Roger Ebert

#1 Box Office Bust: Heaven’s Gate

Whereas most film critics consider The Godfather (1972) or The Godfather Part II (1974) to be the best movie from the 1970s, I contend that The Dear Hunter (1978) deserves that honor. After winning Best Picture and Best Director Oscars for his epic Vietnam War drama, Michael Cimino certainly deserved praise. However, his ego arguably got the best of him because his follow-up film, Heaven’s Gate (1980) failed to resonate with critics or moviegoers. In addition to returning an abysmal 10% of its production budget at the box office, the film resulted in the sale of the studio and made it harder for directors to work without overbearing studio involvement. Based on the pedigree of its filmmaker and its financial demise, Heaven’s Gate ranks as the #1 Top 10 Box Office Bust.