Skip to content
MovieCove
Sam Peckinpah

Sam Peckinpah

Director, writer and actor, also producer · Died December 28, 1984, aged 59 · Fresno, California, United States

David Samuel "Sam" Peckinpah (February 21, 1925 – December 28, 1984) was an American filmmaker.

Biography from TMDB.

Born
February 21, 1925
Died
December 28, 1984 (aged 59)
From
Fresno, California, United States
Works as
Director, writer and actor, also producer
Titles
27 on MovieCove · 42 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 47% in 30 days

What are Sam Peckinpah's films like?

Across their 22 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 79th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 56th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 55th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
30%
Bonds
23%
Survival
16%
Self
15%
Power
15%
Society
2%
Betrayal6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom5 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival5 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption4 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 21 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 2 · Serious 7 · Dark 12

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 11 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 2 · Charged 7 · Intense 12

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 5 · Shifting 12 · Whiplash 4

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 18 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 13 · Relentless 2

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 4 · Engaged 15 · Full focus 2

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 3 · Affecting 8 · Heavy 10

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 12 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 4

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
17
Melancholic
10
Dread
7
Thrilling
5
Contemplative
4
Other
15

How their films linger

Bittersweet9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Bittersweet15
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous3
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Sam Peckinpah's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 17 of their 27 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Sam Peckinpah's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

42 credits, 27 with a MovieCove page; 10 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Straw Dogs(2011)

    Original Film Writer

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Passion & Poetry: Sam Peckinpah's War(2011)

    In Memory Of

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Osterman Weekend(1983)

    Director · as Maxwell Danforth's Aide (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • The Visitor(1979)

    as Dr. Sam Collins

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • China 9, Liberty 37(1978)

    as Wilbur Olsen

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Convoy(1978)

    Director · as News Crew Director (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Cross of Iron(1977)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • The Killer Elite(1975)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia(1974)

    Director · Screenplay · Songs · Story

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid(1973)

    Director · as Will (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • The Getaway(1972)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Junior Bonner(1972)

    Director · as Man in Palace Bar (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Straw Dogs(1971)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • The Ballad of Cable Hogue(1970)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • The Wild Bunch(1969)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Villa Rides(1968)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Noon Wine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Director · Screenplay

  • ABC Stage 67 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 1 episode · Director · Writer

  • The Glory Guys(1965)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Major Dundee(1965)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • The Cincinnati Kid(1965)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • The Losers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)

    Director · Producer · Story

  • Ride the High Country(1962)

    Director · Additional Writing · Writer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • The Dick Powell Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • The Deadly Companions(1961)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • One-Eyed Jacks(1961)

    Additional Writing · Writer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Route 66(1960)

    Show 2 episodes · Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • The Westerner(1960)

    Show 5 episodes · Director · Creator · Writer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • The Rifleman(1958)

    Show 5 episodes · Director · Creator · Writer

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Tom Tit Tot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Director · Writer

  • Have Gun, Will Travel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

  • Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

  • Broken Arrow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 2 episodes · Director · Writer

  • Invasion of the Body Snatchers(1956)

    as Charlie the Meter Reader

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • The 20th Century Fox Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

  • Gunsmoke (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 4 episodes · Director · Screenplay · Writer

  • Wichita(1955)

    as Bank Teller (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • An Annapolis Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    as Pilot (uncredited)

  • Dial Red O (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    as Cook in Diner (uncredited)

  • Private Hell 36 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Dialogue

  • Portrait of a Madonna (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Director · Writer

Career shape

A full career of 41 titles from 1952 to 2011.

Biggest box office

Convoy (1978)

$23M worldwide

Highest rated

The Wild Bunch (1969)

Midcredits 97th

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting10 of 41: 6 only acting, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score65thDirecting27 of 41: 7 only directing, 20 with another role · typical Midcredits score87thWriting20 of 41: 6 only writing, 14 with another role · typical Midcredits score75thProducing2 of 41: 0 only producing, 2 with another roleOther crew6 of 41: 2 only other crew, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score88th

41 titles, 20 with more than one role — directing and writing overlap on 14 of them.

By decade

1950s13 · 4 acting · 9 crew1960s14 · crew1970s11 · 5 acting · 9 crew1980s1 · 1 acting · 1 crew2010s2 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Sam Peckinpah's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 75th percentile, the median of all 24; across their 21 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 71st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

71stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Approval · how many liked their films

74thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Reach · how many have seen their films

86thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Midcredits score across 27 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up14
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th6

Shape of the crowd

None of their 27 titles divides audiences: 15 are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Crowd Pleaser15
  • Broadly Agreed5
  • Mixed2

Most loved · director, writer

The Wild Bunch (1969)

Midcredits 97th · 84% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 73/100 and the pacing 42/100 in their films, across 21 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Sam Peckinpah's work okay for kids?

Across up to 18 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, sex & nudity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore11 titles47–91 · median 75 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity18 titles19–68 · median 49 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity12 titles28–65 · median 42 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs11 titles35–61 · median 42 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense9 titles43–84 · median 64 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Sam Peckinpah work with?

People who share at least 2 of Sam Peckinpah's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Ben Johnson shares the most, 5.

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers