By Screen legend John Travolta is one of Hollywood’s most iconic and best loved stars. His array of crowd-pleasing movies that stand the test of time like Saturday Night Fever and Grease join critically-acclaimed, award-winning works such as Pulp Fiction and Blow Out for an almost incomparably varied body of work.
There are few actors of his generation to enjoy success across such a diverse array of genres. Comedy, horror, crime thriller, political drama, war, action, fantasy and science fiction, musicals and animation – it’s all there in Travolta’s career. What’s more, he probably has at least one great film in each of those genres.
John Travolta’s best movies
John Travolta in Pulp Fiction
Born and raised in Englewood, New Jersey, John Travolta first came to public attention thanks to his appearances on the television sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter in the late 1970s.
Memorably, one of his earliest roles came in what remains one of his best movies – 1976’s Carrie – playing the sadistic boyfriend of high school bully, Chris Hargensen (Nancy Allen). Although it was only a small part it showcased Travolta’s ability to harness his darker side and led to further collaboration with visionary filmmaker Brian De Palma.
Nancy Allen and John Travolta in Carrie (1976).
Despite suffering a career downturn in the 1980s in spite of appearing in 1981’s brilliant Blow Out, Travolta was able to resurrect his career with the 1989 family comedy Look’s Who Talking and its sequel before enjoying back-to-back successes with Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction and Barry Sonnefeld’s Get Shorty.
His critically-acclaimed hits of 1994 and 1995 saw Travolta’s Hollywood stock rise once again leading to two stellar action thrillers with director John Woo – Broken Arrow in 1996 and Face/Off in 1997.
Nicolas Cage and John Travolta in Face/Off (1997).
The actor’s career has, however, misfired ever since including films he’d probably rather forget (Roger Christian’s clumsy, cliched and poorly scripted Battlefield Earth – 2000; and Kevin Connolly’s ill-conceived Gotti – 2018).
There have been some gems though. Travolta poking fun at himself in Austin Powers in Goldmember and the sprightly re-imagining of Hairspray, while 2007’s biker comedy Wild Hogs remains one of his most enjoyable films since the 1990s.
10. Broken Arrow
Dir. John Woo (1996)
John Woo gives John Travolta the chance to play the bad guy opposite Christian Slater in this stylish action movie about a rogue US military pilot (Travolta’s Major Vic “Deak” Deakins) who plots to steal nuclear warheads to sell to the highest bidder.
His plan, however, is thwarted by his former boxing partner/co-pilot (Slater) and a feisty park ranger (Samantha Mathis), who team up – and get romantic – to stop him.
9. The General’s Daughter
Dir. Simon West (1999)
In this military story, Travolta plays CID investigator Paul Brenner who holds the power to arrest any military person, with any rank or seniority, anywhere in the world. When he’s called to investigate the murder of a female captain, the daughter of another famous general, he begins unravelling a sordid secret buried deep under military secrecy.
Directed with surprising weight by action filmmaker Simon West (Con Air, The Expendables 2), Travolta delivers a strong and thoughtful performance, with the film’s source novel adapted by screenwriter William Goldman (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Marathon Man).
8. A Civil Action
Dir. Steven Zaillian (1998)
Travolta gives a brilliant performance in this tense legal thriller based on a true story. He plays Jan Schlichtmann, a high-priced personal injury attorney, who only takes big-money cases he can settle out of court.
While his latest case appears simple, he becomes entangled in a legal battle taking on corporate giants when local people become sick from toxic poisoning.
Sharing the screen with Robert Duvall and William H. Macy, this underrated courtroom drama is now recognised as a powerful, poignant film boasting a nuanced performance from Travolta.
7. Grease
Dir. Randal Kleiser (1978)
Scene from the iconic final dance sequence in Grease which sees Olivia Newton John and John Travolta sing “You’re The One That I Want”.
This feel good musical masterpiece sees Travolta play high school bad boy Danny Zuko, stealing the show (and many a heart) as the cool Elvis Presley-styled kid who falls in love with Olivia Newton-John’s good Australian girl over one hot summer.
With memorable lines, catchy tunes and endless sing-along moments, Grease is a legend of the stage and the adapted film is a favourite for many, the definition of feel-good entertainment. For a long period, Grease was the third highest-grossing movie of all time, behind Jaws and Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope.
6. Carrie
Dir. Brian De Palma (1976)
Carrie is blessed with a great story and a strong central performance from Sissy Spacek with wonderful support from Piper Laurie as her mother.
Brian De Palma is also perfectly suited to King’s material – the female sexuality and voyeurism the director has flirted with in other films is evidenced here, as is the director’s penchant for Hitchcockian thrills and sophisticated editing and filming techniques.
Travolta, in a supporting role, shows his darker side as the sadistic boyfriend of high school bully Chris Hargensen (Nancy Allen). Despite only having a few minutes of screen time, Carrie is, without any doubt, one of the best films of Travolta’s career.
5. Face/Off
Dir. John Woo (1997)
While it’s best known as a visceral action film from legendary Hong Kong director John Woo, the performances from Travolta and Nicolas Cage allow both actors to let loose, give heightened performances and even play each other thanks to a wild premise and character swap scenario.
When Travolta’s FBI agent, Sean Archer, finally catches terrorist Castor Troy, he and his team employ a radical, reversible science to take Troy’s actual face in place of Archer’s in order to infiltrate his gang. But when Troy wakes up from an induced coma, steals Archer’s face and kills everyone who knows about the mission, things become complicated. A landmark action film of the 1990’s.
4. Get Shorty
Dir. Barry Sonnenfeld (1995)
Flexing his acting and wry comedy skills, Travolta plays loan shark gangster Chili Palmer who travels from Florida to Hollywood on a job, and becomes embroiled in the movie business, spotting similarities between the industry and his life of crime.
Based on a popular novel by Elmore Leonard, Travolta won a Golden Globe for his lead performance, one of the most entertaining roles of his career, and plays opposite Gene Hackman, Rene Russo and Danny DeVito.
3. Blow Out
Dir. Brian De Palma (1981)
From legendary director Brian De Palma, Blow Out is the film which, for many, first established Travolta as a true force on screen. Playing B-movie sound recordist, Jack, he collects outdoor sound effects and noises for use in his films, and one night accidentally records a murder, finding himself drawn into an assassination plot.
Carrying the story through his multi-layered dramatic performance, Blow Out remains a favourite among Travolta fans and established him as a serious, heavyweight actor after what some had seen as lighter dance and musical fare of the 1970s. In fact, Travolta was said to suffer from insomnia during the shoot and his lack of sleep helped him deliver his moody performance.
2. Pulp Fiction
Dir. Quentin Tarantino (1994)
In this complex crime epic, Travolta was hand-picked by writer-director Quentin Tarantino, a noted fan of Blow Out, to play heroin-addicted hitman Vincent Vega, a role which catapulted him back into the Hollywood A-list.
Beyond this, it launched him back into popular culture, the character now being the subject of comedy sketches, pop art and internet memes, with Travolta famously shown alongside his on-screen partner and brother-in-arms, Jules, played by Samuel L. Jackson. It also gave him the chance to get back on the dance floor.
Interweaving several stories of LA crime in the 1990s, Tarantino’s razor-sharp dialogue, trademark bursts of violence and dark humour, and an excellent ensemble cast, made this a smash hit in Cannes and a success all over the world. After this, Travolta was back on top.
1. Saturday Night Fever
Dir. John Badham (1977)
John Travolta has be one of the most multi-talented Hollywood stars to ever grace the screen. Not only can he act, sing and dance, he’s an accomplished pilot too. Like musical Grease, Saturday Night Fever showcased Travolta’s full array of talents, mixing a wonderful dramatic performance with some of the greatest dance sequences ever seen in a Hollywood movie.
In this classic movie which defined the disco generation, Travolta oozes charisma and charm, dominating the screen as king of the dance floor, Tony Manero, who endures a poorly paid, dead-end job and living with his parents and family, to hit the clubs anytime he can.
Beyond the attraction to the culture, fashion and music of this period, it’s a great drama and grounds itself in reality by asking what a young man like Tony can do with his passion, to escape a mundane future? The 1983 sequel, Staying Alive, was a success commercially but fared less well with critics.
If you enjoyed our look at the greatest John Travolta movies, you may also life:
Top 10 Robert Downey Jr. Films
Robert Downey Jr.’s filmography shows exceptional range, in regards to both style and genre. From heart-wrenching drama to biting satire, from frothy romantic comedy to character-driven dramas, he’s done it all.
