The 40+ Best John Payne Movies
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1John Payne, Coleen Gray, Preston FosterA mysterious fellow (Preston Foster) contacts a trio of criminals (Jack Elam, Neville Brand, Lee Van Cleef) to help with a bank heist. The four wear masks and remain strangers to each other, planning to reunite in Mexico to divvy up the loot. Joe Rolfe (John Payne), the man they framed to take the heat, gets his charges dropped, and the police offer him a reward if he can help recover the cash. He agrees, and when one of the thieves meets his end, Rolfe assumes his identity to catch the crooks.
2Maureen O'Hara, John Payne, Edmund GwennIn the heartwarming classic, Miracle on 34th Street, Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) is hired as Santa Claus for Macy's department store. His unshakeable cheer and apparent authenticity capture the imagination of young Susan Walker (Natalie Wood), who's been taught not to believe in Santa by her pragmatic mother Doris (Maureen O'Hara). When Kris's sanity is questioned, a court case ensues to determine if he really is Santa Claus. This blend of drama, comedy, and fantasy won three Academy Awards, including Best Supporting Actor for Gwenn's charming portrayal of Santa.More Miracle on 34th Street
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3Alice Faye, Betty Grable, Jack OakieFrom the late 19th century into the 20th century, an area of New York City nicknamed Tin Pan Alley was the heart of the American popular music scene. In this hotbed of creativity, singing sisters Katie (Alice Faye) and Lily Blane (Betty Grable) team up with musicians Harry Calhoun (Jack Oakie) and Skeets Harrigan (John Payne) to find their fame and fortune. Romance soon follows, but the rocky road to success and the looming World War I threaten to tear the couples apart.
4Sonja Henie, John Payne, Glenn MillerAs a surefire way to receive good press, bandleader Phil Corey (Glenn Miller) and his ensemble decide to adopt a war refugee. When it turns out that their adoptee isn't a child, but a pretty Scandinavian woman named Karen Benson (Sonja Henie), it leads to a flirtatious relationship with the group's pianist, Ted Scott (John Payne), who is already involved with singer Vivian Dawn (Lynn Bari). As the band heads to snowy Idaho for a gig, romantic drama, skiing, ice skating and musical numbers ensue.
5Sentimental Journey
John Payne, Maureen O'Hara, William BendixJulie Beck (Maureen O'Hara) doesn't tell her husband, theatrical director William Weatherly (John Payne), about her heart condition, but yearns for the child she always wanted while she has time. Although Bill is less enthused, Julie finds young orphan Hitty (Connie Marshall), and they soon adopt her. Julie and Hitty grow close as she helps the girl come to care for Bill. When Julie dies suddenly, Bill rejects Hitty's attempt to comfort him -- but with Julie's ghost guiding her, Hitty persists.
6Betty Grable, John Payne, June HaverIn this fact-based film, siblings Jenny (Betty Grable) and Rosie Dolly (June Haver) are born in Hungary but, at an early age, emigrate to the United States with their family. Before long, the girls begin to dance in small venues to support their relatives. They meet charming small-time crooner Harry (John Payne), who begins a romance with Jenny. He manages to get the girls a big audition that launches them to worldwide stardom; however, the sisters' success takes its toll on Jenny's love life.
7Rhonda Fleming, Arlene Dahl, Buddy BaerSlightly Scarlet is a 1956 American film noir based on James M. Cain's novel Love's Lovely Counterfeit. The movie was directed by Allan Dwan, and the film's cinematography was shot in widescreen by noted cameraman John Alton. The picture tells the story of Ben Grace, a man working for a powerful metropolitan crime boss—Solly Caspar -- and their involvement with two sisters.
8John Payne, Evelyn Keyes, Brad DexterCab driver and ex-boxer Ernie (John Payne) discovers his wife Pauline (Peggie Castle) has been cheating on him. Ernie is approached by actress friend Linda (Evelyn Keyes), who says that she needs his help because she killed a man during an audition. After rushing to the theater, Ernie discovers that Linda's desperate tale was the audition. As if that humiliation isn't enough, Ernie is then framed for Pauline's murder by her lover, jewel thief Victor Rawlins (Brad Dexter).
9Tyrone Power, Gene Tierney, Anne BaxterAn American fighter pilot, Larry Darrell (Tyrone Power), returns from World War I sickened by the violence and fighting he has witnessed. In search of meaning, he travels to Paris, where he tries to live modestly. However, this leads Larry's fiancée, the status-seeking Isabel Bradley (Gene Tierney), to break off the engagement. But Isabel returns to Larry's life when he becomes romantically involved with Sophie (Anne Baxter), a troubled alcoholic recovering from tragedy.
10Olivia de Havilland, George Brent, John PayneWings of the Navy is a 1939 Warner Bros. drama directed by Lloyd Bacon, starring Olivia de Havilland and John Payne. Like many of the Warner Bros. features in the pre-World War II era, it was intended to serve as propaganda for the U.S. military and received heavy support from the US Navy which also considered the film as a recruiting tool.- 11John Payne, Donna Reed, Gerald MohrA fierce pirate, Barbarossa (John Payne) captures a Spanish ship with bravado. Discovering the beautiful Contessa Alida (Donna Reed) on board, Barbarossa falls for the elegant aristocrat, but she is to wed the sailor Jose Salcedo (Gerald Mohr). Although Alida is resistant to Barbarossa's charms, she slowly warms up to him, particularly after she discovers that Salcedo isn't the man that she thought he was. Naturally, Barbarossa proceeds to sort things out with a series of sword battles.
12Cesar Romero, Carmen Miranda, Alice FayeWeek-End in Havana is a 1941 Fox Technicolor musical film directed by Walter Lang. The movie stars Alice Faye and Carmen Miranda. It was the second of three pictures the two stars made together and the second Faye film to have a Latin-American theme, typical for Fox musicals of the early 1940s. Faye was pregnant during filming.
13Walter Huston, Ruth Chatterton, David NivenWhen Sam Dodsworth (Walter Huston), the head of a car company, embarks on a vacation in Europe with his youth-obsessed wife, Fran (Ruth Chatterton), the couple find themselves growing apart. Soon Fran is flirting with other men and embracing a spontaneous and impulsive lifestyle, while Sam is left on his own. However, after running into the lively and independent Edith Cortwright (Mary Astor), an acquaintance from their transatlantic trip, Sam realizes that he may find love again.
14Slim Pickens, Leo Gordon, Faith DomergueSanta Fe Passage is a United States-produced Western movie directed by William Witney, released in 1955. It stars John Payne and Faith Domergue.
15John Payne, Ronald Reagan, Rhonda FlemingA debonair gambler, Tennessee (John Payne), gets into some trouble in the rough-and-tumble mining town of Sandy Bar, Calif., and it takes the bold action of Cowpoke (Ronald Reagan) to get him out of it. Grateful for Cowpoke's intrusion, Tennessee does him a huge favor and informs Cowpoke that his fiancée, Goldie (Coleen Gray), is a dastardly gold digger. Cowpoke isn't pleased with Tennessee's news and they fight. But Cowpoke comes to the gambler's aid just when Tennessee needs him the most.
16John Payne, Mona Freeman, Lee J. CobbBill Mayhew (John Payne) has been rescuing his wayward brother, Sam (Skip Homeier), for years. After one too many saves, Mayhew decides it's high time to strike out on his own and let Sam fix his own problems. Leaving Texas for Colorado, Mayhew quickly finds work with John Sutton (Ray Middleton), a stable owner, and falls for the boss' daughter (Mona Freeman). When Sam arrives in town, he goes to work for the corrupt Jim Donovan (Lee J. Cobb), which puts the brothers at odds.
17Tripoli
Maureen O'Hara, Alan Napier, Howard Da Silva
18Crosswinds
Rhonda Fleming, Forrest Tucker, Alan MowbrayCrosswinds is a 1951 adventure film starring Rhonda Fleming and John Payne.
19Betty Grable, John Payne, Carmen MirandaLovebirds Vicky Lane (Betty Grable) and Dan Christy (John Payne) make a marvelous Broadway musical team, but Dan's offstage flirtations prompt the duo to split up. Vicky reunites with her old lover (Cesar Romero), and a regretful Dan trails them to a hotel in the Rockies. When Dan gets mixed up with an exotic woman (Carmen Miranda), Vicky mistakenly thinks he's as much a womanizer as ever. Against a backdrop of singing and dancing, Dan struggles to clear things up and win back his gal.
20Alice Faye, John Payne, Jack OakieJohnny Cornell (John Payne) is a saloon owner with dreams of hitting it big with his vaudeville troupe. Trudy Evans (Alice Faye), the quartet's star singer, loves Johnny, and together they make their act one of the biggest in show business. Their massive success emboldens Johnny to drop Trudy for wealthy socialite Bernice Croft, which prompts a heartbroken Trudy to move to England. Then, when she hears of Johnny's failed stage career, the newly minted London star tries to help him out.
21El Paso
Gail Russell, Sterling Hayden, George "Gabby" HayesEl Paso is a 1949 American Western film directed by Lewis R. Foster.
22The Great American Broadcast
Alice Faye, John Payne, Jack OakieIn 1919, electrician Chuck Hadley (Jack Oakie) befriends former pilot Rix Martin (John Payne), and the men become interested in developing radio as an entertainment tool. With Chuck's girlfriend, singer Vicki Adams (Alice Faye), the men arrange a broadcast -- but disaster strikes, and the event is a failure. Undaunted, the friends continue, airing a successful boxing broadcast with the help of a wealthy investor. But their success is threatened when Chuck discovers Vicki is in love with Rix.
23Caribbean
Arlene Dahl, Cedric Hardwicke, Clarence MuseCaribbean is a 1952 action adventure film directed by Edward Ludwig.
24Bob Hope, George Burns, Betty GrableCollege Swing, also known as Swing, Teacher, Swing in the U.K., is a 1938 comedy film directed by Raoul Walsh and starring George Burns, Gracie Allen, Martha Raye, and Bob Hope. The movie features Edward Everett Horton, Ben Blue, Betty Grable, Jackie Coogan and Jerry Colonna.
25John Payne, Maureen O'Hara, Randolph ScottAfter being expelled from his academy, wealthy youngster Chris Winters (John Payne) lives it up with his socialite girlfriend, Helene Hunt (Nancy Kelly). But soon his military hero father forces Chris to enlist in the marines. There Chris must overcome his reputation as a spoiled brat to earn the respect of iron-willed Sgt. Dixie Smith (Randolph Scott). Meanwhile, the new recruit struggles to impress Mary Carter (Maureen O'Hara), a beautiful nurse who outranks him.
26The Vanquished
John Payne, Jan Sterling, Coleen GrayA postwar Confederate (John Payne) comes home and finds a tax-happy scalawag occupying his family mansion.
27Maryland
Hattie McDaniel, Walter Brennan, Fay BainterMaryland is a 1940 film directed by Henry King.
28Sonja Henie, John Payne, Jack OakieAfter landing at ReykjavÃk, Iceland, World War II Marine James Murfin (John Payne) playfully pursues a young skater named Katina (Sonja Henie). Charmed by James, Katina tries to get rid of her dull boyfriend (Sterling Holloway) by telling her family that James has asked for her hand in marriage. With the help of his friend, Slip Riggs (Jack Oakie), James tries to talk his way out of a wedding -- but keeping himself from falling in love with Katina is harder than he expects.
29John Payne, Mary Murphy, Francis L. SullivanLas Vegas bouncer Mike Cormack (John Payne), a onetime attorney whose career was ruined by alcoholism, is given a proposal by a mysterious man named Barzland (Francis L. Sullivan). Mike is to visit the tropical island Santo Rosario and retrieve a stolen ruby. The incentive -- money, sure, but also revenge; the woman who supposedly took the jewel is Janet (Mary Murphy), Mike's ex-fiancée who left him for a pilot. Mike agrees, but quickly finds himself surrounded by danger and deception.
30John Payne, William Bishop, Gloria McGeheeComing home at the end of World War I, Matt Brady (John Payne), the black-sheep brother of big-city political boss Tim Brady (Roy Roberts), is a loose cannon who gets into drunken fights and impulsively marries a total stranger, the plain but kind-hearted Lorry (Gloria McGhee). Taking over his brother's political machine after Tim's sudden death, Matt becomes powerful and extremely wealthy, but his corrupt dealings with a local gangster (Robin Morse) threaten to destroy everything he has.
