Top Movies 1972

Updated May 1, 2024

So many directors have explored Top Movies 1972. Here are 25 of our favorites.

The Godfather (1972)

★★★★

3.7 out of 4 stars

From Francis Ford Coppola, starring Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Diane Keaton
Rated R

The Godfather is a 1972 American crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola and produced by Albert S. Ruddy, based on Mario Puzo's best-selling novel of the same name. It stars Marlon Brando and Al Pacino as the leaders of a powerful New York Mafia family. The story, spanning 1945 to 1955, chronicles the family under the patriarch Vito Corleone (Brando) as it moves from crime to a more legitimate business in the 1950s. The Godfather follows the Corleones as they become involved in powerful organized crime and the struggles that come with it. The film explores themes of power, loyalty, authority, and family. The story centers around Michael Corleone (Pacino), the youngest son of Vito, who attempts to free the family from its criminal background and gain legitimacy in its business affairs. As more of his family members are killed, Michael finds himself taking the reins of the family business while balancing his own moral convictions. In the end, Michael is able to establish himself as the Godfather of the Corleone family and the head of one of the most powerful criminal organizations in America.

Solaris (1972)

★★★★

3.2 out of 4 stars

From Andrei Tarkovsky, starring Natalya Bondarchuk, Donatas Banionis, Jüri Järvet, Vladislav Dvorzhetskiy
Rated PG

Solaris is a 1972 Soviet science fiction film directed by Andrei Tarkovsky. Based on the novel by Stanisław Lem, the film follows a psychologist who is sent to investigate strange phenomena occurring on Solaris, an isolated space station orbiting a mysterious planet. He soon discovers that the station's crew is being haunted by their past and their secrets, manifested as strange visitors from the planet below. The psychologist must confront his own troubled past in order to uncover the secrets of Solaris, and come to terms with the strange reality of the space station. With its dreamlike atmosphere and philosophical musings, Solaris is a classic of science fiction cinema, exploring the nature of memory, identity, and humanity's place in the universe.

Cabaret (1972)

★★★★

3.1 out of 4 stars

From Bob Fosse, starring Liza Minnelli, Michael York, Helmut Griem, Joel Grey
Rated PG

Cabaret is a 1972 American musical drama film directed by Bob Fosse and starring Liza Minnelli, Joel Grey, Michael York, and Helmut Griem. Set in 1931 Berlin, the film is an adaptation of the 1966 Broadway musical of the same name, which was adapted from Christopher Isherwood's 1939 novel Goodbye to Berlin. The film follows the story of Sally Bowles, an aspiring cabaret singer living in Berlin, who begins an affair with an American writer, Brian Roberts, as Nazi Germany begins to rise to power. Throughout the film, Sally and Brian's relationship unravels as they become enmeshed in the growing darkness and tension of Berlin, ultimately leading to a tragic outcome. The musical numbers, such as "Willkommen" and "Mein Herr", provide a backdrop to the story, set against the growing anti-Semitism and violence of Nazi Germany. The film won eight Academy Awards, including Best Director and Best Actress in a Leading Role for Minnelli.

The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)

★★★★

3.1 out of 4 stars

From Luis Buñuel, starring Fernando Rey, Delphine Seyrig, Paul Frankeur, Bulle Ogier
Rated PG

The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie is a surrealist satire of the bourgeoisie and their ritualistic behavior. The film follows a group of bourgeois friends as they try and fail to have dinner together. Their attempts are continually thwarted by a series of bizarre occurrences, including a military invasion, a secret meeting of a revolutionary group, and a surreal dream sequence. The dinner party never happens, and instead the friends find themselves in a continuous cycle of confusion and frustration. The film also features surrealist elements such as dream sequences, juxtapositions of reality and fantasy, and a tongue-in-cheek examination of the bourgeois lifestyle. The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie is ultimately a critique of privilege and its impact on society.

Deliverance (1972)

★★★★

3.1 out of 4 stars

From John Boorman, starring Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty, Ronny Cox
Rated R

Deliverance (1972) is a psychological thriller directed by John Boorman and starring Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty, and Ronny Cox. The film follows four city dwellers, Lewis (Voight), Ed (Reynolds), Bobby (Beatty), and Drew (Cox), as they set off on a weekend canoeing trip through the remote Georgia backcountry. Despite warnings of danger, the four men find themselves in a fight for survival when they are attacked by two hillbillies. The film is a suspenseful exploration of the fragility of man's civilized veneer in the face of the natural world.

Play It Again, Sam (1972)

★★★★

3 out of 4 stars

From Herbert Ross, starring Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Tony Roberts, Jerry Lacy
Rated PG

In this romantic comedy, Woody Allen stars as Allen Felix, a film critic and romantic loser who, after a painful breakup, seeks advice from the ghost of Humphrey Bogart. With Bogart's help, Allen learns to be more confident with women and to embrace his unique sense of humor. In the end, Allen musters the courage to ask out Linda Christie (Diane Keaton), a woman he has been admiring from afar. Although Linda initially resists, she eventually comes around, and the two start a relationship. Play It Again, Sam is a funny and heartfelt exploration of the power of believing in oneself.

Jeremiah Johnson (1972)

★★★★

3 out of 4 stars

From Sydney Pollack, starring Robert Redford, Will Geer, Delle Bolton, Josh Albee
Rated GP

Jeremiah Johnson is a 1972 American Western film directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Robert Redford as the title character, a mountain man who wishes to be left alone in the Rocky Mountains of the mid-1800s. Despite his best efforts to avoid contact with other people, Johnson soon finds himself embroiled in a conflict between the U.S. Calvary and the Crow Indian tribe, and ultimately with a renegade bear hunter named Bear Claw. Along the way, Johnson befriends a mountain man named Hatchet Jack and finds love with a mysterious woman named Swan. Through his adventures, Johnson finds out the real meaning of honor and courage, and learns to accept his place in the world.

The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (1972)

★★★★

3 out of 4 stars

From Rainer Werner Fassbinder, starring Margit Carstensen, Hanna Schygulla, Katrin Schaake, Eva Mattes
Rated Not Rated

The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant is a 1972 German drama film directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder. It tells the story of a successful fashion designer, Petra von Kant, whose life is turned upside down when she falls in love with a younger woman. The film follows Petra's struggles to maintain her relationships with both her possessive mother and her new lover and highlights the power dynamics between men and women in a patriarchal society. Through this story, Fassbinder examines the complexities of desire, love, and identity in a time of social and political upheaval.