The 10 Best Cary Elwes Movies, Ranked (2024)

Carrying his signature charm to every hero, sidekick, or villain he portrays, Cary Elwes maintains a versatile resume that includes franchise films, cult classics, binge-worthy TV, and blockbuster flicks. Elwes became a rising star after his swooning performance in that iconic love story. His acting knows no genre bounds as he's starred in satire, horror, romance (even Hallmark-style), war films, and much more. Audiences know him for his undeniable smoldering gaze, charismatic delivery, and seemingly almost always donning a mustache in movies and television for the past four-plus decades.

In addition to his best leading performances, Elwes offers just as much star power with supporting and ensemble roles in popular titles like Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One and fan favorites like Ella Enchanted. Not only is he an actor, but Elwes also produces and even writes — his first and so far only screenplay was the certified-fresh comedy Elvis & Nixon. In front of the camera, the best Cary Elwes movies are a combination of iconic titles, Oscar-winning features, laugh-out-loud parodies, and so much more. Whether a leading man or a stellar supporting scene stealer, Elwes consistently rises to the occasion to deliver performances that audiences return to again and again.

10 'Twister' (1996)

Directed by Jan de Bont

The co*cky human antagonist of this iconic disaster movie, Dr. Jonas Miller provided the foundation for Glen Powell's role in the upcoming Twister reboot. The 90s classic stars Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt as soon-to-be divorced storm chasers, Bill and Jo, who take one last shot at implementing their weather alert system by placing it right in the path of a deadly tornado cell.

Elwes's Dr. Jonas Miller leads a team of competing scientists and weather experts who put their faith in plagiarized technology instead of intuition, bringing a stark comparison to the film's rag-tag team of protagonists. Donning a Southern accent that forces a double take to ensure that it is indeed him without his silky English speech, Elwes is immaculate in his portrayal of the seedy scientist who effortlessly gets under everyone's skin, including the viewers'. Dr. Jonas Miller remains one of the best antagonist roles in Elwes's arsenal.

Twister

PG-13

Adventure

Thriller

Action

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Release Date

May 10, 1996

Cast

Jami Gertz , Helen Hunt , Cary Elwes , Bill Paxton , Phillip Seymour Hoffman , Alan Ruck , Todd Field , Jeremy Davies

Runtime

113 minutes

Writers

Anne-Marie Martin , Michael Crichton

9 'Bram Stoker's Dracula' (1992)

Directed by Francis Ford Coppola

One of the legendary horror films bestowed with multiple Oscars, Bram Stoker's Dracula features Elwes in a supporting role (mustache included). Determined to find his lost love in another lifetime, the centuries-old vampire Dracula (Gary Oldman) travels to England, wreaking havoc as he pursues his lawyer's fiancée, Mina (Winona Ryder). Desperate to save her, Jonathan (Keanu Reeves) enlists the help of Professor Van Helsing (Anthony Hopkins) and three devastated lovers of a woman who became a victim in Dracula's game. Elwes stars as Lord Arthur Holmwood, the former fiance determined to help Jonathan kill Dracula and get revenge for Lucy's (Sadie Frost) demise.

Elwes has limited screen time in the just over two-hour film; however, his character finds redemption with the audiences since the initial impression labeled him as a posh socialite with money looking for a wife. His character rides a minimal arc, but an arc nonetheless, as audiences watch him witness Lucy's deterioration and the devastation he faces having lost her. This role in the gothic horror treasure would provide foundational experience for projects to come.

Bram Stoker's Dracula

R

Horror

Romance

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Release Date

November 13, 1992

Cast

Gary Oldman , Winona Ryder , Anthony Hopkins , Keanu Reeves , Cary Elwes

Runtime

128 minutes

8 'The Jungle Book' (1994)

Directed by Stephen Sommers

Before Disney used CGI to create a live-action adaptation, they first tackled The Jungle Book using real animals in this mid-90s adventure film. Based on Rudyard Kipling's classic story, the boy raised in the jungle is now a man. Mowgli (Jason Scott Lee) reunites with his childhood friend Kitty (Lena Headey) after discovering the treasure trove within Monkey City. However, Kitty's villainous suitor, Capt. Boone (Elwes) intends to exploit both the treasure and the jungle, forcing Mowgli to protect it and the creatures who raised him.

The fantasy adventure genre fits Elwes like a glove, whether villain or hero and The Jungle Book is no exception. Slick in all the ways that make a villain undesirable, Elwes turns the tables on his usual alluring persona and funnels it into a character whose ultimate demise audiences couldn't wait for.

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7 'Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare' (2024)

Directed by Guy Ritchie

Elwes stars in a supporting but crucial role in the action extravaganza from Guy Ritchie, a film based on the events of World War II's Operation Postmaster. In an attempt to combat the devastating firepower of the German U-boat fleet, Prime Minister Winston Churchill (Rory Kinnear) privately sanctions a special forces unit led by the unorthodox Gus March-Phillips (Henry Cavill) to destroy the fueling depot off the coast of Africa. Besides the unit and Churchill, only two other military officials were in on the plan: Ian Fleming (Freddie Fox) and Brigadier Gubbins (Elwes).

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is a dramatized but entertaining retelling despite taking several fictional liberties with its source material. Under Ritche's direction, the film delivers a satisfying action comedy that recognizes what's at stake while also lightening the mood in a historically dark genre. As always, Elwes provides the distinguished yet witty delivery that audiences have come to expect from the veteran star.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

R

Comedy

War

History

Adventure

Release Date

April 19, 2024

Cast

Henry Cavill , Cary Elwes , Alan Ritchson , Eiza Gonzalez

Runtime

120 minutes

Writers

Guy Ritchie , Paul Tamasy , Eric Johnson , Arash Amel

Rent on Amazon

6 'Days of Thunder' (1990)

Directed by Tony Scott

In this 90s action flick, Tom Cruise stars as Cole Trickle, a rookie NASCAR driver who forms an unlikely friendship with a former rival, Rowdy Burns (Michael Rooker), and agrees to drive Rowdy's car in the Daytona 500. His opponent is a former fellow rookie turned rival, Russ Wheeler (Elwes). Days of Thunder, which co-stars Robert Duvall and Nicole Kidman, combines 90s action, romance, and bitter rivalry to create a flashy audience-favored racing movie.

Stepping in as the cinematic adversary to Cruise, a rising dramatic and blockbuster action star, demanded a level of confidence and craft that could have easily been lost in the wrong hands. Elwes rises to the occasion, producing an opponent that audiences turn against as he turns against their hero. Days of Thunder is a formulaic hero action movie that requires a seamless surrender from the antagonist to fit the mold, something Elwes does expertly.

Days of Thunder

PG-13

Sport

Action

Drama

Release Date

June 27, 1990

Cast

Tom Cruise , Nicole Kidman , Robert Duvall , Randy Quaid , Cary Elwes , Michael Rooker , Fred Thompson , John C. Reilly

Runtime

117 Minutes

Writers

Robert Towne , Tom Cruise

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5 'Hot Shots!' (1991)

Directed by Jim Abrahams

Elwes' first entry into the satire genre parodied one of the best action movies of all time, Top Gun. Starring Charlie Sheen, Hot Shots! finds Navy pilot Topper Harley (Sheen) returning to active duty to help Lieutenant Commander James Block (Kevin Dunn) with a classified mission that is quickly sabotaged by a weapons manufacturing conspiracy. Elwes plays Kent Gregory, a bitter pilot whose father was killed in a flight accident after Topper's father, Buzz Harley (Bill Irwin), lost control of his plane and ejected, leaving Mailman (Ryan Stiles) to crash alone.

Top Gun is the perfect parody to poke fun at, capitalizing on its leading star's comedic timing. Hot Shots! is also a pop culture dump, taking aim at more than just Top Gun. Elwes goes all-in with the bits, committing to the course without upstaging rather than scene-stealing when the timing is right. Hot Shots! was a perfect preview of where Elwes would later go in the satire genre and a much-welcome change of pace for the actor.

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4 'Saw' (2004)

Directed by James Wan

Before it became one of the longest-running, successful horror franchises in history, Saw was just a low-budget project from the minds of two film students fresh out of school. Elwes stars as Dr. Lawrence Gordon, a physician who wakes up across from sleazy photographer Adam (Leigh Whannell) in a grimy industrial bathroom, both chained. The pair are the current victims of a serial killer's sad*stic game of survival, where they must piece together clues and follow the rules to escape.

Dr. Gordon is certainly no hero, leading to his participation in Jigsaw's (Tobin Bell) game. In a stomach-churning performance during the final act, Elwes delivers gruesome desperation so flawlessly that it deserves a spot in the horror hall of fame. Because Saw was like nothing genre audiences had seen before, Elwes and his co-stars were given a rare opportunity to experiment without limitation. The result is a film that is as psychologically taxing as it is thought-provoking, gory, and with calculated violence.

Saw

R

Crime

Horror

Mystery

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Release Date

October 1, 2004

Cast

Leigh Whannell , Cary Elwes , Danny Glover , Ken Leung , Dina Meyer , Mike Butters

Runtime

100

Writers

Leigh Whannell , James Wan

3 'Glory' (1989)

Directed by Edward Zwick

This Oscar-winning drama earns one of the top spots as one of the best Cary Elwes movies. Chronicling the harrowing tale of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, Glory is the story of Civil War Colonel Robert Gould Shaw (Matthew Broderick) and his command of the first all-African-American regiment and their fight to be considered for battle. The film has an immaculate cast that includes Elwes as Major Cabot Forbes, Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, and Andre Braugher.

Of its five Academy Award nominations, Glory won for Best Supporting Actor (Washington), Cinematography, and Sound. In one of the best war movies ever made, a young Elwes holds his own among his acclaimed co-stars. Forbes provides a powerful support system for Shaw, especially as the pair enter uncharted territory in training the first regiment of its kind.

Glory (1989)

R

Historical

War

Drama

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Release Date

December 15, 1989

Cast

Matthew Broderick , Denzel Washington , Cary Elwes , Morgan Freeman

Runtime

122

2 'Robin Hood: Men in Tights' (1993)

Directed by Mel Brooks

No stranger to fairytale features, Elwes paired his leading man persona with his comedic timing in this Mel Brooks satire. Robin Hood: Men in Tights features its titular hero (Elwes) after he escapes prison only to find his family estate has been taken by Prince John (Richard Lewis). With the help of his misfit troupe, Robin sets out to challenge the neurotic Prince John and his evil Sheriff of Rottingham (Roger Rees) while also trying to woo the beautiful Maid Marian (Amy Yasbeck). Filled with blink-and-you'll-miss-it one-liners and a rip-roaring sense of self-awareness, this parody is a mid-tier Mel Brooks production but a top-tier Elwes performance.

Poking fun at its source material with a saucy delivery, when asked by Prince John why the people should listen to him, Robin Hood declares, "Because, unlike some other Robin Hoods, I can speak with an English accent." The line was a playful jab at the Kevin Costner-led drama Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, where Costner retained his American accent. While it was no home run with critics, Robin Hood: Men in Tights remains an easy score with audiences who love the usual dashing demeanor from Elwes and his fluency in carrying Brooks' recognizable humor.

Robin Hood: Men in Tights

PG-13

Comedy

Adventure

Musical

Release Date

July 28, 1993

Cast

Cary Elwes , Richard Lewis , Roger Rees , Amy Yasbeck , Mark Blankfield , Dave Chappelle , Isaac Hayes , Megan Cavanagh

Runtime

104 Minutes

Writers

J.D. Shapiro , Evan Chandler , Mel Brooks

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1 'The Princess Bride' (1987)

Directed by Rob Reiner

A cult classic and Elwes' most iconic film, The Princess Bride is a storybook romance audiences still swoon over. Stuck in bed sick, a young boy (Fred Savage) listens as his grandfather (Peter Falk) reads him the adventurous tale about a pirate, a prince, a six-fingered man, a giant, a skilled swordsman, and a princess. Elwes stars as Westley, a farm boy who returns as an infamous pirate seeking to reunite with his true love, Buttercup (Robin Wright). Audiences instantly fell in love with the star-studded cast of comedic actors that included Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Guest, Wallace Shawn, and Andre the Giant.

Elwes had just a few credits to his name before landing the role of what would become one of the most beloved heartthrob characters of all time. A chameleon, Elwes seamlessly transitions the shy charm of Westley into the cheeky, suave charisma of Dread Pirate Roberts. The Princess Bride is one of the purest romance tales in cinema history, a feat that is only accomplished by lead performances that understand the weight and responsibility of each line. It doesn't matter when, where, or how many years have passed since The Princess Bride's release; there's no denying the collective stomach butterflies when Elwes utters, "As you wish."

The Princess Bride

PG

Adventure

Comedy

Family

Fantasy

Romance

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Release Date

October 9, 1987

Cast

Cary Elwes , Robin Wright , Mandy Patinkin , Chris Sarandon , Christopher Guest , Wallace Shawn

Runtime

98 minutes

Writers

William Goldman

NEXT: This 'Princess Bride' Set Accident Sent Cary Elwes to the Hospital