6 Best Rod Steiger Movies

By Vlad Zakh · January 17, 2026

Rod Steiger brought heavyweight, Method-trained intensity to American film, and his best roles used real physical and emotional volatility to devastating effect. In the Heat of the Night partners a bigoted police chief with a Black detective, The Pawnbroker confronts a Holocaust survivor with buried trauma in Harlem, No Way to Treat a Lady has a theatrical serial killer taunting a detective, and W.C. Fields and Me dramatises the comedian’s later years. On the Waterfront and Doctor Zhivago round out the list.

W.C. Fields and Me (1976)

TMDB ★ 6.1

Rod Steiger features in this dramatisation of comedian W.C. Fields's later years and his complicated romance.

Directed by Arthur Hiller · 1h 51m · Rated PG

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

No Way to Treat a Lady (1968)

TMDB ★ 6.8

A theatrical serial killer taunts the detective assigned to catch him with an escalating game of disguises.

Directed by Jack Smight · 1h 48m · Rated NR

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

In the Heat of the Night (1967)

IMDb ★ 7.9 RT 96% Metacritic 76

A Black homicide detective reluctantly assists a hostile Southern police force with a murder case.

Directed by Norman Jewison · 1h 49m · Rated PG-13

Won 5 Oscars24 wins & 16 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: History Vault, IndieFlix Shorts Amazon Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Pawnbroker (1964)

TMDB ★ 7.7

A Holocaust survivor running a Harlem pawnshop is forced to confront his buried trauma.

Directed by Sidney Lumet · 1h 56m · Rated NR

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Doctor Zhivago (1965)

TMDB ★ 7.9

A physician and poet's life and loves are shattered by the chaos of the Russian Revolution.

Directed by David Lean · 3h 20m · Rated PG-13

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

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

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 Rod Steiger Movies

W.C. Fields and Me (1976)

No Way to Treat a Lady (1968)

In the Heat of the Night (1967)

The Pawnbroker (1964)

Doctor Zhivago (1965)

On the Waterfront (1954)

You might also like

250 Best Movies of All Time

6 Best Oscar Best Actor Winners of the 1950s

6 Best Oscar Best Actor Winning Movies

6 Best Labor Union Strike Movies

6 Best Shipyard and Dockworker Movies

6 Best Pawn Shop and Auction Movies