Hollywood lost one of its true greats on September 9, 2024. James Earl Joneshas passed away, leaving innumerable devastated fans and a wildly impressive body of work. One of the very few individuals to ever win an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony (AKA EGOT), Jones’ contribution to the entertainment industry can’t be overstated.
With an iconic voice, jaw-dropping versatility, and a formidable presence, he elevated every project in which he took part, beginning with Dr Strangelove all the way back in 1964. What follows is the best of the best of his filmography. From Star Wars and The Lion King to his single Academy Award-nominated performance (not counting his Academy Honorary Award win), these are the best movies featuring James Earl Jones.
10 The Great White Hope (1970)
An adaptation of Howard Sackler’s 1967 play, The Great White Hope was the only film for which Jones scored an Academy Award nomination (as did his co-star, Jane Alexander). Both Jones and Alexander had inhabited their roles in the play, with the former playing boxer Jack Jefferson and the latter his lover, Eleanor Bachman. The characters were based off of real-life boxer Jack Johnson, who faced a substantial amount of prejudice throughout his lifetime, especially when it came to his relationship with a white woman.
Two Powerhouse Performances
Just like the play, critics and fans found the highlight of the film to be the two lead performances. Both Jones and Alexander won Tonys for their work in the play, but neither won the Golden Statue come Academy night. Yet, The Great White Hope did quite a bit for Jones’ career.
9 The Sandlot (1993)
A childhood favorite for many, The Sandlot is one of the ’90s’ better coming-of-age movies. And, like Angels in the Outfield and A League of Their Own, it’s feel-good more often than not. Oh, and it’s the movie that gave birth to the now-iconic line “You’re killin’ me, Smalls.”
Lovable Jones, Lovable Character
Jones plays Mr. Mertle, a former ball player who also owns “The Beast,” which is really just a dog that likes to snatch up baseballs. All the boys playing in the sandlot believe him to be cantankerous but, like the elderly man in Home Alone, he’s a sweetheart. It’s a great role for Jones.
8 Matewan (1987)
John Sayles’ Matewan is a drama focusing on labor organizing in 1920s West Virginia. Chris Cooper (amazing in his feature film debut) plays union organizer Joe Kenehan, who teams up with Jones’ “Few Clothes” Johnson to take on a crushing coal company. Together, they seek to ensure a safer work environment for workers not just in their state, but hopefully beyond the state’s lines.
Fight For What’s Right
Jones is, per usual, very likable as Johnson. Seeing him play a man who stands up for what is right is like a hand fitting into a glove. But, Jones’ performance isn’t the only great one in Matewan, as there’s also the aforementioned Cooper and the ever-underrated David Strathairn.
7 Primary Colors (1998)
Okay, so Jones doesn’t physically appear in the ’90s political movie Primary Colors. But, it would be a shame to omit the one movie that utilized his real-life gig providing the CNN voiceover. Just like with Mufasa and Darth Vader, Jones’ voice provided “This is CNN” with an irreplaceable gravitas.
This Is CNN
Primary Colors is essentially a play on Bill Clinton’s run for the White House. Just toss in John Travolta as Gov. Jack Stanton and retain the affability. Oh, and the tendency to sleep around.
6 Conan the Barbarian (1982)
If Jones is known for a villain role, it’s Darth Vader, not Conan the Barbarian‘s Thulsa Doom. And, yet, the suitably-named Doom is the more loathsome of the two. It goes to show just how much range Jones had, considering his bread and butter was portraying kindhearted individuals (who sometimes put on a surly front).
Swords and Sandles
Conan the Barbarian is primarily the movie that bolstered Arnold Schwarzenegger’s big-screen profile a bit, but Jones also dominates his scenes. With long hair and a shape-shifting ability, Doom is a memorable villain, but it’s Jones who makes him truly intimidating. Conan the Barbarian‘s a fun movie, not quite high art, but better than one might assume.
5 Coming to America (1988)
One of the 1980s’ funniest movies, Coming to America is a showcase for Eddie Murphy, but there’s some meat for Jones to chew, as well. He plays King Jaffe Joffer, the father of Murphy’s Prince Akeem Joffer. Prince Akeem has left the nation of Zamunda (and his arranged marriage there) to find a love of his own, much to the dismay of his father. But, like with most great Jones roles, a hardened exterior doesn’t necessarily mean he’s rigid inside and incapable of change.
Jones Makes the Most of Limited Screentime
Jones showed up for the legacy sequel, Coming 2 America, and even with a deeply inferior script, Jones made the most of it. His role isn’t supposed to be the most humorous in either film, but Jones could always sell a line. And, in the original movie, at least, Jones has quite a few solid, “look at the state of this place” kind of lines that score big laughs.
4 Field of Dreams (1989)
As iconic and lovable for those averse to sports as those who are glued to each and every game, Field of Dreams features not only the most perfect role for Kevin Costner, but one that’s nearly as ideal for Jones, as well. He plays Terence Mann, a controversial writer and activist who now just wants to be left alone. But, when Costner’s Ray Kinsella comes knocking at his door, Mann begrudgingly agrees to join him for a baseball game.
If You Cast Him, You Will Win
From there, Mann reveals that, like Kinsella, he can hear the ominous voice. The duo go on a cross-country trip trying to piece together what the voice means. And, by the end of the journey, both will find peace.
3 The Hunt for Red October (1990)
Featuring one of the best film scores of the ’90s, sterling performances across the board, and a host of quite recognizable faces, The Hunt for Red October was and remains the best Jack Ryan adaptation. It was also director John McTiernan’s third home run in a row after Predator and Die Hard. Jones portrays Vice Admiral James Greer, Deputy Director of the CIA.
Someone Has to Give Ryan His Mission
Jones would reprise the role of Greer in the two Harrison Ford-led follow-ups, Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger. Though, even with Ford being a great fit for the role of Ryan, those two movies combined aren’t as solid as Red October. Greer was never the meatiest role of Jones’ career, but he was always great for a supervisor role.
2 The Lion King (1994)
As if Mufasa’s death in 1994’s The Lion King wasn’t sad enough already. Jones was so pitch-perfect as Simba’s father in this Disney classic that he was brought back for Jon Favreau’s 2019 remake. It’s hard to imagine it having been done any other way.
One of Cinema’s Ultimate Paternal FIgures
Like many of Jones’ other great characters, Mufasa is both kindly and intimidating in equal measure. He brings a certain warmth to the character that makes his performance the best in The Lion King. And that’s no small compliment considering Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane, and Ernie Sabella are also iconic as Scar, Timon, and Pumbaa, respectively.
1 The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
The Empire Strikes Back is both the best Star Wars movie in general and the best for the Jones-voiced character Darth Vader. Why? The ominous scenes of his helmet being lowered onto (or removed from) his scarred, super-white head are up there, as is his choking out a subordinate he finds irritating. But, of course, this is the movie featuring the ever-misquoted line “No, I am your father.”
The Role That Immortalized His Voice
Jones played the role in the original trilogy (though, by his own request, he initially went uncredited for A New Hope and Empire), but didn’t stop there. There’s some debate about whether it was him at the end of Revenge of the Sith, but it sure sounds like him, and from there he was officially credited for reprising the role in Star Wars Rebels, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
His voice was also used via Respeecher software (AI-assisted technology that allows for a particular voice’s emulation) in Obi-Wan Kenobi. And, during that production, Jones inked a deal with Lucasfilm that allows them to replicate his voice via AI in future projects. So, even though we’ve lost Jones, we haven’t truly lost his Vader.
