film, where it's from, and the mood you're actually in tonight.

8 Best Movies of 1973

The Long Goodbye (1973)

Enter the Dragon (1973)

Serpico (1973)

The Exorcist (1973)

Paper Moon (1973)

Papillon (1973)

Amarcord (1973)

The Sting (1973)

You might also like

250 Best Movies of All Time

6 Best Oscar Best Picture Winners of the 1970s

6 Best Prison Break Movies of All Time

50 Best Mystery and Detective Movies of All Time

6 Best Prison Warden and Death Row Guard Movies

6 Best Dust Bowl and Great Depression Migration Movies