An incomplete list of people reading The Catcher in the Rye in movies.

Today, J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye turns 75. Despite mixed early reviews, the book quickly became a touchstone of American literature, and an icon of American culture in general. It has been referenced in countless other forms of media over the last 75 years, but famously never been adapted into a film itself, at Salinger’s request. However, it has graced the silver screen in several cameo appearances, its uses ranging from characterization to clue to joke to major plot point.

I have collected a few of these appearances below, limiting the selections to films in which the book actually appears (whether actually read or not), as opposed to the many more in which it is merely mentioned. Still, I’m sure there are plenty I’ve missed—so add on to the list in the comments!

Wendy (Shelley Duvall) reads The Catcher in the Rye in The Shining, dir. Stanley Kubrick (1980)

If you would like to go slightly insane considering the symbolic significance of this, may I direct you here.

Ray, aka “Mike” (Evan Holtzman) reading The Catcher in the Rye while he waits for a “hit man” in Hit Man, dir. Richard Linklater (2023)

“He said he’d be the guy sitting alone reading Catcher in the Rye.”

“Which, historically speaking, is never a good sign.”

Jack (Jeremy London) reads The Catcher in the Rye in The Babysitter, dir. Guy Ferland (1995)

See above.

Oliver (Craig Roberts) recommends Catcher to Jordana (Yasmin Paige) in Submarine, dir. Richard Ayoade (2010)

“This is The Catcher in the Rye, a great example of a modern American novel. Salinger’s very influential.”

“…why are you doing this?”

The Catcher in the Rye after an encounter with Scotty the dog in Ruby Sparks, dir. Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (2012)

“Salinger had the right idea: Write what you can, then disappear.”

Jerry Fletcher (Mel Gibson) compulsively buys copies of The Catcher in the Rye, despite never having read it, in Conspiracy Theory, dir. Richard Donner (1997)

See more books as they appeared in ’90s movies here.

Catcher amongst its peers in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, dir. Stephen Chbosky (2012)

An iconic high schooler’s shelf.

Alvy Singer (Woody Allen) and Annie Hall (Diane Keaton) split up their books, including The Catcher in the Rye, in Annie Hall, dir. Woody Allen (1977)

“Now look, all the books on death and dying are yours, and all the poetry books are mine.”

“Holden” (Jake Gyllenhaal) allegedly reading The Catcher in the Rye at work in The Good Girl, dir.Miguel Arteta (2002)

“What you reading?”

“Catcher in the Rye. I’m named after it.”

“What’s your name, Catcher?”

Arnold (Scott Thomson) doing the reading in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, dir. Amy Heckerling (1982)

Is that someone actually reading in school?

Freddie Clegg (Terence Stamp) does not enjoy The Catcher in the Rye, which he read at his captive’s (Samantha Eggar) request, in The Collector, dir. William Wyler (1965)

“Well, I mean . . . you’re not trying to see how much like . . . like all of us he is.”

“Like me. That’s what you meant, isn’t it? I don’t fit anywhere either.”

Joanna (Margaret Qualley) catches up on The Catcher in the Rye in My Salinger Year, dir. Philippe Falardeau (2020)

“Jerry doesn’t wanna hear about how much you love The Catcher In The Rye. And he doesn’t want to read your stories.”

“Don’t have stories.”

“Good. Writers make the worst assistants. Get to work.”

Jerry Salinger (Nicholas Holt) considers his fame in The Rebel in the Rye, dir. Danny Strong (2017)

It hardly counts, but just for the sake of completion.