Michael Gambon was an Irish-English actor with an impressive career spanning six decades. When he passed away in 2023 at 82, many knew him best for playing Albus Dumbledore in the “Harry Potter” franchise, but there was much more to him than wands and wizards. Gambon was one of the original members of the Royal National Theatre and was initially known for his performances in Shakespeare productions. Throughout his career, he won three Olivier Awards and was nominated for a Tony Award. As for his history with film and television, Gambon had over 170 credits to his name, and his first onscreen role was playing various parts in “Othello” (1965) alongside the legendary Laurence Olivier.

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Gambon went on to make many appearances in movies and television shows. He was nominated for two Emmys and received much acclaim for playing Philip Marlow in “The Singing Detective,” which earned him his first of four BAFTA Awards. When it comes to film, Gambon was a master at shining in small-but-mighty roles. In fact, when listing Gambon’s best films, much of the actor’s screentime is limited. If this were a list of Gambon’s best performances rather than his best films, it would probably look a little different (and be filled with some BBC deep cuts). Much of Gambon’s notable work came later in his career, and while some of the following movies only briefly feature the iconic actor, he never failed to make a strong impression. 

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By the time “Sleepy Hollow” was released in 1999, Tim Burton was a well-known director whose lavishly gothic style mixed perfectly with spooky stories. The director’s spin on Washington Irving’s classic tale was met with fairly positive reviews, and the film even earned a respectable place on SlashFilm’s Tim Burton ranking. There is a lot of fun to be had in this adaptation, which is why we consider it one of Gambon’s best movies.

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In “Sleepy Hollow,” the residents of the titular town are in danger when someone resurrects the deadly Headless Horseman and sends him on a killing spree. Gambon plays Baltus Van Tassel, the father of Katrina (Christina Ricci) and the newly appointed leader of the town. Gambon has always thrived at playing authority figures and manages to stand out in a cast filled with other established actors from the UK (Ian McDiarmid, Christopher Lee, Richard Griffiths, and Michael Gough). 

For much of the runtime, Gambon is one of the main suspects, because Van Tassel has much to gain from the death toll that continues to grow in the town. Spoiler Alert: Van Tassel is proven innocent, but only because he is also killed by the Headless Horseman. It’s safe to say Van Tassel’s death scene is the coolest in the film. The character is impaled, flung through a window, and dragged to a fence before being beheaded. It’s quite gnarly and worth the price of admission. 

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“Path to War” is easily the most screentime Gambon gets from any film on this list. In 2002, the actor starred in the critically acclaimed television movie as former United States President Lyndon B. Johnson. The film follows Johnson’s entire presidency and the White House’s perspective on the Vietnam War. Gambon gives a powerful performance as the 36th president, who feels weighed down by the legacy of John F. Kennedy. Also starring Donald Sutherland and Alec Baldwin, “Path to War” was directed by John Frankenheimer and earned eight Emmy nominations, including Gambon landing a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie and the movie getting nominated for Outstanding Made For Television Movie.

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Considering how well Gambon captures the essence of Johnson and the weight that comes with the office, “Path to War” is a must-see for fans of the actor. Despite it being the role of a lifetime, Gambon almost opted out of the project due to real-world events.

“I couldn’t believe my luck,” Gambom told Charlie Rose in a 2002 interview about the film. “At the same time, it’s terrifying to come to America and play an American president … I come over here a week after 9/11, and America is in a terrible state. I almost ran away from it … I loved it, and I’m glad I did it.” 

“Layer Cake” was the first feature film directed by Matthew Vaughn, and it earned him a BAFTA nomination for the Carl Foreman Award for the Most Promising Newcomer. The movie marked a strong start for the “Kick-Ass” and “X-Men: First Class” director, and it helped pave the way for Daniel Craig’s Bond casting, even though the star initially tried to sabotage his chances. Before sitting in the director’s chair, Vaughn worked on some of Guy Ritchie’s films, and the “Snatch” director’s influence shines through “Layer Cake” in a big way. Craig starred in the movie as a successful drug dealer who quickly starts to lose control of his once smooth operation. You will not see Gambon until the 50-minute mark, but the actor’s appearance is worth the wait.

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Gambon plays Eddie Temple, a wealthy crime lord who kidnaps Craig’s unnamed character and fills him in on the dealings of local mob boss Jimmy Price (Kenneth Cranham). Gambon rocks a ridiculous fake tan, which adds a fun layer (no pun intended) to his charmingly volatile persona. Eddie is one of many domineering people played by Gambon, but there is a special eccentricity to him. It is obvious that Gambon was having fun while developing this character. 

Over the years, there have been many adaptations of Kenneth Grahame’s children’s novel, “The Wind in the Willows.” The 1995 animated version of the story was a British-made-for-TV movie helmed by Dave Unwin. The classic tale features Michael Gambon as Badger, who exudes authority but is also a lovable creature exponentially sweeter than most of Gambon’s other characters. 

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Revered by his fellow animals, Badger can always be counted on for a good meal and strong advice. In the film, Gambon’s deep and calming voice proves to be the perfect match for the animal, who has also been played by Bob Hoskins in live-action and voiced by Michael Hordern in a stop-motion television series. The 1995 version of “The Wind in the Willows” is the perfect blend of sweet and funny, and makes for a cozy watch during any season. 

Gambon reprised the role of Badger in the 1997 sequel, “The Wills in Winter,” which earned Rik Mayall an Emmy for voicing Toad. If Gambon isn’t enough of a reason to watch these animated treasures, the wacky adventures of Toad will keep you glued to the screen. 

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Michael Gambon was featured in a few Best Picture nominees over the years, but “The King’s Speech” is the only one to take home Hollywood’s biggest prize. The 2010 historical drama, which received high praise from SlashFilm at the time of its release, was directed by Tom Hooper and starred Colin Firth as King George VI. The film followed the new king’s need to overcome a stutter after unexpectedly ascending to the throne. In the film, Gambon plays Firth’s father, King George V. Sadly, he dies early in the movie, but Gambon once again makes an impact with his minimal screentime. There is a particularly powerful scene after King George V has taken ill. He is confused by his surroundings, and his family and staff must watch helplessly, saddened by the once majestic king’s incoherent rambles. 

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In addition to winning Best Picture, “The King’s Speech” also earned Colin Firth an Oscar for Best Actor, Hooper an award for Best Director, and David Seidler an award for Best Original Screenplay. While Gambon did not receive any individual accolades for the film, he did take home a Screen Actors Guild Award when the film won Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in 2011.  

Kevin Costner has directed a handful of westerns over the years, and one of his most underrated gems is the 2003 drama, “Open Range.” The movie follows Costner as a former Union soldier and gunslinger named Charley Waite, who is trying to live a calmer life as an open-range cattleman. Unfortunately, Charley’s plans for simple living are cut short when he gets caught up in some local drama in the town of Harmonville. The town is run by a cruel Irish immigrant named Denton Baxter, who happens to hate open-rangers. Baxter is played by Gambon, who eats up the villainous role. 

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Gambon has proven time and time again that he has a knack for playing men in high-ranking positions, but there’s something extra special about his performances when he gets to play those authority figures as downright scoundrels. Baxter is a ruthless leader who sends other men to do his dirty work, but Gambon really gets to shine in the third act when it comes to the final showdown.

“Open Range” also stars Robert Duvall, Diego Luna, and Annette Bening. 

It can be a bummer to talk about “Harry Potter” these days due to author J.K. Rowling’s incessant transphobia, which has led to actors from the series speaking out against her. However, it would be disingenuous to make a Gambon-centric list without including his turn as Albus Dumbledore. While one could argue Gambon’s best performance in the franchise came in “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” the third installment is considered the best film among many fans. Directed by Alfonso Cuarón, “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” marked a major turning point in the franchise. Not only did Chris Columbus step away as director after helming the first two films, but Gambon made his debut as the Hogwarts headmaster after the passing of Richard Harris. 

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While some were not happy with Gambon’s take on the powerful wizard, others appreciated the playfulness he brought to the role (screaming at Harry in “Goblet of Fire” notwithstanding). There was a fierceness to Gambon’s Dumbledore that rubbed some fans the wrong way, but he still managed to layer the character with heart and whimsy. Gambon had many memorable moments in his first outing, especially when it came to sending Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) off on their time travel adventure. Ultimately, the third “Harry Potter” movie stands above the rest thanks to Cuarón’s vision, and it marks an incredibly important turn in Gambon’s career. 

Funnily enough, Despite embodying Dumbledore for six films, Gambon never actually read any of the “Harry Potter” books.

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1999 is considered one of the greatest years for film, and one movie that is often left out of the conversation is “The Insider,” which has an impressive spot on SlashFilm’s Michael Mann ranking. The historical thriller stars Russell Crowe as Dr. Jeffrey Wigand, the biochemist and whistleblower who took on Big Tobacco in the ’90s. The star-studded cast also includes Al Pacino, Christopher Plummer, and of course, Michael Gambon. 

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In “The Insider,” Gambon takes on the role of another bad man with a high position: Brown & Williamson CEO Thomas Sandefur. This also marks another short but significant part for Gambon, who makes a lasting impression with the egregious lie, “I believe that nicotine is not addictive.” He is borderline scary in his big scene with Crowe, in which he talks about coming up through B&W as a salesman. 

“The Insider” was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It didn’t take home any prizes due to the heavy competition, but the movie easily could have swept in a lesser year. 

“Godford Park” is another Best Picture nominee that features Gambon. The film was helmed by Robert Altman and written by Julian Fellowes, who won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay Oscar in 2002. “Gosford Park” is a lavish murder mystery/dramedy with a stacked cast that earned a spot on SlashFilm’s list of the best murder mystery movies ever made. Gambon plays Sir William McCordle, the head of a country estate who hosts a shooting party with an impressive guest list. McCordle is soon murdered, and an Agatha Christie-style mystery begins. 

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Despite dying fairly early in the film (again!), Gambon’s presence looms large, and the moments he is onscreen are genuinely delightful. While McCordle is another man of high status, he’s slightly more likable than some of the other Gambon characters on this list. He’s not particularly nice like Badger in “The Wind in the Willows” or Albus Dumbledore, but he’s not exactly evil. McCordle is boorish and disliked by most of the people around him, but Gambon plays him with great gusto.

The film took away a handful of big prizes during awards season, and Gambon was among the winners for the Critics’ Choice Award’s Best Acting Ensemble and the Screen Actors Guild Award’s Outstanding Performance by the Cast of a Theatrical Motion Picture.

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When it comes to ranking films, sometimes you have to cheat a little and conjure up a tie. “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou” and “Fantastic Mr. Fox” were both helmed by Wes Anderson, and they are incredible additions to Gambon’s filmography. In 2004, Anderson cast Gambon as Oseary Drakoulias, Zissou’s (Bill Murray) film producer. The movie follows Zissou on his latest documentary film expedition, but Drakoulias is unable to get the funding the explorer needs.

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Gambon gets to be a little more playful in this film, and while he doesn’t have as much screentime as many of his co-stars, he at least gets more than a single scene. Unfortunately, the film was left out of most major awards, but Gambon and the rest of the cast did receive a Critics’ Choice nomination for Best Acting Ensemble.

As for “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” Gambon voices Franklin Bean, one of the main villains in the animated heist comedy. The film follows the titular fox (George Clooney), whose obsession with thieving causes him to encounter three very nasty humans. Funny enough, it’s a badger (Clive, voiced by Bill Murray) who calls Bean “possibly the scariest man currently living.” When the movie was released in 2009, Gambon already had plenty of practice playing characters who fit that description. Despite being a box office flop, the movie paved the way for one of Anderson’s biggest hits, and itwent on to get a nomination for Best Animated Feature Film at the Academy Awards.  

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The “Paddington” films are universally beloved, and you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t believe “Paddington 2” tops the original in every way. In both Paul King films, Gambon voices Uncle Pastuzo, the original lover of marmalade and owner of Paddington’s iconic red hat. While Gambon isn’t in either film very much, his voice brings a tender warmth to the character and makes you wish he were a real bear you could snuggle up with. 

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In the first film, Patuzo tragically dies after an earthquake causes him to get trapped under a tree branch. However, Gambon reprises the role in “Paddington 2” in a lovely flashback that shows Patuzo and his wife Lucy (Imelda Staunton) rescuing a young Paddington (Ben Whishaw) and taking him in to raise as their own. This is yet another example of Gambon leaving a lasting impression despite only having one scene. “Paddington 2” was nominated for three BAFTA Awards in 2017, including a nod for Outstanding British Film of the Year.

Gambon had already passed away by the release of the third installment, “Paddington in Peru.” However, Patuzo does make a brief cameo appearance in a photograph. 

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Michael Gambon’s best film also features his best (and most sinister) performance. This list includes a lot of nasty Gambon characters, but no one will turn your stomach like Albert in “The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover.” The 1989 film is a masterpiece (also one of the best food movies) that sees Gambon as an abusive criminal whose wife (Helen Mirren) starts to have an affair right under his nose.

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There are few films you can call “tactile” and “grotesque” in addition to “sexy” and “colorful.” Directed by Peter Greenaway and shot by cinematographer Sacha Vierny,  “The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover” is the type of movie only the Independent Spirit Awards would be brave enough to acknowledge (and they did with a “Best Foreign Film” nod). With an NC-17 rating, the artistry of the filmmaking only elevates its disturbing imagery and subject matter. 

Regrettably, “The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover” is difficult to find. You may need an all-region DVD player and a disc purchased on eBay, but this film is worth the hassle. The best way to truly understand Michael Gambon’s range is to watch him eat and rage in this wholly unique film. 

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