EGOT holder Mike Nichols is the stage and film director responsible for cinematic masterpieces like The Graduate and Silkwood. With his unique style of filmmaking, specifically his camera shots through objects, Nichols carved a name for himself in the film industry. Working across a variety of genres, Nichols seemed to rise to every challenge. After his Broadway directing debut of Barefoot in the Park in 1963, Nichols continued to crank out hit after hit on the stage, eventually earning a Tony for Direction on Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman. With his portfolio growing, he was eventually invited by Warner Bros to direct Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.
Nichols gained immediate attention after his film debut and continued to bring his own style to every piece he worked on. His career spanned over six decades before his death in 2014, during which he earned a total of seven Academy Awards and being only one of 16 people in the world to be a holder of the ever coveted EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony). With tributes paid by Steven Spielberg, Whoopi Goldberg, Kevin Spacey and a number of others, Nichols will always be remembered for the gold he brought to the film industry. The best way to remember him is to enjoy his best work. These are Mike Nichols’ best movies, ranked.
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8 Primary Colors
Henry Burton is in charge of overseeing the presidential campaign of Governor Jack Stanton. Burton watches as Stanton’s promiscuous behavior threatens his campaign while Stanton contends with his ambitious wife Susan. A fictionalized adaptation from the novel Primary Colors: A Novel of Politics, a retelling of Bill Clinton’s 1992 campaign, Primary Colors was nominated for two Academy Awards. Travolta’s performance as Jack Stanton was praised as a very accurate recreation of Bill Clinton as opposed to Emma Thompson’s performance as Susan not being close to Hillary Clinton. The film generated controversy as it was released around the same time as the Lewinsky scandal.
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7 Closer
In modern day London, American exotic dancer Alice meets Dan and after getting hit by a taxi, Dan takes her to the hospital, sparking a relationship between the two. One year later, Dan is no longer interested in their relationship and flirts with photographer Anna, whom he sets ups with dermatologist Larry. As time goes by, both relationships’ stability crumbles. Based on the award-winning play of the same name, Closer stars an ensemble cast featuring Jude Law, Natalie Portman, Julia Roberts and Clive Owen. Closer is said to be a modern recreation of Mozart’s opera Così fan tutte and was nominated for a number of awards, winning quite a few for the performances of the cast.
6 Working Girl
Starring Melanie Griffith, Harrison Ford and Sigourney Weaver, Working Girl follows the story of ambitious young Tess who seeks to make a name for herself in the business world. After a series of events, including her conniving boss stealing her idea, Tess manages to pass herself off for her boss Katherine to exact her revenge, and manages to initiate a major deal with an investment broker. Working Girl was a box-office success, leading to the creation of an NBC TV series based on the film. The film gained Nichols a nomination at the Academy Awards for Best Director and won an Award for Best Original Song, “Let the River Run” by Carly Simon.
5 The Birdcage
MGM/UA Distribution Co.
The Birdcage is a remake of the French farce “La Cage aux Folles” when the engaged Val and Barbara are introduced to their in-laws. Val’s Father Armand, a gay Miami drag club owner pretends to be straight and hide his relationship with drag-queen Albert to please Barbara’s father, Republican Senator Kevin Keeley. The film stars comedic icons Nathan Lane and Robin Williams as the gay couple who are forced to pretend to be something they aren’t for the sake of their in-laws. The Birdcage was nominated for a number of awards and took home an American Comedy Award for Funniest Lead Actor in a Motion Picture thanks to Nathan Lane’s performance.
4 Silkwood
With an all-star cast of Meryl Streep, Kurt Russell and Cher backed by Mike Nichols’ genius, it’s impossible not to appreciate such a work of art as Silkwood, adapted from the book Who Killed Karen Silkwood?. Based on the true story of Karen Silkwood as she raises concerns about the safety at her workplace, a nuclear plant, and discovers that she’s been exposed to high levels of radiation. Silkwood was praised for its factual accuracy and the justice the film paid to Karen Silkwood and her family. The film was nominated for a number of Academy Awards including Best Director.
3 Carnal Knowledge
Carnal Knowledge follows the sweetheart Sandy and his roommate, charmer Jonathan, throughout their lives. Sandy gets engaged to the supposedly pure Susan without the knowledge that she cheated on him with Jonathan. In Part II of the film, Sandy takes after Jonathan with his charm and womanizing ways, hoping to rekindle the spark in his marriage while Jonathan attempts to settle down with Bobbie. Part III shows the men at middle-age and how their lives have ended up. Carnal Knowledge was generally well-received by most audiences, but one specific theater in Georgia was searched by police where the film was seized under the impression that the film was “obscene material."
2 The Graduate
Embassy Pictures
Mike Nichols directs this classic tale of young Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) and his struggle to find his identity after graduating from college, eventually seduced into an affair with Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft). Despite the on-screen age difference, Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft were only six years apart, but with the magic of cinema, they managed to make her look old enough to be his mother. The Graduate earned Mike Nichols an Academy Award for Best Director. The film had such a great impact that the American Film Institute has ranked The Graduate as the 17th greatest American film of all time.
1 Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Starring on and off real-life couple Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor in their middle-age, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? follows two couples over one long night. After a staff party at the University, Martha and George invite Honey and Nick back to their house where they drink, and the toxic middle-aged couple takes out their frustrations on each other, dragging the young couple into the middle of it. Mike Nichols’ directorial debut is based on the play written by Edward Albee. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Was nominated for 13 Academy Awards, including Best Director, and took home five, including Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress. The film’s taboo content and sexually-explicit dialogue led to the creation of the MPPA film rating system which went into effect November 1968.
