Gene Hackman had an incredible career filled with iconic performances. He could play anything. I remember years ago he owned a restaurant in South Beach. Saw him there a few times. He was a very humble and friendly guy.

Here are his top 10 movies:

1. The French Connection (1971)

• Hackman won an Academy Award for his legendary role as Popeye Doyle, a tough New York detective chasing a drug smuggling operation.

2. Unforgiven (1992)

• Playing the ruthless sheriff Little Bill Daggett, Hackman won his second Oscar in Clint Eastwood’s gritty, revisionist Western.

3. The Conversation (1974)

• A masterclass in paranoia and subtle acting, Hackman plays a surveillance expert drawn into a mysterious conspiracy.

4. Mississippi Burning (1988)

• A powerful civil rights drama with Hackman as an FBI agent investigating the murder of activists in the South.

5. Hoosiers (1986)

• One of the greatest sports movies of all time, Hackman shines as the tough but inspiring coach of an underdog basketball team.

6. Crimson Tide (1995)

• A tense submarine thriller where Hackman and Denzel Washington clash over nuclear war protocols.

7. Superman: The Movie (1978)

• Hackman’s charismatic and humorous take on Lex Luthor made him one of the most memorable comic book villains ever.

8. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

• As the dysfunctional patriarch Royal Tenenbaum, Hackman blends humor and heart in Wes Anderson‘s quirky classic.

9. No Way Out (1987)

• A gripping political thriller featuring Hackman as a high-ranking official caught in a web of deception.

10. Enemy of the State (1998)

• A modern update of The Conversation, where Hackman plays a reclusive surveillance expert helping Will Smith escape government spies.

Which of these is your favorite? Or do you have another Hackman film you love?

Here are a bunch of Gene Hackman films (and books, he wrote novels) you can purchase.

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