7 Best Karl Malden Movies

By Vlad Zakh · January 21, 2026

Karl Malden brought rumpled, everyman honesty to American film, and his work with Elia Kazan produced some of the most acclaimed dramatic work of the 1950s. A Streetcar Named Desire and On the Waterfront are the Kazan titles. Patton lines him up with a brilliant, egotistical general, How the West Was Won crosses generations of one family, One-Eyed Jacks hunts a betrayed outlaw’s revenge, and Nuts defends a woman’s sanity. Baby Doll rounds out the list.

Nuts (1987)

TMDB ★ 6.6

A woman fighting to prove her own sanity clashes with the family and lawyers trying to have her committed.

Directed by Martin Ritt · 1h 56m

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Patton (1970)

TMDB ★ 7.9

A brilliant, egomaniacal general's Second World War career is shaped as much by his flaws as his tactical genius.

Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner · 2h 52m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, Philo · 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

How the West Was Won (1962)

TMDB ★ 7.2

A sweeping saga follows generations of one American family across the westward expansion.

Directed by Henry Hathaway & John Ford · 2h 44m · Rated G

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

One-Eyed Jacks (1961)

TMDB ★ 6.9

A bank robber seeks revenge against the former partner who betrayed him and left him in prison.

Directed by Marlon Brando · 2h 21m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, Starz Apple TV channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home, MovieMe · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Baby Doll (1956)

TMDB ★ 7.0

A cotton gin owner's rivalry with a competitor puts his young, naive wife in dangerous company.

Directed by Elia Kazan · 1h 54m

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

On the Waterfront (1954)

IMDb ★ 8.1 RT 99% Metacritic 91

A washed-up boxer turned dockworker struggles with his conscience after witnessing union corruption.

Directed by Elia Kazan · 1h 48m · Rated NR

Won 8 Oscars30 wins & 11 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel · 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

A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

TMDB ★ 8.0

A fading Southern belle's grip on reality slips after she moves in with her sister and her brutish brother-in-law.

Directed by Elia Kazan · 2h 02m · Rated PG

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

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.

7 Best Karl Malden Movies

Nuts (1987)

Patton (1970)

How the West Was Won (1962)

One-Eyed Jacks (1961)

Baby Doll (1956)

On the Waterfront (1954)

A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

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