List of American films of 1971

This is a list of American films released in 1971.

The 44th Academy Awards were presented April 10, 1972 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles. The ceremonies were co-hosted by Helen Hayes, Alan King, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Jack Lemmon. The French Connection won the Academy Award for Best Picture. The other nominees were A Clockwork Orange, Fiddler on the Roof, The Last Picture Show and Nicholas and Alexandra.

A–B

Title	Director	Cast	Genre/note
$ aka Dollars	Richard Brooks	Warren Beatty, Goldie Hawn	crime, comedy	Columbia
200 Motels	Tony Palmer, Charles Swenson	Frank Zappa, Ringo Starr, Theodore Bikel	comedy, musical	United Artists
The Anderson Tapes	Sidney Lumet	Sean Connery, Dyan Cannon, Christopher Walken, Alan King	crime, drama	Columbia
The Andromeda Strain	Robert Wise	Arthur Hill, James Olson, Kate Reid, David Wayne, Paula Kelly	science fiction	book by Michael Crichton
Bad Man's River	Eugenio Martin	Lee Van Cleef, Gina Lollobrigida	western
Bananas	Woody Allen	Woody Allen, Louise Lasser	comedy	United Artists
The Barefoot Executive	Robert Butler	Kurt Russell, Joe Flynn	comedy, family	Disney
The Battle of Love's Return	Lloyd Kaufman	Lloyd Kaufman, Lynn Lowry, Oliver Stone	comedy
Bedknobs and Broomsticks	Robert Stevenson	Angela Lansbury, David Tomlinson	musical, fantasy	Disney
The Beguiled	Don Siegel	Clint Eastwood, Geraldine Page, Elizabeth Hartman	drama	Universal
The Big Doll House	Jack Hill	Roberta Collins, Pam Grier	sexploitation
Big Jake	George Sherman	John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara, Richard Boone	western	National General
Billy Jack	Tom Laughlin	Tom Laughlin, Delores Taylor, Kenneth Tobey, Howard Hesseman	action	2 sequels
Bless the Beasts and Children	Stanley Kramer	Bill Mumy, Barry Robins, Miles Chapin	drama	novel by Glendon Swarthout
Blood Thirst	Newt Arnold	Robert Winston, Yvonne Nielson, Judy Dennis	horror
Born to Win	Ivan Passer	George Segal, Paula Prentiss, Karen Black	comedy
Brian's Song	Buzz Kulik	James Caan, Billy Dee Williams, Shelley Fabares, Jack Warden	biography, drama	made for TV
Brother John	James Goldstone	Sidney Poitier, Will Geer, Bradford Dillman	drama	Columbia
Bunny O'Hare	Gerd Oswald	Bette Davis, Ernest Borgnine	comedy	A.I.P.

C–G

Title	Director	Cast	Genre	Note
Cain's Cutthroats	Ken Osborne	John Carradine, Scott Brady	western	aka Cain's Way
Carnal Knowledge	Mike Nichols	Ann-Margret, Jack Nicholson, Candice Bergen, Art Garfunkel, Rita Moreno	drama	from Jules Feiffer play
Catlow	Sam Wanamaker	Yul Brynner, Richard Crenna, Leonard Nimoy	western	from Louis L'Amour novel
Clay Pigeon	Lane Slate	Telly Savalas, Burgess Meredith	action
Cold Turkey	Norman Lear	Dick Van Dyke, Bob Newhart	comedy	music by Randy Newman
Cry Uncle!	John G. Avildsen	Allen Garfield, Marcia Jean Kurtz	comedy
Day of the Wolves	Ferde Grofe, Jr.	Richard Egan, Martha Hyer, Jan Murray	crime drama	Hyer's final film
The Deadly Trap	Rene Clement	Faye Dunaway, Frank Langella	drama	made in France
The Deserter	Burt Kennedy	Bekim Fehmiu, John Huston, Richard Crenna, Ricardo Montalban, Chuck Connors	western	Dino De Laurentiis production
Desperate Characters	Frank D. Gilroy	Shirley MacLaine, Kenneth Mars	drama	Paramount
Die Screaming, Marianne	Pete Walker	Susan George, Leo Genn	horror
Dirty Harry	Don Siegel	Clint Eastwood, Andrew Robinson, Reni Santoni, Harry Guardino, John Vernon	drama, action	first in 5-film series
Doc	Frank Perry	Stacy Keach, Faye Dunaway, Harris Yulin	western	United Artists
Doctors' Wives	George Schaefer	Dyan Cannon, Richard Crenna, Gene Hackman	drama	Columbia
Dracula vs. Frankenstein	Al Adamson	Lon Chaney, Jr., J. Carrol Naish	horror	Chaney's final horror film
Drive, He Said	Jack Nicholson	William Tepper, Karen Black, Bruce Dern	drama	Columbia
Duel	Steven Spielberg	Dennis Weaver, Jacqueline Scott	thriller	made for TV
Escape from the Planet of the Apes	Don Taylor	Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Sal Mineo	science fiction	Planet of the Apes sequel
Evel Knievel	Marvin J. Chomsky	George Hamilton, Sue Lyon, Bert Freed	biography
Fiddler on the Roof	Norman Jewison	Topol, Norma Crane	musical	won 3 Academy Awards
Fools' Parade	Andrew V. McLaglen	James Stewart, Kurt Russell, George Kennedy	crime, drama	from Davis Grubb story
Four Rode Out	John Peyser	Sue Lyon, Leslie Nielsen	western
The French Connection	William Friedkin	Gene Hackman, Roy Scheider	crime, drama	won 5 Academy Awards
Fright	Peter Collinson	Honor Blackman, Susan George	suspense	Allied Artists
The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight	James Goldstone	Jerry Orbach, Robert De Niro	comedy	from Jimmy Breslin novel
Gas-s-s-s	Roger Corman	Ben Vereen, Talia Shire	comedy	AIP
Going Home	Herbert Leonard	Robert Mitchum, Brenda Vaccaro	drama	MGM
The Grissom Gang	Robert Aldrich	Kim Darby, Scott Wilson, Tony Musante	crime	ABC Pictures
A Gunfight	Lamont Johnson	Kirk Douglas, Johnny Cash	western	Native American-financed

H–M

Title	Director	Cast	Genre	Note
Hannie Caulder	Burt Kennedy	Raquel Welch, Ernest Borgnine, Robert Culp, Strother Martin, Jack Elam, Christopher Lee	western	Paramount
Happy Birthday, Wanda June	Mark Robson	Rod Steiger, Don Murray, Susannah York	comedy	based on Kurt Vonnegut play
The Hard Ride	Burt Topper	Robert Fuller	action
Harold and Maude	Hal Ashby	Bud Cort, Ruth Gordon, Vivian Pickles	comedy	2 Golden Globe nominations
The Hellstrom Chronicle	Walon Green	Lawrence Pressman	mockumentary
The Hired Hand	Peter Fonda	Peter Fonda, Warren Oates	western	Universal
The Horsemen	John Frankenheimer	Omar Sharif, Leigh Taylor-Young, Jack Palance	adventure	based on Joseph Kessel novel
The Hospital	Arthur Hiller	George C. Scott, Diana Rigg, Barnard Hughes	drama	Oscar for screenplay by Paddy Chayevsky
How to Frame a Figg	Alan Rifkin	Don Knotts, Joe Flynn, Yvonne Craig	comedy
The Hunting Party	Don Medford	Gene Hackman, Oliver Reed, Candice Bergen	western	United Artists
The Incredible 2-Headed Transplant	Anthony Lanza	Bruce Dern, Pat Priest	sci-fi	AIP
Johnny Got His Gun	Dalton Trumbo	Timothy Bottoms, Diane Varsi, Donald Sutherland	drama, war	Cannes Grand Prix award
Klute	Alan J. Pakula	Jane Fonda, Donald Sutherland, Roy Scheider	mystery	Oscar for Fonda
Kotch	Jack Lemmon	Walter Matthau, Deborah Winters, Felicia Farr	comedy	only film directed by Lemmon
The Last Movie	Dennis Hopper	Dennis Hopper, Toni Basil	drama	Universal
The Last Picture Show	Peter Bogdanovich	Jeff Bridges, Timothy Bottoms, Cybill Shepherd, Cloris Leachman, Ben Johnson, Ellen Burstyn, Eileen Brennan, Randy Quaid	drama	based on novel by Larry McMurtry; Oscars for Leachman, Johnson
The Last Run	Richard Fleischer	George C. Scott, Tony Musante, Trish Van Devere	action	MGM
Lawman	Michael Winner	Burt Lancaster, Robert Ryan, Lee J. Cobb, Sheree North, J.D. Cannon, Albert Salmi, Robert Duvall	western	United Artists
Le Mans	Lee H. Katzin	Steve McQueen, Siegfried Rauch	action	National General
Let's Scare Jessica to Death	John D. Hancock	Zohra Lampert	horror
The Light at the Edge of the World	Kevin Billington	Kirk Douglas, Yul Brynner, Samantha Eggar	adventure	MGM; based on Jules Verne novel
Little Murders	Alan Arkin	Elliott Gould, Marcia Rodd, Doris Roberts, Elizabeth Wilson, Vincent Gardenia	comedy	20th Century Fox; written by Jules Feiffer
The Love Machine	Jack Haley, Jr.	Dyan Cannon, John Phillip Law, Robert Ryan	drama	based on Jacqueline Susann novel
Made for Each Other	Robert B. Bean	Renée Taylor, Joseph Bologna, Paul Sorvino	romantic comedy	20th Century Fox
Man in the Wilderness	Richard C. Sarafian	Richard Harris, John Huston	western
The Marriage of a Young Stockbroker	Lawrence Turman	Richard Benjamin, Joanna Shimkus, Adam West	drama	20th Century Fox
McCabe & Mrs. Miller	Robert Altman	Warren Beatty, Julie Christie, William Devane, Rene Auberjonois, Keith Carradine	western	Warner Bros.; Oscar nomination for Christie
The Mephisto Waltz	Paul Wendkos	Alan Alda, Jacqueline Bisset, Barbara Parkins	horror	20th Century Fox
The Million Dollar Duck	Vincent McEveety	Dean Jones, Sandy Duncan, Tony Roberts	family	Disney
Minnie and Moskowitz	John Cassavetes	John Cassavetes, Gena Rowlands, Seymour Cassel	romantic comedy	Universal
Mrs. Pollifax-Spy	Leslie H. Martinson	Rosalind Russell, Darren McGavin	mystery	Russell's final film
Murphy's War	Peter Yates	Peter O'Toole	war	based on Max Catto novel

N–S

Title	Director	Cast	Genre	Note
Necromania	Ed Wood	Maria Arnold, Ed Wood	horror
A New Leaf	Elaine May	Walter Matthau, Elaine May, James Coco, Jack Weston, Doris Roberts	comedy	2 Golden Globe nominations
The Night God Screamed	Lee Madden	Jeanne Crain, Alex Nicol, Daniel Spelling, Michael Sugich, Barbara Hancock, Dawn Cleary, Gary Morgan	psychological horror	independent production Cinemation Industries release
Night of Dark Shadows	Dan Curtis	Kate Jackson, David Selby, Lara Parker	mystery	House of Dark Shadows sequel
Octaman	Harry Essex	Pier Angeli, Jeff Morrow	sci-fi	Angeli's final film
The Omega Man	Boris Sagal	Charlton Heston, Rosalind Cash, Anthony Zerbe	sci-fi	based on novel I Am Legend
One More Train to Rob	Victor McLaglen	George Peppard, Diana Muldaur, John Vernon	western	Universal
The Panic in Needle Park	Jerry Schatzberg	Al Pacino, Kitty Winn, Kiel Martin	drama	Pacino's second film
Pink Narcissus	James Bidgood	Don Brooks	fantasy
Play Misty for Me	Clint Eastwood	Clint Eastwood, Jessica Walter, Donna Mills	thriller	first film directed by Eastwood
Plaza Suite	Arthur Hiller	Walter Matthau, Lee Grant, Maureen Stapleton, Barbara Harris	comedy	written by Neil Simon
Pretty Maids All in a Row	Roger Vadim	Rock Hudson, Angie Dickinson	mystery, comedy	written by Gene Roddenberry
Punishment Park	Peter Watkins	Scott Turner	mockumentary
The Pursuit of Happiness	Robert Mulligan	Michael Sarrazin, Barbara Hershey, Robert Klein	drama	Columbia
Raid on Rommel	Henry Hathaway	Richard Burton, John Colicos, Wolfgang Preiss	war
Red Sky at Morning	James Goldstone	Desi Arnaz, Jr., Catherine Burns, Richard Crenna	drama	Golden Globe for Arnaz
The Resurrection of Zachary Wheeler	Bob Wynn	Angie Dickinson, Bradford Dillman	sci-fi
A Safe Place	Henry Jaglom	Jack Nicholson, Tuesday Weld, Orson Welles	drama	Columbia
The Sandpit Generals	Hall Bartlett	Tisha Sterling	drama
See No Evil	Richard Fleischer	Mia Farrow	suspense	Filmways
The Seven Minutes	Russ Meyer	Edy Williams, Yvonne De Carlo, Tom Selleck	drama	based on Irving Wallace novel
Shaft	Gordon Parks	Richard Roundtree, Moses Gunn	crime, action	Oscar for Best Song
Shoot Out	Henry Hathaway	Gregory Peck, James Gregory, Jeff Corey, Susan Tyrrell	western	Hathaway's next-to-last film
Simon, King of the Witches	Bruce Kessler	Allyson Ames	horror
Skin Game	Paul Bogart	James Garner, Louis Gossett, Jr., Susan Clark	western, comedy	Warner Bros.
Something Big	Andrew V. McLaglen	Dean Martin, Brian Keith, Ben Johnson, Honor Blackman	western	music by Burt Bacharach
Sometimes a Great Notion	Paul Newman	Paul Newman, Henry Fonda, Lee Remick, Michael Sarrazin, Richard Jaeckel	adventure	based on Ken Kesey novel
Soul to Soul	Denis Sanders	Tina Turner, Ike Turner, Carlos Santana	documentary
Star Spangled Girl	Jerry Paris	Sandy Duncan, Tony Roberts	comedy	written by Neil Simon
Straw Dogs	Sam Peckinpah	Dustin Hoffman, Susan George, David Warner	thriller	remade in 2011
Such Good Friends	Otto Preminger	Dyan Cannon, James Coco, Jennifer O'Neill	comedy, drama	Elaine May script
Summer of '42	Robert Mulligan	Jennifer O'Neill, Gary Grimes, Jerry Houser	drama	Warner Bros.; Oscar for Best Musical Score
Summertree	Anthony Newley	Michael Douglas, Brenda Vaccaro	drama
Sunday Bloody Sunday	John Schlesinger	Glenda Jackson, Peter Finch	drama	4 Oscar nominations
Support Your Local Gunfighter!	Burt Kennedy	James Garner, Suzanne Pleshette, Harry Morgan	comedy	United Artists
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song	Melvin Van Peebles	Melvin Van Peebles, John Amos	crime drama	Cinemation Industries

T–Z

Title	Director	Cast	Genre	Note
THX 1138	George Lucas	Robert Duvall, Donald Pleasence, Ian Wolfe, Don Pedro Colley	science fiction	Lucas's first film
T.R. Baskin	Herbert Ross	Candice Bergen, Peter Boyle, James Caan	drama	Paramount
Taking Off	Miloš Forman	Lynn Carlin, Buck Henry, Georgia Engel	comedy	Universal
There's Always Vanilla	George A. Romero	Raymond Laine	drama
They Might Be Giants	Anthony Harvey	George C. Scott, Joanne Woodward	mystery	Universal; from James Goldman play
The Touch	Ingmar Bergman	Elliott Gould, Bibi Andersson, Max von Sydow	drama	Cinerama Releasing Corporation
The Touch of Satan	Tom Laughlin	Michael Berry	horror
A Town Called Bastard	Robert Parrish	Robert Shaw, Stella Stevens, Telly Savalas	western
The Trojan Women	Michael Cacoyannis	Katharine Hepburn, Vanessa Redgrave, Geneviève Bujold, Irene Papas	drama	Cinerama Releasing Corporation
Two-Lane Blacktop	Monte Hellman	Warren Oates, James Taylor, Dennis Wilson	drama	Universal
Valdez Is Coming	Edwin Sherin	Burt Lancaster, Susan Clark, Jon Cypher	western	Elmore Leonard story
Vanishing Point	Richard C. Sarafian	Barry Newman, Cleavon Little, Dean Jagger	action	remade in 1997
Von Richthofen and Brown	Roger Corman	John Phillip Law, Don Stroud	war	United Artists
Werewolves on Wheels	Michel Levesque	Billy Gray	horror, action
What's the Matter with Helen?	Curtis Harrington	Debbie Reynolds, Shelley Winters, Dennis Weaver	thriller	Filmways
Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me?	Ulu Grosbard	Dustin Hoffman, Jack Warden, Barbara Harris	comedy	Oscar nomination for Harris
Who Killed Mary What's 'Er Name?	Ernest Pintoff	Red Buttons, Sam Waterston	mystery	Cannon Films
Wild Rovers	Blake Edwards	William Holden, Ryan O'Neal, Karl Malden, Joe Don Baker, Tom Skerritt	western	MGM; Edwards' only western
Willard	Daniel Mann	Bruce Davison, Ernest Borgnine, Elsa Lanchester	horror	followed by Ben
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory	Mel Stuart	Gene Wilder, Jack Albertson, Peter Ostrum	musical, fantasy	Paramount; from story by Roald Dahl; remade in 2005
Women in Cages	Gerardo de Leon	Pam Grier	action
You've Got to Walk It Like You Talk It or You'll Lose That Beat	Peter Locke	Allen Garfield, Richard Pryor	drama, comedy
Zachariah	George Englund	John Rubinstein, Dick Van Patten, Don Johnson	western	from Herman Hesse novel
The Zodiac Killer	Tom Hanson	Hal Reed, Bob Jones, Ray Lynch, Tom Pittman	crime drama

External links

• 1971 films at the Internet Movie Database