The Best John Barrymore Movies

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Updated August 11, 2023 562 votes 108 voters
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List of the best John Barrymore movies, ranked best to worst with movie trailers when available. John Barrymore's highest grossing movies have received a lot of accolades over the years, earning millions upon millions around the world. The order of these top John Barrymore movies is decided by how many votes they receive, so only highly rated John Barrymore movies will be at the top of the list. John Barrymore has been in a lot of films, so people often debate each other over what the greatest John Barrymore movie of all time is. If you and a friend are arguing about this then use this list of the most entertaining John Barrymore films to end the squabble once and for all.

If you think the best John Barrymore role isn't at the top, then upvote it so it has the chance to become number one. The greatest John Barrymore performances didn't necessarily come from the best movies, but in most cases they go hand in hand.

The list you're viewing is made up of films like Night Flight and Reunion in Vienna.

"This list answers the questions, "What are the best John Barrymore movies?" and "What are the greatest John Barrymore roles of all time?"

If you're a fan of John Barrymore, then check out our lists of the best Charles Boyer and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. movies as well.

Most divisive: The Invisible Woman
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  • Grand Hotel
    1

    Grand Hotel

    Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, John Barrymore
    24 votes
    • Released: 1932
    • Directed by: Edmund Goulding
    At 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).

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  • Dinner at Eight
    2

    Dinner at Eight

    Marie Dressler, Jean Harlow, John Barrymore
    20 votes
    • Released: 1933
    • Directed by: George Cukor
    In 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.
  • The Beloved Rogue
    3

    The Beloved Rogue

    John Barrymore, Conrad Veidt, Marceline Day
    8 votes
    • Released: 1927
    • Directed by: Alan Crosland
    French 15th-century poet François Villon (John Barrymore) loses his father at a young age, a martyr to the French cause. Villon follows in his father's footsteps, fighting ardently for his country while becoming a poet and jester. Appointed king for the day, he goes too far when he makes a joke at the expense of the Duke of Burgundy (Lawson Butt) and is exiled by King Louis XI (Conrad Veidt). He has to prove to the king that it's the duke who is the real enemy of France.

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  • Twentieth Century
    4

    Twentieth Century

    John Barrymore, Carol Lombard, Walter Connolly
    27 votes
    • Released: 1934
    • Directed by: Howard Hawks
    When down-on-his-luck Broadway impresario Oscar Jaffe (John Barrymore) meets his discovery and former flame, Lily Garland (Carole Lombard), on the glamorous 20th Century Limited train between Chicago and New York, he uses every scheme at his disposal to win the movie star back both professionally and romantically. However, Lily, along with her new beau, George (Ralph Forbes), and Jaffe's rival producer, Max Jacobs (Charles Levison), who hired Lily to star in his latest play, have other plans.

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  • Midnight
    5

    Midnight

    Claudette Colbert, Don Ameche, John Barrymore
    15 votes
    • Released: 1939
    • Directed by: Mitchell Leisen
    When out-of-work showgirl Eve (Claudette Colbert) arrives in Paris with no work in sight, she asks taxi driver Tibor (Don Ameche) to drive her from club to club. But the more time she spends with Tibor, the more Eve realizes that he is falling for her. Unwilling to accept his feelings, Eve escapes to a charity concert, meets the charming Georges (John Barrymore) and disguises herself as a Hungarian baroness. But love-struck Tibor is not willing to let Eve go without a fight.
  • Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
    6

    Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

    John Barrymore, Martha Mansfield, Brandon Hurst
    19 votes
    • Released: 1920
    • Directed by: John S. Robertson
    Scientist Dr. Henry Jekyll (John Barrymore) is intelligent and diligent, but also uptight and extremely serious about his work. When his friend, Sir George Carew (Brandon Hurst), takes him to a show featuring the sensual Miss Gina (Nita Naldi), an aroused Jekyll sets out on a quest to separate man's saintly and sinful sides. His experiments succeed, and his evil alter ego, Mr. Hyde, is created. As the doctor uncontrollably alternates between Jekyll and Hyde, danger looms.

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