Gene Hackman was, as so many of his fellow Hollywood heavyweights have remembered him, one of “the true giants of the screen.”
The two-time Oscar winner, 95, was found dead alongside his wife, 65-year-old Betsy Arakawa, at their Santa Fe home on Wednesday.
Hackman had a storied career spanning more than four decades, and was highly regarded for his wide-ranging performances across genres. He continues to be just as beloved for his earlier work in films such as 1971’s “The French Connection” as he is for “The Royal Tenenbaums,” one of his last projects prior to his retirement in 2004.
For those who already love and want to celebrate Hackman, as well as those who want to get acquainted with his work, here are six of his best films and where to watch them.
The French Connection (1971)
Hackman took home his first of two Academy Awards for William Friedkin’s neo-noir, in which he stars as a gristly NYPD detective whose attempt to take down a French drug ring turns obsessive. The film won four other Oscars, including for Best Picture and Best Director, as well as a Supporting Actor nomination for Roy Scheider.
Where to watch: Available to rent for $3.99 on Prime Video
The Conversation (1974)
In Francis Ford Coppola’s Best Picture-nominated neo-noir, Hackman plays a surveillance expert who discovers his targets are likely to be murdered. Coppola, who also penned the screenplay, praised the late star as “inspiring and magnificent in his work and complexity.”
Where to watch: Available to rent for $3.99 on Prime Video
Hoosiers (1986)
In “Hoosiers,” Hackman stars as a down-and-out high school basketball coach tasked with bringing his Indiana team to greatness against all odds. The 1950s-set sports drama also stars Barbara Hershey and Dennis Hopper, earning the latter an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
Where to watch: Available to rent for $2.99 on Prime Video
WARNER BROS/ABC
Gene Hackman in “Unforgiven” in 1992 (WARNER BROS/ABC)
Unforgiven (1992)
The Best Picture-winning revisionist Western earned Hackman his second and final Academy Award for his portrayal of ruthless Sheriff “Little Bill” Daggett, who uses any and all means to keep crime out of his small Wyoming town. The film co-stars Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman as retired outlaws taking on one last job to avenge injustice.
Where to watch: Available to stream for free on Prime Video through Friday, or to rent for $3.99
The Birdcage (1996)
Mike Nichols’ laugh-out-loud comedy stars Robin Williams and Nathan Lane as a gay couple forced to masquerade as straight men to appease their son’s soon-to-be in-laws (with Gene Hackman as the conservative patriarch and senator). In a tribute mourning his co-star’s death, Lane said, “Gene Hackman was my favorite actor, as I think I told him every day we worked together on ‘The Birdcage.’”
Where to watch: Available to stream for free on Prime Video, Max and Freevee
The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
Wes Anderson’s zany family dramedy centers on the trials and tribulations of the titular brood (played by Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Stiller and Luke Wilson), and sees Hackman in the role of their estranged father.
Bill Murray, who also starred in the 2001 Oscar nominee, remembered Hackman as “really good and … really difficult.”
“Older great actors do not give young directors much of a chance. They’re really rough on ’em,” Murray said of working with Hackman. “But he was a great one. He was a great actor.”
Where to watch: Available to rent for $3.79 on Prime Video
