Five decades of distinguished performances

Few actresses can claim a filmography as extraordinary as Sarah Miles'. Over five decades, she appeared in more than forty films, working with virtually every major director of her generation—David Lean, Joseph Losey, Michelangelo Antonioni, John Boorman, Stephen Frears—and alongside cinema's greatest legends from Robert Shaw, Kris Kristofferson to Robert Mitchum. From her BAFTA-winning debut at eighteen to her Academy Award nomination for Ryan's Daughter, from winning Best Actress at Cannes to her final collaborations in the 2000s, Sarah's career represents one of the most remarkable journeys in British cinema history.

Award-Winning & Iconic Performances

Ryan's Daughter (1970)Academy Award Nomination for Best Actress
David Lean's sweeping Irish epic opposite Robert Mitchum, John Mills, and Trevor Howard. Sarah's passionate portrayal of Rosy Ryan earned international acclaim and established her as one of cinema's most fearless actresses.

The Hireling (1973)Winner, Best Actress, Cannes Film Festival
L.P. Hartley's intimate drama opposite Robert Shaw. Sarah's nuanced performance as a woman finding independence earned her the highest recognition at the world's most prestigious film festival.

The Servant (1963) Joseph Losey's psychological masterpiece with Dirk Bogarde and James Fox. Sarah's complex portrayal of Vera helped establish her as an actress unafraid of moral ambiguity.

Blowup (1966) Michelangelo Antonioni's iconic meditation on reality and perception in swinging London, opposite David Hemmings and Vanessa Redgrave.

Complete Filmography by Decade

1960s - The Breakthrough Years

  • Term of Trial (1962) - BAFTA Winner - Her stunning debut opposite Laurence Olivier at age eighteen

  • The Ceremony (1963) - Opposite Laurence Harvey

  • The Servant (1963) - Joseph Losey masterpiece with Dirk Bogarde

  • The Six-Sided Triangle (1963) - Oscar-nominated film directed by her brother Christopher Miles

  • Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965) - Comedy ensemble with the world's great comedians

  • I Was Happy Here (1966) - Edna O'Brien film directed by Desmond Davies

  • Blowup (1966) - Antonioni's swinging London classic

  • Monte Carlo or Bust! (1969)

1970s - International Stardom

  • Ryan's Daughter (1970) - Academy Award nomination

  • Bride to Be (1975) - Spanish film, released as Pepita Jiménez, based on Juan Valera's novel

  • Lady Caroline Lamb (1972) - Written and directed by Robert Bolt, with Ralph Richardson and Laurence Olivier

  • The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing (1973) - Western opposite Burt Reynolds

  • The Hireling (1973) - Cannes Best Actress winner

  • Great Expectations (1974) - Dickens adaptation with Margaret Leighton and Michael York

  • Bride to Be (1975)

  • The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea (1976) - Mishima adaptation with Kris Kristofferson

  • Dynasty (1976) - Television special

  • The Big Sleep (1978) - Raymond Chandler classic with Robert Mitchum

1980s - Continued Excellence

  • Priest of Love (1981) - With Ian McKellen

  • Loving Walter (1982)

  • Walter and June (1983) - Opposite Ian McKellen, directed by Stephen Frears (Channel 4's opening film)

  • Ordeal by Innocence (1985) - Agatha Christie adaptation with Faye Dunaway and Donald Sutherland

  • Steaming (1985) - Joseph Losey's final film with Vanessa Redgrave and Diana Dors

  • Harem (1986) - US mini-series with Ava Gardner and Omar Sharif

  • Queenie (1987)

  • Hope and Glory (1987) - John Boorman's acclaimed autobiographical wartime film

  • White Mischief (1987) - Period drama with Charles Dance, Trevor Howard, John Hurt, and Greta Scacchi

1990s - 2000s - Continued Work

  • A Ghost in Monte Carlo (1990)

  • The Silent Touch (1992) - Opposite Max von Sydow

  • Dandelion Dead (1994) - Television drama with Michael Kitchen

  • Jurij (2001)

  • The Accidental Detective (2003)

  • Poirot: The Hollow (2004) - As Lady Angkatell opposite David Suchet's Poirot

Television Highlights

  • Dynasty (2-hour special) with Harrison Ford, Amy Irving, Stacey Keach

  • Harem (US mini-series) with Ava Gardner and Omar Sharif

  • Dandelion Dead with Michael Kitchen (LWT)

  • Agatha Christie's The Hollow with David Suchet as Poirot

  • Walter and June - Stephen Frears film that opened Channel 4

Career Achievements

40+ films spanning five decades


Academy Award nomination


Cannes Film Festival Best Actress winner


BAFTA winner


Worked with legendary directors: David Lean, Joseph Losey, Michelangelo Antonioni, John Boorman, Stephen Frears


Co-starred with cinema's greatest: Laurence Olivier, Robert Mitchum, Dirk Bogarde, Ian McKellen, Max von Sydow