| Critic | Publication | List Year | Top Critic |
|---|---|---|---|
| George Anderson | Pittsburgh Post Gazette | 1972 | Yes |
| Gary Arnold | Washington Post | 1972 | Yes |
| Asbury Park Press | 1972 | No | |
| Fred Astaire | 1972 | No | |
| Joe Baltake | Philadelphia Daily News | 1972 | Yes |
| Milton Bass | Berkshire Eagle | 1972 | No |
| Edward Blank | Pittsburgh Press | 1972 | No |
| Stuary Byron | Village Voice | 1972 | No |
| Scott Cain | Atlanta Constitution | 1972 | No |
| Vincent Canby | New York Times | 1972 | Yes |
| Charles Champlin | Los Angeles Times | 1972 | Yes |
| Bruce Cook | National Observer | 1972 | No |
| Richard Corliss | Village Voice | 1972 | Yes |
| Tom Costner | Village Voice | 1972 | No |
| Joan Crawford | 1972 | No | |
| Judith Crist | New York Magazine | 1972 | Yes |
| Lawrence Devine | Detroit Free Press | 1972 | No |
| Bernard Drew | Democrat and Chronicle | 1972 | No |
| Roger Ebert | Chicago Sun Times | 1972 | Yes |
| GJ Fleming | Orlando Sentinel | 1972 | No |
| Joseph Gelmis | Newsday | 1972 | Yes |
| Penelope Gilliatt | New Yorker | 1972 | Yes |
| Roger Greenspun | The Times | 1972 | Yes |
| Dick Gregory | 1972 | No | |
| Joyce Haber | Los Angeles Times | 1972 | No |
| Molly Haskell | Village Voice | 1972 | Yes |
| Harry Haun | Tennessean | 1972 | Yes |
| Jim Hopwood | Decatur Herald | 1972 | No |
| Jacob Javits | 1972 | No | |
| Stanley Kauffman | New Republic | 1972 | No |
| Terry Kay | Atlanta Constitution | 1972 | No |
| Michael Kerbel | Village Voice | 1972 | Yes |
| Paine Knickerbocker | San Francisco Chroncile | 1972 | Yes |
| Martin Levine | Newsday | 1972 | No |
| Dave MmcIntyre | Copley News Service | 1972 | No |
| Christene Meyers | Billings Gazette | 1972 | No |
| Merle Miller | 1972 | No | |
| Martin Mitchell | After Dark | 1972 | No |
| Jim Montgomery | Shrevport Times | 1972 | No |
| Patrick Murphy | 1972 | No | |
| National Board of Review | 1972 | No | |
| National Society of Film Critics | 1972 | No | |
| New York Film Critics | 1972 | No | |
| Newsday Readers Poll | Newsday Readers Poll | 1972 | No |
| Cliff O'Connell | Santa Fe New Mexican | 1972 | No |
| Joyce Carol Oates | 1972 | No | |
| Jerry Parker | Newsday | 1972 | No |
| William Paul | Village Voice | 1972 | Yes |
| Jamie Portman | The Calgary Herald | 1972 | No |
| Howell Raines | Atlanta Constitution | 1972 | No |
| Rex Reed | New York Daily News | 1972 | Yes |
| Clifford Ridley | National Observer | 1972 | No |
| Clayton Riley | 1972 | No | |
| Jonathan Rosenbaum | Village Voice | 1972 | Yes |
| William Sarmento | Lowell Sun | 1972 | No |
| Andrew Sarris | Village Voice | 1972 | Yes |
| Dick Shippy | Akron Beacon Journal | 1972 | No |
| John Simon | New Leader | 1972 | Yes |
| Gene Siskel | Chicago Tribune | 1972 | Yes |
| Susan Stark | Detroit Free Press | 1972 | Yes |
| Gloria Steinem | 1972 | No | |
| Norma McLain Stoop | After Dark | 1972 | No |
| Phil Strassberg | Arizona Republic | 1972 | No |
| Harry Themal | Wilmington News Journal | 1972 | No |
| Jay Cocks | Time Magazine | 1972 | Yes |
| David Wagner | Post-Crescent | 1972 | No |
| Barbara Walters | 1972 | No | |
| Douglas Wayne | De Kalb Daily Chronicle | 1972 | No |
| John Weisman | Detroit Free Press | 1972 | No |
| Paul Zimmerman | Newsweek | 1972 | No |
| Jack Zink | Fort Lauderdale News | 1972 | Yes |
| International Film Guide | 1972 | No |