The 100 Best Movies With Lionel Barrymore
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1James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel BarrymoreIn the heartwarming film It's a Wonderful Life, George Bailey (James Stewart) teeters on the brink of despair. His small-town existence, full of missed opportunities and financial struggles, seems unbearable. Luckily, his guardian angel Clarence Odbody (Henry Travers) steps in, showing George what life would be like if he'd never been born. This 1946 classic, directed by Frank Capra, brilliantly blends elements of drama and fantasy. It won an Academy Technical Achievement Award and has been lauded for its enduring message about the value of every individual life.- Dig Deeper...It's A Wonderful Life Is Not The Heartwarming Movie You Remember
- #278 of 769 onThe Most Rewatchable Movies
- #7 of 126 onThe Best Christmas Movies Of All Time
2Spencer Tracy, Freddie Bartholomew, Lionel BarrymoreWhen spoiled Harvey Cheyne (Freddie Bartholomew) is suspended from boarding school, his businessman father (Melvyn Douglas) takes him to Europe on a business trip. When the rebellious lad falls overboard from the steamship, he is saved from death by humble fisherman Manuel Fidello (Spencer Tracy) and forced by the captain of the fishing schooner (Lionel Barrymore) to become a low-ranking member of the ship's crew alongside the captain's own son (Mickey Rooney).More Captains Courageous
- #71 of 75 onThe Best Movies For Boys To Watch
- #88 of 117 onMovies Set In Massachusetts, Ranked
- #3 of 131 onThe 130+ Best Movies of 1937
3Humphrey Bogart, Edward G. Robinson, Lauren BacallThis classic film noir by John Huston stars Humphrey Bogart as World War II vet Frank McCloud. Visiting Key Largo to pay his respects to the family of his late war buddy, McCloud attempts to comfort his comrade's widow, Nora (Lauren Bacall), and father, James Temple (Lionel Barrymore), who operate a hotel. But McCloud realizes that mobsters, led by the infamous Johnny Rocco (Edward G. Robinson), are staying in the hotel. When the criminals take over the establishment, conflict is inevitable.More Key Largo- #56 of 94 onThe 90+ Best Mafia Movies Of All Time
- #26 of 92 onThe 90+ Best Film Noirs Of All Time
- #75 of 216 onThe 200 Best Crime Movies Ever
4W.C. Fields, Freddie Bartholomew, Basil RathboneAbused by his cruel stepfather (Basil Rathbone) after his mother dies, young David Copperfield (Freddie Bartholomew) first finds shelter in the convivial home of Mr. Micawber (W.C. Fields) and later grows up under the protection of his kindhearted Aunt Betsey (Edna May Oliver). As an adult, David meets the beautiful Agnes Wickfield (Madge Evans) and attempts to free her struggling family's business from villainous blackmailer Uriah Heep (Roland Young) and his henchmen.
5Jean Arthur, Lionel Barrymore, James StewartSweet-natured Alice Sycamore (Jean Arthur) falls for banker's son Tony Kirby (James Stewart). But when she invites her snooty prospective in-laws to dinner to give their blessing to the marriage, Alice's peculiar extended family -- including philosophical grandfather Martin Vanderhof (Lionel Barrymore), hapless fledgling ballerina sister Essie (Ann Miller) and fireworks enthusiast father, Paul (Samuel S. Hinds) -- might be too eccentric for the staid Kirbys.- #78 of 96 onThe Very Best Oscar-Winning Movies For Best Picture
- #462 of 703 onThe All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
- #28 of 75 onThe 75 Best Classic Romance Movies
6Jennifer Jones, Gregory Peck, Joseph CottenTragedy seems to follow Pearl Chavez (Jennifer Jones) everywhere she goes. After a domestic dispute results in the death of both of her parents, Pearl moves in with her aunt, Laura Belle (Lillian Gish), on an expansive farm. When Pearl notices Laura Belle's son, the fiery Lewt, life on the ranch erupts into chaos. The two have a brief courtship, but Lewt abruptly ends the relationship. When Pearl tries to move on, Lewt's jealousy leads to a climactic gun battle between the former lovers.More Duel in the Sun- #195 of 288 onThe 250+ Best Western Movies Of All Time
- #19 of 49 onThe Best 1940s Western Movies
- #48 of 56 onThe Best Romance Movies Of The 1940s
7Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, John BarrymoreAt a luxurious Berlin hotel between the wars, the once-wealthy Baron Felix von Gaigern (John Barrymore) supports himself as a thief and gambler. In this lavish adaptation of the successful Broadway play, the baron romances one of his marks, the aging ballerina Grusinskaya (Greta Garbo), and teams with dying accountant Otto Kringelein (Lionel Barrymore) against his former boss, crooked industrialist Preysing (Wallace Beery), and his ambitious stenographer, Flaemmchen (Joan Crawford).
8Marie Dressler, Jean Harlow, John BarrymoreIn this comedic drama, an ambitious New York socialite plans an extravagant dinner party as her businessman husband, Oliver (Lionel Barrymore), contends with financial woes, causing a lot of tension between the couple. Meanwhile, their high-society friends and associates, including the gruff Dan Packard (Wallace Beery) and his sultry spouse, Kitty (Jean Harlow), contend with their own entanglements, leading to revelations at the much-anticipated dinner.
9Claudette Colbert, Jennifer Jones, Joseph CottenWhen her husband leaves to fight in World War II, housewife Anne Hilton (Claudette Colbert) must struggle on alone to raise their two daughters, Jane (Jennifer Jones) and Bridget (Shirley Temple). With a tight budget, Anne is forced to take in two lodgers, elderly ex-soldier Col. William G. Smollett (Monty Woolley) and handsome Lt. Tony Willet (Joseph Cotten). However, loyal maid Fidelia (Hattie McDaniel) stays on unpaid and the makeshift household pulls together through home front hardships.
10Lionel Barrymore, Cedric Hardwicke, Beulah BondiGramps (Lionel Barrymore) is getting on in years, but he's not going gently into that good night. He has an orphaned grandson, Pud (Bobs Watson), to look after and protect from his conniving aunt, Demetria (Eily Malyon). So when death comes to claim him in the form of debonair Mr. Brink (Cedric Hardwicke), Gramps tricks him into climbing his magic apple tree, from which no one can escape. Gramps is delighted, but soon learns the cost of postponing death for too long.
11Norma Shearer, Lionel Barrymore, Clark GableMorally ambivalent defense attorney Stephen Ashe (Lionel Barrymore) gets mobster Ace Wilfong (Clark Gable) off the hook when he's brought up on charges of murder. The lawyer's impulsive daughter, Jan (Norma Shearer), falls for the slick criminal's surface charm and breaks her engagement to upper-class polo player Dwight Winthrop (Leslie Howard). But when Jan discovers that she can't break away from Ace so easily and Dwight comes to her rescue, it's up to her father to put matters right.
12Greta Garbo, Robert Taylor, Lionel BarrymoreBeautiful Marguerite Gauthier (Greta Garbo) lifts herself out of her poverty-stricken upbringing by becoming the enchanting "Lady of the Camellias," well-kept courtesan of the rich and influential Baron de Varville (Henry Daniell). When young Armand (Robert Taylor) falls in love with Marguerite, his sincere adoration causes her to question her comfortable life, and, despite the protests of Armand's scandal-wary father (Lionel Barrymore), she considers leaving the Baron for him.More Camille- #39 of 75 onThe 75 Best Classic Romance Movies
- #10 of 69 onThe Best Movies With Robert Taylor
- #7 of 25 onThe Best French Dog Names
13Maureen O'Sullivan, Lionel Barrymore, Rafaela OttianoThe Devil-Doll is a horror film directed by Tod Browning and starring a cross-dressing Lionel Barrymore and Maureen O'Sullivan as his daughter, Lorraine Lavond. The movie was adapted from the novel Burn Witch Burn! by Abraham Merritt.
14Clark Gable, Myrna Loy, Spencer TracyTest pilot Jim Lane (Clark Gable) has endangered himself more than once because of his drinking. Despite efforts by his best friend, Gunner (Spencer Tracy), Jim has not quit the bottle. After making an emergency landing on a Kansas farm, Jim falls for, then marries, local girl Ann (Myrna Loy), but married life cannot keep Jim from indulging in his reckless ways. Then, on a dangerous mission with Gunner, Jim finally confronts something that just may scare him into never flying again.
15Lew Ayres, Lionel Barrymore, Lynne CarverAfter graduating from medical school, Dr. James Kildare (Lew Ayres) travels to Connecticut to visit his father (Samuel S. Hinds), mother (Emma Dunn) and girlfriend (Lynne Carver). Despite his family's wishes, Dr. Kildare chooses to pursue a paid internship at Blair General Hospital in New York City. There, he meets Dr. Leonard Gillespie (Lionel Barrymore), a skilled, no-nonsense physician who begins mentoring him. However, Dr. Kildare soon learns that Dr. Gillespie is terminally ill.
16Wallace Beery, Jackie Cooper, Lionel BarrymoreYoung Jim Hawkins (Jackie Cooper) works at the Admiral Benbow Inn with his mother. Soon after Billy Bones (Lionel Barrymore), a stranger, arrives and starts ranting about treasure, he dies. Jim finds a map in his possessions leading to a pirate's treasure stash. Squire Trelawney (Nigel Bruce) is convinced to raise money for an expedition. Pirate Long John Silver (Wallace Beery) infiltrates the voyage as ship's cook, bringing his crew with him and preparing to mutiny and steal the treasure.
17Lionel Barrymore, Bela Lugosi, Elizabeth AllanSir Borotyn (Holmes Herbert), a prominent Prague resident, is discovered murdered in his home, with all indications pointing to a vampire assault. The victim's friend, Baron Otto (Jean Hersholt), and the physician who analyzes the body are certain that the vampire is the mysterious Count Mora (Bela Lugosi), or perhaps his daughter (Carroll Borland), but receive little help from the law. Professor Zelen (Lionel Barrymore), an expert in the occult, is called in to assist with the investigation.
18Robert Taylor, Lionel Barrymore, Maureen O'SullivanLee Sheridan (Robert Taylor) is a brash young American aristocrat attending Oxford University. His iconoclastic stance doesn't earn him many friends, and he is frequently hazed, but when he meets Molly Beaumont (Maureen O'Sullivan), the sister of Sheridan's main antagonist Paul Beaumont (Griffith Jones), Lee is smitten. When Paul's academic record is called into question, the opportunistic Sheridan has the chance to help him and win his young love's heart.
19Maureen O'Sullivan, Lionel Barrymore, Spring ByingtonThe Voice of Bugle Ann is a 1936 film directed by Richard Thorpe, based on a novel of the same title by MacKinlay Kantor.
20Greta Garbo, Ramon Novarro, Lionel BarrymoreIn Paris during World War II, Dutch exotic dancer Mata Hari (Greta Garbo) secretly moonlights as a German spy. Using her feminine wiles to seduce French and Russian agents into bed so she can uncover top-secret information, Mata Hari is a primary target of the French Spy Bureau's Dubois (C. Henry Gordon). When Mata Hari falls in love with one of her intended targets, the dashing Lt. Rosanoff (Ramon Novarro), Dubois uses her former accomplice (Lionel Barrymore) to bring her down.
21Greer Garson, Gregory Peck, Donald CrispAn Irish maid, Mary Rafferty (Greer Garson), falls for Paul (Gregory Peck), who is the son of her rich boss, William Scott (Donald Crisp). To further complicate matters, Mary's father, Pat (Lionel Barrymore), lost both of his legs in an accident at the steel mill owned by Paul's father. Neither William or Pat approves of the couple's romance, and the burgeoning relationship only becomes a bigger battleground when a strike erupts at the steel mill.
22Lionel Barrymore, Mickey Rooney, Cecilia ParkerJudge James K. Hardy (Lionel Barrymore) causes an uproar in the small Midwestern town of Carvel when he issues a temporary order restraining the building of a nearby aqueduct. With contractor Hoyt Wells (Selmer Jackson) and newspaper publisher Frank Redmond (Charley Grapewin) threatening to get him thrown out of office, the entire town turns against the judge. The controversy even affects his family, including his teenage son, Andy (Mickey Rooney).
23Van Heflin, Lionel Barrymore, Ruth HusseyThis biopic focuses on Andrew Johnson, the first American president to be impeached. Initially an uneducated drifter who stumbles upon a job as a tailor in a Tennessee town, Johnson (Van Heflin) is taught to read by librarian and future wife, Eliza (Ruth Hussey). Eliza convinces him to enter a local election, and, from there, Johnson rises swiftly. However, after inheriting the presidency in the wake of Abraham Lincoln's assassination, he finds himself on unsteady political ground.
24Lionel Barrymore, May Robson, Dorothy JordanDr. Eli Watt (Lionel Barrymore) practices in a small New England town. Many of the townspeople are poor and cannot afford to pay for medical care, but Eli still selflessly serves the community. When his wife dies in childbirth, widower McGinnis (David Landau) wants nothing to do with his new baby daughter, Letty, so Eli agrees to raise her. When she grows up, Letty (Dorothy Jordan) returns to her father, but Eli continues to care for her, and helps Letty through her troubled marriage.
25Lon Chaney, Lionel Barrymore, Mary NolanWhen magician Phroso's (Lon Chaney) beloved wife, Anna (Jacqueline Gadsden), leaves him for ivory merchant Crane (Lionel Barrymore), the two men fight and Phroso is left paralyzed from the waist down. After Anna's sudden death, Phroso takes revenge on Crane by spiriting Anna's baby away to Africa, where he rears her in a brothel and keeps her enslaved with drugs. But when Crane and Phroso -- now known as "Dead-Legs" Flint -- meet again after 18 years, Crane delivers some shocking news.
26John Barrymore, Ethel Barrymore, Lionel BarrymoreDesperate to cure her hemophiliac son, Czarina Alexandra (Ethel Barrymore) resorts to seeking out the services of mystic healer Grigori Rasputin (Lionel Barrymore). Despite his unconventional methods, Rasputin appears to be curing the sickly child. However, Rasputin has a sinister side, and he begins back-door maneuvering in a bid for power. Suspicious of Rasputin, Prince Paul Chegodieff (John Barrymore) attempts to thwart the scheming mystic before he destroys the Russian empire.
27Margaret O'Brien, Lionel Barrymore, Lewis StoneDr. Richard Gaunght (Lionel Barrymore), Judge Thomas Trumbell (Lewis Stone) and industrialist Theodore Findley (Edward Arnold) are granted a back-handed gift from a magical musician known as the O'Monahan (Warner Anderson), who sees that they all become professionally successful but empty of personal satisfaction. But suddenly into their lives comes O'Monahan's granddaughter, Irish orphan Sheila (Margaret O'Brien), who warms their hearts with a little help from leprechauns only she can see.
28Lionel Barrymore, Nancy Carroll, Phillips HolmesSuffering from a guilty conscience, French violinist Paul Renard (Phillips Holmes) confesses to a priest (Frank Sheridan) that he killed a German soldier named Walter Holderin during World War I. He receives absolution, but isn't satisfied, and decides to locate the Holderin family in Germany. When he does, he deceives them into thinking that he and Walter were childhood schoolmates. Things get complicated, however, when he falls in love with pretty Elsa Holderin (Nancy Carroll).
29Joan Crawford, Robert Taylor, Lionel BarrymoreBarkeeper's daughter Peggy O'Neal (Joan Crawford), a close friend of U.S. President Andrew Jackson (Lionel Barrymore), becomes one of the politician's most trusted advisers in the wake of his wife's death, to the great dismay of both the cabinet and the cream of Washington society. As Peggy deals with vicious insults and rumors, she fights to keep the mounting opposition to her presence from destroying the special friendship she has developed with Jackson.
30Shirley Temple, Lionel Barrymore, Bill RobinsonIn 1870s Kentucky, stubborn Col. Lloyd (Lionel Barrymore) becomes estranged from his daughter, Elizabeth (Evelyn Venable), when she elopes with Northerner Jack Sherman (John Lodge). Six years later, when Jack goes prospecting, Elizabeth comes back with her spirited daughter, Lloyd (Shirley Temple). The colonel and Lloyd have a tumultuous meeting but gradually become friends. When Jack returns and the family's future is threatened, Lloyd's spunk and the colonel's obstinacy are put to the test.
