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Franklin J. Schaffner

Franklin J. Schaffner

Director, also producer · Died July 2, 1989, aged 69 · Tokyo, Japan

Franklin James Schaffner (May 30, 1920 – July 2, 1989) was an American director. He won the Academy Award for Best Director for Patton (1970), and is also known for the films Planet of the Apes (1968), Nicholas and Alexandra (1971), Papillon (1973), and The Boys from Brazil (1978). He served as President of the Directors Guild of America between 1987 and 1989.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 30, 1920
Died
July 2, 1989 (aged 69)
From
Tokyo, Japan
Works as
Director, also producer
Titles
12 on MovieCove · 46 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 38 days to Oct 27Up 1% in 30 days

What are Franklin J. Schaffner's films like?

Across their 12 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Power.

Genres

Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 72nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Adventure3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 21st percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 97th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography 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
24%
Power
22%
Bonds
17%
Self
16%
Survival
12%
Ideas
8%
Society
3%
Power3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 12 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 1 · Serious 4 · Dark 7

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 8 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 1

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

Gentle 1 · Charged 7 · Intense 4

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

Steady 6 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 12 · Some laughs 0 · Funny 0

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

Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 6 · 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 4 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 3

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 4 · Affecting 3 · Heavy 5

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

A split, not a type: Resolved 6 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
9
Contemplative
6
Melancholic
4
Dread
3
Romantic
2
Other
9

How their films linger

Bittersweet7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteDevastating2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy2
  • Bittersweet7
  • Tragic3

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 Franklin J. Schaffner's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 5 of their 12 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (4).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Franklin J. Schaffner'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

46 credits, 12 with a MovieCove page; 4 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Welcome Home (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Director

  • Lionheart(1987)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Yes, Giorgio(1982)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Sphinx(1981)

    Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • The Boys from Brazil(1978)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Islands in the Stream(1977)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Papillon(1973)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Nicholas and Alexandra(1971)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Patton(1970)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Planet of the Apes(1968)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • The Double Man(1967)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

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

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Planet of the Apes Test Reel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Director

  • The War Lord(1965)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • The Best Man(1964)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

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

    Director

  • Big Deal in Laredo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Executive Producer

  • A Tour of the White House with Mrs. John F. Kennedy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    Director

  • The DuPont Show of the Week (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 4 episodes · Director

  • The Defenders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 6 episodes · Director

  • Startime (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Show 1 episode · Director · Producer

  • The Velvet Alley (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)

    Director

  • The Great Gatsby (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Director

  • Nightmare at Ground Zero (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Director

  • Panic Button (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Director

  • The Clouded Image (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Director

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

    Director

  • Playhouse 90 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Show 3 episodes · Director

  • High Tor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Director

  • The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Ford Star Jubilee (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

  • Producers' Showcase (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • Twelve Angry Men (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Director

  • The Strike (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Director

  • Dark Possession (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Director

  • Mark of Cain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    Director

  • The Play of the Nativity of the Child Jesus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Director

  • The Kill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Director

  • Pontius Pilate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    Director

  • The Ford Theatre Hour: Alice in Wonderland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Director

  • The Man Who Had Influence (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Director

  • Miracle in the Rain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Director

  • Jane Eyre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    Director

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

    Show 110 episodes · Director

  • Ford Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Show 1 episode · Director

  • The Ford Theatre Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    Show 1 episode · Director

Career shape

A full career of 46 titles from 1948 to 1989.

Biggest box office

Patton (1970)

$62M worldwide

Highest rated

Planet of the Apes (1968)

Midcredits 98th

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing44 of 46: 40 only directing, 4 with another role · typical Midcredits score72ndWriting2 of 46: 1 only writing, 1 with another roleProducing4 of 46: 1 only producing, 3 with another role

46 titles, 4 with more than one role — directing and producing overlap on 3 of them.

By decade

1940s4 · crew1950s22 · crew1960s11 · crew1970s5 · crew1980s4 · 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 Franklin J. Schaffner's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 72nd percentile, the median of all 12; across their 12 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 69th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

69thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Approval · how many liked their films

74thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Reach · how many have seen their films

76thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Midcredits score across 12 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th2
  • 25th to 49th1
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

4 of their 12 titles are Universally Loved.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Crowd Pleaser4
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed3

Most divisive · director

Yes, Giorgio (1982)

80th percentile spread · 57% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director

Planet of the Apes (1968)

Midcredits 98th · 88% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 70/100 and the pacing 41/100 in their films, across 12 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 Franklin J. Schaffner's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, 1 of the 5 categories sits near the median of all films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 69 · intenseMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity5 titles16–51 · median 40 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 44 · moderateMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs4 titlesmedian 34 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 64 · intenseMedian 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 Franklin J. Schaffner work with?

People who share at least 2 of Franklin J. Schaffner's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jerry Goldsmith shares the most, 6.

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles