6 Best Jason Robards Movies

By Vlad Zakh · January 21, 2026

Jason Robards brought weathered, literary gravitas to American film and theatre and became one of the most respected dramatic actors of his generation. Magnolia intersects several strangers’ lives in the San Fernando Valley, Once Upon a Time in America follows ghetto friends rising through crime, Julia has a writer smuggling money into Nazi Germany, and Max Dugan Returns showers a dying father’s money on his estranged family. All the President’s Men and Once Upon a Time in the West round out the list.

Magnolia (1999)

IMDb ★ 8.0 RT 82% Metacritic 78

Sprawling, strange, and one of the most ambitious ensemble dramas of the decade.

Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson · 3h 09m · Rated R

Nominated for 3 Oscars28 wins & 59 nominations

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Once Upon a Time in America (1984)

IMDb ★ 8.3 RT 86% Metacritic 75

An ageing gangster returns to New York decades later to confront the ghosts of his violent past.

Directed by Sergio Leone · 2h 19m · Rated R

Won 2 BAFTA Awards11 wins & 13 nominations

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Max Dugan Returns (1983)

TMDB ★ 6.1

An estranged, dying father tries to reconnect with his daughter and grandson by showering them with gifts.

Directed by Herbert Ross · 1h 38m · Rated PG

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Julia (1977)

TMDB ★ 6.9

A playwright risks her life smuggling money to help her childhood friend resist the Nazis.

Directed by Fred Zinnemann · 1h 57m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Buy: Amazon Video

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

All the President's Men (1976)

IMDb ★ 7.9 RT 95% Metacritic 84

Two Washington Post reporters slowly unravel the Watergate conspiracy.

Directed by Alan J. Pakula · 2h 18m · Rated PG

Won 4 Oscars17 wins & 23 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: TCM · 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

Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

IMDb ★ 8.5 RT 96% Metacritic 82

A mysterious harmonica-playing gunslinger seeks revenge against a ruthless railroad enforcer.

Directed by Sergio Leone · 2h 46m · Rated PG-13

6 wins & 5 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: MGM Plus · 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

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. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

6 Best Jason Robards Movies

Magnolia (1999)

Once Upon a Time in America (1984)

Max Dugan Returns (1983)

Julia (1977)

All the President's Men (1976)

Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

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