Start with On the Waterfront (1954) for Eva Marie Saint’s Oscar-winning feature debut, then watch North by Northwest (1959) for her defining Hitchcock role. This ranking weighs career importance, the film’s standing, the strength of Saint’s performance and the range each pick brings to the list. The order is an editorial judgment, not a definitive industry consensus.
Eva Marie Saint’s 10 best movies, ranked
1. On the Waterfront (1954)
Saint made her feature-film debut as Edie Doyle, a woman whose grief and insistence on justice give the drama much of its moral force. Her performance won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress; the film won eight Oscars in total. It is the essential first stop for both her career and her work onscreen. The Criterion Collection’s film page documents the film and its cast, while Sony Pictures’ official page lists its home-video formats.
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| 3 |
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Superman Returns (Import Movie) (European Format - Zone 2) (2006) Brandon Routh; Eva Marie Saint;... | $8.26 | Buy on Amazon |
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2. North by Northwest (1959)
As Eve Kendall opposite Cary Grant, Saint brings intelligence, danger and a sly comic edge to Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller. The role makes her more than a glamorous mystery: Eve’s motives and choices keep the film’s suspense alive. Turner Classic Movies identifies this and On the Waterfront as her two best-known films.
3. A Hatful of Rain (1957)
This early drama is a strong choice for viewers who want to see Saint in a more intimate, emotionally demanding story than her two signature classics. The British Film Institute included it among its essential Saint films, making it a useful entry into the less frequently discussed part of her early career.
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4. All Fall Down (1962)
Saint’s performance in this drama merits attention beyond the better-known titles. The BFI’s 2026 retrospective singled it out as deserving renewed notice, a recommendation that makes it one of the most rewarding choices here for viewers who already know the major hits.
5. The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming (1966)
This comedy shows a lighter, more ensemble-oriented side of Saint’s screen work. The film’s comic premise provides a clear contrast with the tension of North by Northwest and the serious dramas elsewhere in the ranking.
Rank #2
6. Grand Prix (1966)
John Frankenheimer’s racing drama adds a large-scale, high-speed production to the list. The BFI retrospective highlights Saint’s role in the film; it is a good pick for viewers looking for a different kind of 1960s drama from the quieter character pieces.
7. Exodus (1960)
Saint’s role in this major historical drama followed the success of her debut. The Associated Press places it among the important starring opportunities that came her way after On the Waterfront, making it a worthwhile watch for tracing how her career moved beyond the film that first brought her wide recognition.
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8. Raintree County (1957)
This sweeping period drama offers another view of Saint’s early screen career. Turner Classic Movies included it in a festival program of her iconic films, and it broadens the list beyond the compact, sharply defined suspense of North by Northwest.
9. Nothing in Common (1986)
In this comedy-drama, Saint plays the mother of Tom Hanks’s character. The role brings her into a later-career story about family and changing relationships, showing a warmer, more domestic register than her early thrillers and dramas.
Rank #4
- Superman Returns: El Regreso
10. Superman Returns (2006)
Saint’s appearance as Martha Kent is a late-career screen choice that connects her to a new generation of audiences. It is a smaller, supporting role rather than a showcase on the scale of her classics, but it completes a list intended to reflect the span and variety of her film work.
How to choose what to watch first
- For the defining performance: Begin with On the Waterfront, the debut that earned Saint an Oscar.
- For suspense and star chemistry: Choose North by Northwest.
- For comedy: Try The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming or Nothing in Common.
- For a deeper cut: Pick All Fall Down or A Hatful of Rain.
- For a late-career appearance: Watch Superman Returns.
Why Eva Marie Saint’s filmography is selective
Saint’s career was notable for selectivity as well as range. The AFI Catalog lists 27 titles in her filmography, while TCM describes her choices as often unexpected and tonally varied. The Associated Press reported that she declined studio contracts, took time away to focus on family and made only seven films in her first Hollywood decade. That context helps explain why this ranking favors distinctive performances and varied kinds of films over sheer volume.
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Saint died aged 102, the Associated Press reported on October 6, 2026. Her screen legacy is concentrated in a relatively small selection of films, but it encompasses an Oscar-winning debut, one of Hitchcock’s best-known thrillers and work across drama, comedy and later-career supporting roles.
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