Cary Elwes is an English actor who has been in the movie industry for about 40 years. Popular for his versatile roles and movies, he has received nominations for numerous awards, including the Blockbuster Entertainment Awards, MTV Movie Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and the Fargo Film Festival.
Furthermore, Elwes made his official acting debut in 1979 with the movie Yesterday’s Hero, which would start his long-lasting career on the screen.
While he has appeared in other movies, such as Another Country, Maschenka, Cradle Will Rock, The Cat’s Meow, and more, these movies have made Elwes a famous name.
We have ranked 10 movies by Cary Elwes below, where he has given us captivating performances.
10. Kiss The Girls (1997)
Kiss the Girls is a thriller mystery movie starring Morgan Freeman, Cary Elwes, and Ashley Jude. Gary Felder contributed to the movie’s direction.
We follow Detective Alex Cross as he investigates the case of serial kidnapping of young women happening around the city done by a mysterious figure called Casanova. After a girl named Kate McTiernan escapes, she and Cross team up to find out Casanova’s true identity.
In this movie, Elwes plays the role of Detective Nick Ruskin, a fellow detective who is hiding a huge secret.
Among the movies played by Cary Elwes, this one may not be the best with a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 34%; the movie is critically a flop but still managed to generate a box office of $60.5 million.
Kiss The Girls
IMDb CrimeDramaMysteryA kidnapped victim who managed to escape helps the police find her kidnapper.
| Director | Gary Fleder |
| Release Date | October 3, 1997 |
| Studio | Rysher Entertainment |
| Cast | Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, Cary Elwes |
| Runtime | 1 hr 55 minutes |
| Writers | James Patterson, David Klass |
| Rating | R |
9. Robin Hood: Men In Tights (1993)
Robin Hood: Men in Tights is a comedy movie starring many famous actors, like Cary Elwes, Dave Chappelle, Richard Lewis, and Amy Yasbeck. The director of the movie was Mel Brooks.
The movie is basically a parody of the Robin Hood myth, which follows the events where Robin Hood, along with his band, tries to overthrow evil figures who have taken over his home.
Cary Elwes stars as the main lead in the movie, playing Robin Hood, a famous figure who steals valuables from the rich and distributes them to the poor.
Similarly, many have stated that the movie’s strong point is maintaining the charm of the original Robin Hood lore while still blending in the satirical elements at the right times.
While the movie has 42% on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie is still a box-office success with a collection of $72 million.
Robin Hood: Men In Tights
IMDb ParodyAdventureComedyA parody story inspired by the Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves book series.
| Director | Mel Brooks |
| Release Date | July 28, 1993 |
| Studio | Brooksfilms, Gaumont |
| Cast | Cary Elwes, Richard Lewis, Roger Rees |
| Runtime | 1 hr 44 minutes |
| Writers | J.D. Shapiro, Evan Chandler, Mel Brooks |
| Rating | PG-13 |
8. Hot Shots! (1991)
Hot Shots! is an action-comedy movie directed by John Abrahams. Starring famous individuals Charlie Sheen and Valeria Golino, the movie is a direct satire of the famous movie Top Gunn, parodying other movies like Dances With Wolves, The Fabulous Baker Boys, and Rocky.
The movie follows Topper Harley, a brilliant yet odd fighter pilot who is sent on an important mission while also having to face his own psychological problems and work well with his own team.
Moreover, Elwes plays the role of LT Kent Gregory, a resentful pilot who still hasn’t forgotten the passing of his father in an unfortunate accident.
Hot Shots! is popular for perfectly maintaining the balance between parody and authenticity. Many critics praise the movie for its comic timing and wonderful screenwriting.
With a rating of 82% on Rotten Tomatoes and a box-office collection of $181.1 million, the movie is one of the better movies by Cary Elwes.
Hot Shots!
IMDb ParodyActionComedyA parody story of Top Gun, where there is a talented yet odd pilot who has to face several challenges to accomplish a mission.
| Director | Jim Abrahams |
| Release Date | July 31, 1991 |
| Studio | Peter V. Miller Investment Corp |
| Cast | Charlie Sheen, Cary Elwes, Valeria Golino |
| Runtime | 1 hr 25 minutes |
| Writers | Jim Abrahams, Pat Proft |
| Rating | PG-13 |
7. The Crush (1993)
The Crush is a psychological thriller movie that was directed and written by Alan Shapiro and stars Cary Elwes and Alicia Silverstone in the main roles.
The story of the movie revolves around Nick Eliot, a writer whose landlord’s daughter, Adrian Forrester, has a crush on him. Throughout the movie, we see Eliot trying to distance himself from Forrester and reject her assistance.
Cary Elwes plays the role of Nick Eliot, a writer who recently moved into a new city for working purposes and lives in a guesthouse for the time being.
The movie wasn’t really famous during its release and mostly received negative reviews. However, as of now, the movie has been able to gain a cult following.
The movie may have a low rating of 27% on Rotten Tomatoes, but it was still able to make a profit with a box office of $13.6 million on a budget of $6 million.
The Crush
IMDb CrimeRomanceThrillerA journalist has to avoid a young teenager, who is the daughter of his landlord, who is madly in love with him.
| Director | Alan Shapiro |
| Release Date | April 2, 1993 |
| Studio | Morgan Creek Productions |
| Cast | Cary Elwes, Alicia Silverstone, Jennifer Rubin |
| Runtime | 1 hr 29 minutes |
| Writers | Alan Shapiro |
| Rating | R |
6. The Jungle Book (1994)
A live-action adventure movie inspired by the book series of the same name, The Jungle Book is directed by Stephen Sommers and stars Jason Scott Lee, Lena Headey, and Cary Elwes in the main roles.
The story revolves around Mowgli, a boy who grew up in a jungle and tries to adjust to a new city with Katherine Brydon, an explorer who discovered him, while also trying to face obstacles from individuals like Captain William Boone.
Elwes plays the antagonistic role of Boone, a greedy explorer who is looking for the mysterious treasure of Monkey City.
Many critics praised the movie, saying that it was a faithful adaptation of the books and that the acting in the movie was also top-notch, especially that of Elwes’.
Similarly, the movie was both a critical and commercial success, with an 80% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a box office collection of $70 million against a budget of $30 million.
The Jungle Book
IMDb AdventureFantasyRomanceBased on The Jungle Book novels, the movie follows the story of Mowgli as he tries to adjust to the city.
| Director | Stephen Sommer |
| Release Date | December 25, 1994 |
| Studio | Vegahom Europe, Baloo Productions, Jungle Book Films |
| Cast | Jason Scott Lee, Cary Elwes, Lena Headey |
| Runtime | 1 hr 51 minutes |
| Writers | Rudyard Kipling, Ron Yanover, Mark Geldman |
| Rating | PG |
5. Twister (1996)
Directed by Jan de Bont, Twister is a disaster movie starring Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, and Jami Gertz. Michael Crichton and Anne-Marie Martin wrote the story.
The movie follows the story of a divorced couple, Dr. Jo Harding and Bill Harding, who have to team up to create a new tornado-alerting device called DOROTHY. Throughout the movie, the main cast faces dangerous natural forces while facing a rival team trying to sabotage their new device.
Many remember the character of Jonas Miller, played by Cary Elwes, who was an egoistic scientist and was the main antagonist of the movie. Cary’s performance was top-notch in the movie as he was able to infuriate the viewers with his mere presence on the screen.
Aside from the realistic cast performance, critics and viewers have praised the movie for its brilliant visual effects.
Many consider Twister a classic among Cary Elwes’s movies. It earned $495.7 million at the box office against a budget of $88-$92 million and has a rating of 66% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Twister
IMDb DisasterActionAdventureTwo divorced scientists must work together to create a weather alert system to protect from tornadoes.
| Director | Jan de Bont |
| Release Date | May 10, 1996 |
| Studio | Warner Bros, Universal Pictures, Amblin Entertainment |
| Cast | Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, Jami Gertz |
| Runtime | 1 hr 53 minutes |
| Writers | Michael Crichton, Anne-Marie Martin |
| Rating | PG-13 |
4. Saw (2004)
Saw is a horror thriller movie directed by James Wan and starring an ensemble cast of Cary Elwes, Danny Glover, and Monica Potter. It is the first installment in the Saw franchise.
The movie revolves around two men, Lawrence Gordon and Adam Stenheight, who wake up chained up in a locked bathroom, where they have to overcome the traps set by their captor to survive.
In the movie, Elwes plays the role of Lawrence Gordon, one of the main characters, who unfortunately gets caught up in his captor’s game.
The appealing features of the movie include the intense atmosphere present throughout the movie thanks to the authentic acting from the main cast, along with a twist ending.
While the movie didn’t do well critically, with only a 50% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie still earned a whopping $103.9 million against a small budget of $1.2 million, establishing a franchise.
Saw
IMDb HorrorMysteryThrillerTwo men wake up to find out that they are chained up and now have to go through a series of traps to survive.
| Director | James Wan |
| Release Date | January 19, 2004 |
| Studio | Twisted Pictures |
| Cast | Cary Elwes, Leigh Whannell, Danny Glover |
| Runtime | 1 hr 43 minutes |
| Writers | Leigh Whannell, James Wan |
| Rating | R |
3. Shadow of the Vampire (2000)
Shadow of the Vampire is a horror mystery movie directed by E. Elias Merhige and starring notable actors Willem Dafoe and John Malkovich.
The movie is a fictional re-imagining of the process of making the iconic vampire movie Nosferatu, where F.W. Murnau is trying to make a vampire movie and hires an actor, Max Schrek, who many later go on to suspect might be a real vampire.
Cary Elwes plays the role of Fritz Arno Wagner, a legendary real-life cinematographer who was very popular for his skills from the 1920s to the 1950s.
The movie has an 82% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with many praising its dark humor and the performance of Willem Dafoe. Similarly, the movie collected $11.2 million against a budget of $8 million at the box office.
Shadow of the Vampire
IMDb HorrorDramaA fictional re-imagining of the process of making the iconic vampire movie Nosferatu.
| Director | E. Elias Merhige |
| Release Date | December 29, 2000 |
| Studio | BBC Films, Saturn Films |
| Cast | John Malkovich, Willem Dafoe, Udo Kier |
| Runtime | 1 hr 32 minutes |
| Writers | Steven Katz |
| Rating | R |
2. Glory (1989)
Based on the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, Glory is a historical war drama movie directed by Edward Zwick and starring top stars like Matthew Broderick and Denzel Washington.
The movie tells the story of the regiment leader, Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, who faces many obstacles while trying to train and lead his men into their great battles.
Elwes plays the role of Major Cabot Forbes, a predominant high-ranking officer similar to Robert Gould Shaw.
Furthermore, the movie has been highly praised for its amazing cinematography, accurate story-telling, and eye-catching performances by the main cast.
Moreover, with a rating of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes and a box-office earning of $27 million, Glory is one of the best movies in Cary Elwes’ filmography.
Glory
IMDb HistoryDramaWarThe story of the regiment leader, Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, as he faces a lot of obstacles while trying to train and lead his men.
| Director | Edward Zwick |
| Release Date | December 15, 1989 |
| Studio | Freddie Fields Productions |
| Cast | Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes |
| Runtime | 2 hrs 2 minutes |
| Writers | Kevin Jarre, Lincoln Kirstein, Peter Burchard |
| Rating | R |
1. The Princess Bride (1987)
Adapted from William Goldman’s novel of the same name, The Princess Bride is a fantasy comedy movie directed by Rob Reiner. Similarly, the movie stars an ensemble cast of Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, and Chris Sarandon.
Regarding the story of the movie, we see a grandfather narrating a story to his ill grandson, where a boy named Westley has to save the love of his life, Buttercup, from her forced marriage to Prince Humperdinck, while having to face multiple obstacles on the way.
Elwes plays the main protagonist of the movie, Westley, a farmboy who later learns swordsmanship to go on a quest to save Buttercup.
Many compliment the movie saying that it has a very pleasant story with a unique mix of comedy and romance, which makes it a perfect movie to watch with families.
Among all the movies in Cary Elwes’ filmography, The Princess Bride is the highest rated on Rotten Tomatoes with a rating of 96%. Similarly, the box office earning of the movie is $30.9 million against a budget of $16 million.
The Princess Bride
IMDb AdventureFantasyRomanceA farmboy goes on a journey to save the love of his life from evil individuals.
| Director | Rob Reiner |
| Release Date | September 25, 1987 |
| Studio | Act III Communications, Buttercup Films |
| Cast | Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Robin Wright |
| Runtime | 1 hr 38 minutes |
| Writers | William Goldman |
| Rating | PG |
