The Best Roman Polanski Movies, Ranked
78 credits from 1955 to 2025, ranked by the Movie Echo Score — a blend of critic reviews, audience ratings and lasting impact. An Officer and a Spy (2019) comes out on top with a score of 78. The biggest box office hit is The Pianist (2002) with $120M worldwide. Below: the best films by genre and by decade, the most awarded and the newest releases.
Biggest Roman Polanski Box Office Hits
Roman Polanski's films have made $418M worldwide in total. The Pianist (2002) is the biggest hit at $120M, ahead of The Ghost Writer (2010) ($60.3M). Lifetime grosses, with each film's domestic share.
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The Pianist 2002 · Biography $120M $32.6M dom. - 2
The Ghost Writer 2010 · Drama $60.3M $15.5M dom. - 3
The Ninth Gate 2000 · Drama $58.4M $18.7M dom. - 4
Oliver Twist 2005 · Drama $42.6M $2.08M dom. - 5
Carnage 2011 · Drama $30M $2.55M dom. - 6
Chinatown 1974 · Drama $29.2M $29.2M dom. - 7
Tess 1980 · Drama $20.1M $20.1M dom. - 8
An Officer and a Spy 2019 · Thriller $18.9M - 9
Frantic 1988 · Drama $17.6M $17.6M dom. - 10
Venus in Fur 2014 · Drama $8.35M $374K dom.
The Best Roman Polanski Movie in Every Genre
The best-rated film in each genre Roman Polanski has worked in, the genres with the most films first. Drama leads with 22 films, and An Officer and a Spy (2025) is the pick of them.
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Drama 22 films An Officer and a Spy 2025 · Director Movie Echo Score: 67 -
Comedy 10 films Bad Luck 1960 · as Tutor (uncredited) -
Horror 4 films Repulsion 1965 · as Spoon Player - Thriller 3 films An Officer and a Spy 2019 · as Concertgoer (uncredited) Movie Echo Score: 78
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Adventure 2 films Pirates 1986 · Director -
War 2 films A Generation 1955 · as Mundek -
Documentary 1 film Weekend of a Champion 2013 · Director - Biography 1 film The Pianist 2002 · Director
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Mystery 1 film A Pure Formality 1994 · as Inspector
The Best Roman Polanski Movie of Each Decade
One pick per decade of Roman Polanski's career, newest decade first: the best-rated film of each ten years, from 1950s to 2020s.
- 2020s 1 film An Officer and a Spy 2025 · Director Movie Echo Score: 67
- 2010s 7 films An Officer and a Spy 2019 · as Concertgoer (uncredited) Movie Echo Score: 78
- 2000s 6 films The Pianist 2002 · Director
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1990s 4 films Death and the Maiden 1994 · Director - 1980s 4 films Tess 1980 · Director
- 1970s 5 films Chinatown 1974 · Director
- 1960s 12 films Repulsion 1965 · as Spoon Player
- 1950s 9 films A Generation 1955 · as Mundek
Most Awarded Roman Polanski Movies
Roman Polanski's films with wins at the Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTA and the other ceremonies in the awards database, the most decorated first. Chinatown (1974) leads with 9 wins from 30 nominations.
The Latest Roman Polanski Movies
The most recent films Roman Polanski is credited on, newest first — starting with An Officer and a Spy (2025). Open any of them for the cast, ratings, box office and where to watch.
- An Officer and a Spy 2025 · Director
- An Officer and a Spy 2019 · Concertgoer (uncredited)
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Based on a True Story 2017 · Director - Venus in Fur 2014 · Director
- Weekend of a Champion 2013 · Director
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A Therapy 2012 · Director - Carnage 2011 · Director
- The Ghost Writer 2010 · Director
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Cinéma érotique 2007 · Director -
Repulsion (re-release) 2006 · Director - Oliver Twist 2005 · Director
- The Pianist 2002 · Director
The Best Roman Polanski Movies: Questions & Answers
The best-rated, highest-grossing, most awarded and newest Roman Polanski films, answered from the rankings on this page.
What is the best Roman Polanski movie?
An Officer and a Spy (2019) is the best-rated Roman Polanski film, with a Movie Echo Score of 78, ahead of An Officer and a Spy (2025) (67). The Movie Echo Score blends critic reviews, audience ratings and how well a film has lasted.
An Officer and a Spy: cast, ratings & box office What is the highest-grossing Roman Polanski movie?
The Pianist (2002) made the most at the box office, with $120M worldwide, followed by The Ghost Writer (2010) with $60.3M. Together, Roman Polanski's films with box office figures have made $418M.
Which Roman Polanski movie won the most awards?
Chinatown (1974) is the most decorated Roman Polanski film, with 9 wins from 30 nominations across the Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTA and the other ceremonies in the awards database.
What is the best Roman Polanski drama movie?
An Officer and a Spy (2025) is the best-rated of Roman Polanski's drama films, with a score of 67. In other genres: Bad Luck (comedy), Repulsion (horror) and An Officer and a Spy (thriller).
What is the newest Roman Polanski movie?
The newest film on Roman Polanski's filmography is An Officer and a Spy (2025), directed by Roman Polanski.
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