Sam Elliott 's best movies highlight a career that has lasted decades and delivered some true classics to audiences. Born in Sacramento, California on August 9, 1944, Elliott began his career with small roles in movies like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid as well as guest-starring in shows like Mission: Impossible. However, Elliott's reputation as a strong character actor continued to grow with leading parts in cult favorites like Frogs and The Lifeguard and acclaimed ing roles in movies like Mask.

By the late 1980s and early 1990s, Elliott had established himself as a star as well as a go-to actor in the Western genre. However, his best movies showcase how varied his career has been, giving memorable performances in hilarious comedies, powerful dramas, and intense war movies. Elliott's small-screen work has earned him strong acclaim, including his award-winning role in 1883, but his best movies give the best look at how he has maintained a strong career for so long.

10 Thank You For Smoking (2006)

As Lorne Lutch

Sam Elliott was part of the outstanding ensemble of the dark comedy Thank You for Smoking, also the directorial debut of Jason Reitman. Aaron Eckhart leads the movie as Nick Naylor, a lobbyist for the tobacco industry, who uses his considerable skills of persuasion as well as his loose morals to fight against the public perception that cigarettes are bad. Elliott only appears in one scene but delivers a powerful, complex, and heartbreaking performance as a former cigarette spokesman who is now dying of lung cancer.

The movie is a hilarious and clever look at the way truth can be twisted by skilled liars, an idea that has become even more relevant in the decades since the movie was released. Eckhart gives one of his best performances to date, and the cast includes great turns from the likes of JK Simmons, Rob Lowe, Katie Holmes, and Robert Duvall.

9 We Were Soldiers (2002)

As Sergeant Major Basil L. Plumley

Elliott's history of military service has come in handy in several roles, but his best military role was as Sergeant Major Plumley in the Vietnam War movie We Were Soldiers. Based on true events, Mel Gibson stars as Lieutenant General Hal Moore, who led his troops in the Battle of Ia Drang, the first major battle the American military was involved in during the Vietnam War.

Elliott steals the show as Moore's second-in-command, providing a sense of strength amid the chaos, while his gruff demeanor also offers some of the rare comedic moments in the movie. We Were Soldiers depicts the brutality and messiness of the war with an unflinching glimpse at the horrors of battle. It makes for an intense and harrowing war movie that is too often overlooked.

8 Road House (1989)

As Wade Garrett

Seen as one of the quintessential action movies of the 1980s, Road House gloriously embraces the over-the-top nature of the era in a wild good time. Patrick Swayze famously stars as Dalton, a heroic bouncer who is hired to help tame a local bar that has become overrun by a rowdy crowd. However, Dalton's efforts soon put him in the crosshairs of a corrupt developer who has his sights set on the seedy bar.

Elliott plays Dalton's friend and mentor, Wade, who comes into the story halfway through and injects new energy into the narrative. The movie features terrific fight sequences and an unabashed R-rating, giving plenty of mayhem. Swayze gives one of his most beloved hero performances, while Elliott is perhaps the coolest he has ever been onscreen, with the two making for an iconic action duo.

7 The Hero (2017)

As Lee Hayden

Elliott has built an incredible leading man career, but many of his most iconic projects have him stealing scenes in ing roles. The Hero is an example of a movie that wisely put Elliott in the lead and gave him a story he could truly sink his teeth into. Elliott stars in The Hero as Lee Hayden, an aging Western movie star whose best years are behind him and is struggling to reconnect with his daughter while embarking on a romance with a younger woman.

While it is not hard to draw parallels between him and the character of Lee, Elliott has remained a busy and acclaimed actor for decades. However, he excels at playing this man past his prime and filled with regret, who is also looking to write a new chapter in his life. It is a moving, funny, and vulnerable performance with Elliott capitalizing on the lead role, delivering one of his most underrated performances.

6 Gettysburg (1993)

As Brigadier General John Buford

Elliott was also part of the large cast of the hugely ambitious American Civil War movie Gettysburg, ing the ensemble that includes Jeff Daniels, Martin Sheen, and Tom Berenger. Gettysburg is a four-hour epic that examines the titular event that proved to be one of the most decisive moments in the conflict, as well as its deadliest battle. The movie looks at both sides of the war, divided into two halves to tell both stories.

Elliott has a standout role as John Buford, a commanding officer of the Union Army and an instrumental figure on the first day of the battle. He plays the role with his usual stoicism while also showing a man who is shocked by the brutality he is witnessing. While the movie's extensive length will turn many viewers off, it is a sweeping and engrossing look at the monumental moment, bringing the history to life in a powerful way.

5 Grandma (2015)

As Karl

Elliott is one of those actors who is able to shine in a movie even if it is not a huge role. Grandma is one such example of Elliott making the most of limited screen time in the comedy-drama that stars Lily Tomlin in a Golden Globe-nominated role. Tomlin plays Elle, a brash and combative older woman who seeks to help her young granddaughter (Julia Garner) deal with an unplanned pregnancy.

The movie follows the duo on a road trip, which includes a stop to see Elle's ex-husband, Karl (Elliott). Tomlin and Elliott play off each other beautifully in the best scene in Grandma, with their reunion starting out amicably, only for old wounds to quickly be opened. Tomlin carries the movie with her funny, nuanced, and engaging performance that earned her strong praise, while Elliott was also hailed as a highlight.

4 The Big Lebowski (1998)

The Stranger

Elliott's iconic drawl was put to perfect use as the narrator of the Coen Brothers' cult classic comedy, The Big Lebowski. Jeff Bridges stars as The Dude, a middle-aged stoner drifting through the early 1990s until his carefree life is upended by a case of mistaken identity and a kidnapping plot. Along with his voice narrating parts of the story, Elliott appears onscreen as the omniscient yet absent-minded The Stranger.

While it was a box office bomb when it was released, The Big Lebowski is now regarded as one of the Coen Brothers' best movies and one of the funniest comedies of all time. The hilarious play on the noir mystery genre with an aimless protagonist leading the story makes for a strange yet hugely entertaining ride. It has become a pop culture phenomenon, inspiring a following that is more ionate than the fanbases of massive franchises.

3 A Star Is Born (2018)

As Bobby Maine

While the songs steal the show in A Star is Born, Elliott and the rest of the cast give outstanding performances, leading to the movie's eight Oscar nominations. Bradley Cooper stars in the remake as Jackson Maine, an aging and alcoholic rock star who discovers a waitress and aspiring singer named Ally (Lady Gaga), launching her rise to fame as his stardom begins to fade. Elliott plays Bobby, Jackson's manager and brother.

Elliott brings depth and warmth to the gruff figure in Jackson's life, who is more like a father figure than a brother. Elliott received his first Oscar nomination for his moving performance, while the movie itself was nominated for Best Picture. Cooper and Gaga have wonderful chemistry, drawing the audience into their beautiful and tragic romance. It is an engrossing drama with "The Shallows" sequence immediately becoming iconic.

2 Mask (1985)

As Gar

Perhaps the earliest movie that helped establish Elliott's gruff but lovable persona was Mask. The drama tells the true story of Rocky Dennis (Eric Stoltz), a boy with the rare condition (craniodiaphyseal dysplasia), which left him with a disfigured face. The movie follows Rocky's coming-of-age story as he overcomes the social struggles of his condition and shows his outstanding intelligence while being protected by his wild mother, Rusty (Cher).

Elliott gives a heartwarming performance as Gar, Rusty's biker boyfriend, who immediately accepts Rocky, becoming a strong father figure to him. The movie presents an uplifting story of hope and determination while also reflecting the tragedy of the true story. Stoltz gives a strong performance as the fascinating protagonist, while Elliott and Cher add so much warmth and fun to the movie.

1 Tombstone (1993)

As Virgil Earp

Elliott's Western work is extensive, so it is fitting that his best movie is in this genre. However, not only is Tombstone Elliott's best movie, but it has also become known as one of the greatest Westerns of all time. Tombstone stars Kurt Russell as legendary lawman Wyatt Earp, who, along with his brothers Virgil (Elliott) and Morgan (Bill Paxton), fights the villainous Cowboys gang that has taken over their town.

Sam Elliott brings his stoic demeanor to the role of the oldest Earp brother, with Virgil being the one who is most willing to put aside their quest for fortune and become heroes. The movie is an epic Western adventure with iconic quotes, thrilling action, and terrific characters. Certainly, Val Kilmer's Doc Holliday steals the show, but the fact that Tombstone continues to grow in acclaim decades after its release justifies its place among the great Western movies.