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Patricia Neal

Patricia Neal

Actor · Died August 8, 2010, aged 84 · Packard, Kentucky, USA

Patricia Neal (born Patsy Louise Neal; January 20, 1926 – August 8, 2010) was an American actress of stage and screen. She was best known for her roles as World War II widow Helen Benson in The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), wealthy matron Emily Eustace Failenson in Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), and middle-aged housekeeper Alma Brown in Hud (1963), for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
January 20, 1926
Died
August 8, 2010 (aged 84)
From
Packard, Kentucky, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
38 on Motif · 64 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 39 days to Oct 28Down 7% in 30 days

What are Patricia Neal's films like?

Across their 32 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Drama19 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 78th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 59th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Documentary3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 83rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies

Their Motif 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
Bonds
26%
Morality
19%
Survival
18%
Self
16%
Power
8%
Ideas
7%
Society
6%
Family bonds11 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeMortality4 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 31 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 4 · Serious 11 · Dark 16

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

Grounded 23 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 7 · Charged 18 · Intense 6

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

Steady 20 · Shifting 11 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 24 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 3

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 19 · Even-paced 12 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 11 · Engaged 17 · Full focus 3

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

Easy watch 4 · Affecting 15 · Heavy 12

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 23 · Open-ended 7 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

22 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 6 of 22 analyzed roles.

Hero
6 of 22
Herald
4 of 22
Shapeshifter
3 of 22
Ally
3 of 22
Shadow
2 of 22
Mentor
2 of 22
Threshold guardian
2 of 22
Show the 22 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
18
Melancholic
21
Warm
10
Dread
5
Hopeful
6
Other
21

How their films linger

Bittersweet14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 6 with a twist

  • Happy7
  • Bittersweet16
  • Tragic4
  • Ambiguous4
  • 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 Patricia Neal's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 11 of their 38 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (6).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Patricia Neal's titles on Motif; 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

64 credits, 38 with a Motif page; 16 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Flying By (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2009)

    as Margie

  • Ian Fleming: The Secret Road to Paradise (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2008)

    Actor

  • Bright Leaves(2003)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • The Face: Jesus in Art(2001)

    as Narrator

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Cookie's Fortune(1999)

    as Jewel Mae "Cookie" Orcutt

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey(1993)

    as Helen Benson (archive footage) (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Heidi(1993)

    Show 2 episodes · as Grandmother

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all shows

  • A Mother's Right: The Elizabeth Morgan Story (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1992)

    as Antonia Morgan

  • Caroline?(1990)

    as Miss Trollope

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • An Unremarkable Life (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1989)

    as Frances McEllany

  • Shattered Vows(1984)

    as Sister Carmelita

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • Love Leads the Way: A True Story(1984)

    as Mrs. Frank

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Murder, She Wrote(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Milena Maryska

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows

  • Glitter (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Ghost Story(1981)

    as Stella

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • The Patricia Neal Story(1981)

    as Patricia Neal (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • All Quiet on the Western Front(1979)

    as Paul's Mother

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Passage(1979)

    as Mrs. Bergson

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • The Bastard (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1978)

    Show 1 episode · as Marie Charboneau

  • A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig Story(1977)

    as Mrs. Gehrig

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Widows' Nest (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1977)

    as Lupe

  • Tail Gunner Joe (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1977)

    as Margaret Chase Smith

  • The American Woman: Portraits of Courage(1976)

    as Narrator

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Eric (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1975)

    as Lois Swensen

  • B. Must Die (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1975)

    as Julia

  • Things in Their Season(1974)

    as Peg Gerlach

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Little House on the Prairie(1974)

    Show 2 episodes · as Julia Sanderson

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • Happy Mother's Day, Love George(1973)

    as Cara

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Baxter! (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1973)

    as Dr. Roberta Clemm

  • Kung Fu(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as Sara Kingsley

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Ghost Story (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as Ellen Alexander

  • The Homecoming: A Christmas Story(1971)

    as Olivia Walton

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • The Night Digger(1971)

    as Maura Prince

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • The Subject Was Roses(1968)

    as Nettie Cleary

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • In Harm's Way(1965)

    as Lt. Maggie Hayes

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Psyche 59(1964)

    as Alison Crawford

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Espionage (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1963)

    Show 1 episode · as Jeanne

  • Hud(1963)

    as Alma Brown

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Zero One (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1962)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Breakfast at Tiffany's(1961)

    as 2E Failenson

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Ben Casey (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Special for Women (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · as Ruth Evans

  • Checkmate (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1960)

    Show 1 episode · as Fran Davis

  • The Playroom (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1957)

    as Margaret Flood

  • A Face in the Crowd(1957)

    as Marcia Jeffries

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • The Venusian(1954)

    as Susan North

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • La tua donna (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1954)

    as Germana De Torri

  • Something for the Birds (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1952)

    as Anne Richards

  • Washington Story (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1952)

    as Alice Kingsley

  • Diplomatic Courier (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1952)

    as Joan Ross

  • Hallmark Hall of Fame (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1951)

    Show 1 episode · as Lois Swensen · as Miss Trollope · as Paul's Mother

  • Week-End with Father(1951)

    as Jean Bowen

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • The Day the Earth Stood Still(1951)

    as Helen Benson

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Raton Pass(1951)

    as Ann Challon

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Operation Pacific(1951)

    as Mary Stuart

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Three Secrets (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1950)

    as Phyllis Horn

  • The Breaking Point(1950)

    as Leona Charles

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Bright Leaf(1950)

    as Margaret Jane Singleton

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Your Show of Shows (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1950)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Hasty Heart(1949)

    as Sister Margaret Parker

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • It's a Great Feeling(1949)

    as Patricia Neal (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • The Fountainhead(1949)

    as Dominique Francon

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • John Loves Mary(1949)

    as Mary McKinley

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Studio One (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1948)

    Show 1 episode · as Caroline Mann · as Miriam Leslie

Career shape

Star power in the 97th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 63 titles from 1948 to 2009; peak year 1962.

Biggest box office

Ghost Story (1981)

$23M worldwide

Highest rated

A Face in the Crowd (1957)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19482009

Peak 1962 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 6 Motif titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting63 of 63: 63 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score74th

By decade

1940s5 · acting1950s16 · acting1960s10 · acting1970s17 · acting1980s7 · acting1990s5 · acting2000s3 · acting

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 0% of 13 roles
4954

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 Motif, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Patricia Neal's films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Midcredits score in the 75th percentile, the median of all 34; across their 31 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 76th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

76thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 31

Approval · how many liked their films

75thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 31

Reach · how many have seen their films

55thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 31

Midcredits score across 38 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up19
  • 50th to 74th11
  • 25th to 49th7
  • Below 25th1

Shape of the crowd

19 of their 38 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved7
  • Loved with Detractors1
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser19
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed5

Most divisive · actor

The Face: Jesus in Art (2001)

93rd percentile spread · 19% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

A Face in the Crowd (1957)

Midcredits 98th · 89% liked

Reviewers score the acting 74/100 in their films, across 30 reviewed titles; fans 81, detractors 51. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; 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 Motif 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 Patricia Neal's work okay for kids?

Across up to 8 Motif titles with content scores, alcohol & drugs runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore7 titles6–65 · median 44 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity8 titles13–59 · median 30 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity6 titles6–36 · median 27 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs6 titles27–60 · median 51 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense5 titles20–61 · median 42 · moderatenear the median of all 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 Patricia Neal work with?

People who share at least 2 of Patricia Neal's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Ranald MacDougall shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers