There's something eerily gripping about watching a late movie star in his or her final role. Whether it's a comedy or a drama, a flop or a smash, that last glimpse is always worth savoring. Below are the last movies of nine notable stars.

1. James Dean

Rising star James Dean was just 24 years old, with a mere three starring roles under his belt, when he was killed in a car accident in 1955. The astonishingly talented actor became an enduring cult icon with his roles in East of Eden and Rebel Without a Cause. But Giant, released in 1956, was Dean's farewell picture. In the movie, Dean plays Jett Rink, a nonconforming ranch hand who becomes a rich oil tycoon. Dean's character ages about 30 years in the film, so his hair was dyed gray. When Dean was killed on September 30, 1955, while driving his Porsche Spyder to an auto race in Salinas, California, he eerily appeared much older, due to his hairstyle. Dean received Oscar nominations for Best Actor for his roles in Giant and East of Eden, the first person ever to receive a post-humous nod from the Academy.

Jayne Mansfield's final film was 1968's Single Room Furnished.

On the American Film Institute's list of Top 100 U.S. Love Stories, six of the movies star Katharine Hepburn, more than any other actress on the list. So it's fitting that her final movie, 1994's Love Affair, tells the tale of a budding romance, and stars famous lovebirds Warren Beatty and Annette Bening. It's also fitting that in addition to her immense talent, Hepburn was known for a razor-sharp wit, a willingness to speak her mind freely, and a decades-long love affair with costar Spencer Tracy. The actress, who earned four Oscars (a record for any actress), starred on the big screen for more than 60 years before retiring in the mid-1990s. Love Affair, in fact, was the only big-screen project she embarked on in the '90s. Hepburn died at home in 2003, at age 96.

On the next page you will find the continuation of our list of nine noteworthy film stars and their final films.