The Best John Cleese Movies, Ranked
125 credits from 1968 to 2023, ranked by the Movie Echo Score — a blend of critic reviews, audience ratings and lasting impact. Rally Road Racers (2023) comes out on top with a score of 69. The biggest box office hit is Clifford the Big Red Dog (2021) with $116M worldwide. Below: the best films by genre and by decade, the most awarded and the newest releases.
Top Rated John Cleese Movies
The 9 highest-rated films John Cleese is credited on. Rally Road Racers (2023) leads with 69, followed by Clifford the Big Red Dog (2021) at 65. The Movie Echo Score blends critic reviews, audience ratings, cultural impact and how well a film holds up.
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#1 Movie Echo Score: Score 69 Rally Road Racers 2023 · Sport -
#2 Movie Echo Score: Score 65 Clifford the Big Red Dog 2021 · Adventure -
#3 Movie Echo Score: Score 59 Charming 2018 · Romance -
#4 Movie Echo Score: Score 49 Daddy Daughter Trip 2022 · Comedy -
#5 Movie Echo Score: Score 47 Arctic Dogs 2019 · Adventure -
#6 Movie Echo Score: Score 45 The Naked Wanderer 2019 · Romance -
#7 Movie Echo Score: Score 38 The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee 2020 · Comedy -
#8 Movie Echo Score: Score 36 Elliot: The Littlest Reindeer 2018 · Animation -
#9 Movie Echo Score: Score 15 Father Christmas Is Back 2021 · Comedy
Biggest John Cleese Box Office Hits
John Cleese's films have made $462M worldwide in total. Clifford the Big Red Dog (2021) is the biggest hit at $116M, ahead of A Fish Called Wanda (1988) ($62.5M). Lifetime grosses, with each film's domestic share.
- 1 Clifford the Big Red Dog 2021 · Adventure $116M $48.9M dom.
- 2
A Fish Called Wanda 1988 · Comedy $62.5M $62.5M dom. - 3
The Jungle Book 1994 · Adventure $52.4M $43.2M dom. - 4
Time Bandits 1981 · Adventure $42.4M $42.4M dom. - 5
An American Tail: Fievel Goes West 1991 · Animation $40.8M $22.2M dom. - 6
The Great Muppet Caper 1981 · Adventure $31.2M $31.2M dom. - 7
Monty Python's Life of Brian 1979 · Comedy $20.8M $20.2M dom. - 8
The Meaning of Life 1983 · Comedy $14.9M $14.9M dom. - 9
Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life 1983 · Comedy $14.9M $14.9M dom. - 10 Arctic Dogs 2019 · Adventure $10.4M $5.8M dom.
The Best John Cleese Movie in Every Genre
The best-rated film in each genre John Cleese has worked in, the genres with the most films first. Comedy leads with 38 films, and Daddy Daughter Trip (2022) is the pick of them.
- Comedy 38 films Daddy Daughter Trip 2022 · as Frank Movie Echo Score: 49
- Adventure 8 films Clifford the Big Red Dog 2021 · as Bridwell Movie Echo Score: 65
- Romance 5 films Charming 2018 · as Fairy Godmother / Executioner (voice) Movie Echo Score: 59
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Drama 4 films Man About Town 2006 · as Dr. Primkin - Animation 3 films Elliot: The Littlest Reindeer 2018 · as Donner Movie Echo Score: 36
- Sport 1 film Rally Road Racers 2023 · as Archie Vainglorious Movie Echo Score: 69
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History 1 film God Loves Caviar 2012 · as McCormick -
Family 1 film The Magic Pudding 2000 · as Albert the Magic Pudding (voice)
The Best John Cleese Movie of Each Decade
One pick per decade of John Cleese's career, newest decade first: the best-rated film of each ten years, from 1970s to 2020s.
- 2020s 6 films Rally Road Racers 2023 · as Archie Vainglorious Movie Echo Score: 69
- 2010s 13 films Charming 2018 · as Fairy Godmother / Executioner (voice) Movie Echo Score: 59
- 2000s 11 films Man About Town 2006 · as Dr. Primkin
- 1990s 9 films The Jungle Book 1994
- 1980s 11 films A Fish Called Wanda 1988
- 1970s 15 films Monty Python's Life of Brian 1979
The Latest John Cleese Movies
The most recent films John Cleese is credited on, newest first — starting with The Martini Shot (2023). Open any of them for the cast, ratings, box office and where to watch.
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The Martini Shot 2023 · Dr. Auyeung - Rally Road Racers 2023 · Archie Vainglorious
- Daddy Daughter Trip 2022 · Frank
- Clifford the Big Red Dog 2021 · Bridwell
- Father Christmas Is Back 2021 · John Christmas
- The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee 2020 · Comedy
- Arctic Dogs 2019 · Otto Von Walrus
- The Naked Wanderer 2019 · Brian King
- Elliot: The Littlest Reindeer 2018 · Donner
- Charming 2018 · Fairy Godmother / Executioner (voice)
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Michael Palin: A Life on Screen 2018 · Comedy -
British Sitcom: 60 Years of Laughing at Ourselves 2016 · Basil Fawlty (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Best John Cleese Movies: Questions & Answers
The best-rated, highest-grossing, most awarded and newest John Cleese films, answered from the rankings on this page.
What is the best John Cleese movie?
Rally Road Racers (2023) is the best-rated John Cleese film, with a Movie Echo Score of 69, ahead of Clifford the Big Red Dog (2021) (65) and Charming (2018) (59). The Movie Echo Score blends critic reviews, audience ratings and how well a film has lasted.
Rally Road Racers: cast, ratings & box office What is the highest-grossing John Cleese movie?
Clifford the Big Red Dog (2021) made the most at the box office, with $116M worldwide, followed by A Fish Called Wanda (1988) with $62.5M. Together, John Cleese's films with box office figures have made $462M.
Which John Cleese movie won the most awards?
A Fish Called Wanda (1988) is the most decorated John Cleese film, with 3 wins from 15 nominations across the Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTA and the other ceremonies in the awards database.
What is the best John Cleese comedy movie?
Daddy Daughter Trip (2022) is the best-rated of John Cleese's comedy films, with a score of 49. In other genres: Clifford the Big Red Dog (adventure), Charming (romance) and Man About Town (drama).
What is the newest John Cleese movie?
The newest film on John Cleese's filmography is The Martini Shot (2023), with John Cleese as Dr. Auyeung.
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