191 Walter Brennan Movies, Ranked Best to Worst

Rio Bravo tells the story of a small-town sheriff in the American West, who enlists the help of a drunk, an old man, and a young gunfighter, in his attempts to fight off a ruthless cattle baron. 

To Have and Have Not is an adventure romance film which tells the story of Harry Morgan, who is the owner-operator of a charter boat, during the Second World War.  Things get interesting when he falls in love with a pickpocket, who wants to go to America, and he decides to help her.

Red River is a Western drama film which tells the story of Tom Dunson who builds a cattle empire with his adopted son Matthew. However, due to his tyrannical ways, Matthew decides to take the herd away from him.

While on a cattle-drive, the Earp brothers leave youngest James with the cattle after reaching Tombstone, only to find him murdered and their cattle stolen. Determined to avenge James, Wyatt takes job as Town Marshal and often encounters alcoholic Doc Holliday and the brutal Clanton family. As an ornament leads Wyatt to the killer, the Earps get set for a showdown at OK Corral. 

Bad Day at Black Rock is a mystery crime thriller drama film which tells the story of a one-armed stranger who comes to a small town. He knows about their terrible past which they want to keep hidden, even by violent means, is required.

A farmer from Tennessee who is a pacifist is drafted into the World War I. Despite his pacifist inclinations, he becomes one of the most celebrated war heroes.

The Pride of the Yankees is a biographical film which revolves around the life and career of Lou Gehrig, famed baseball player, whose premature and tragic death had touched the entire nation. The film puts emphasis on his relationship with his parents, especially his mother, and also shows his friendships with players, journalists, as well as his romantic relationship with a woman.

The Westerner is a western drama film which takes us to a town named Vinegaroon, in Texas 1882, where Judge Roy Bean has appointed himself as the hanging judge. He conducts trials from his saloon, and makes a corrupt living by seizing property unlawfully, as well as by collecting fines. Those who oppose him are sentenced for hanging. However, things change with the arrival of a drifter named Cole Harden.

A tramp turns into a national hero and becomes a pawn of big business, thanks to a reporter's fraudulent story.

Don "Wardaddy" Collier embarks on a mission with his crew of five members. The mission is sure to put many lives in danger. As they begin, they realize that the odds are against them, but they still decide to go on with the task of attacking the Nazi army.

The first sequel to the 1931 film Frankenstein, the story follows Henry Frankenstein, who is thought to have died, but is actually alive and reunited with his fiancée. Although he decides to abandon his attempt to create life, his old mentor soon coerce him into creating a mate for the Monster and he succumbs to it, initially unwilling. 

Sheepish memory expert, Ambrose Wolfinger, who has never taken a leave in 25 years, decides to go to a wrestling match lying to his boss that his mother-in-law has died. He overcomes several misfortunes to reach the wrestling arena, where he is injured by a wrestler and returns home to find his furious wife and mother-in-law.

Based on the science fiction novel of the same name by HG Wells, The Invisible Man is a science fiction horror thriller film which tells the story of Dr Jack Griffin, a scientist who learns how to become invisible. However, he soon becomes arrogant and tries to prove his superiority over humanity by performing pranks, which eventually turns to murder.    

After hearing about the Klondike Gold Rush, Jeff Webster and his friend Ben Tatem drives a herd of cattle to Dawson City, Yukon, hoping to make some profit. However, on the way, his herd is confiscated by a lawman named Judge Gannon.

Orphan Skeeter lives with his toothless poor uncle, Jesse, in a Mississippi swamp cabin. One night they take in a strange dog that does not bark but rather laughs. When the rightful owner of the dog comes looking, Skeeter is forced to give up his new pet but gets a US $100 reward. 

After treasure is found in a grave, a small-scale gold rush erupts in a small town in Colorado. Over some time, the area becomes a magnet for thieves and criminals, but no one pays attention to law and order, because they are all busy hunting for gold. Eventually, a gunslinger named Jason McCullough, who is clever but laid-back, is hired to bring things under control.

These Three is a romantic drama film which revolves around Karen Wright and Martha Dobie, two schoolteachers, both of whom are in love with the same man Dr. Joe Cardin. Their lives are turned upside down when one of their students cooks up a malicious lie.

How the West Was Won is an epic Western film which takes us to the 19th century, and covers several events such as the Gold Rush, the Civil War, as well as the building of the railroads.

Set in Nazi occupied Czecchoslovakia, Hangman Also Die! is a film noir about the assasination of a German leader by a patriotic Czech surgeon. It is a story of resistance in the face of brutality and immense pressure from the apex of power.

Three Godfathers is a Western drama film which revolves around three fugitives who risk their lives to bring a newborn baby out of the desert to safety. 

When a young boy accidentally witnesses a group of crooked politicians taking payoffs, they resort to murder and blackmail just to track him down.

The three stooges playing traveling salesman Jim, Tom, and Jack decide to join a Woman Haters Club and swear to stay away from all women. The promise doesn’t last for long as Jim soon marries Mary. As Jim tries to hide her from Jack and Tom, Mary goes on to prove how fraudulent their oath was. 

This is the story of three stooges, whose dying father implores them protect Queen Anne from the present Prime Minister who is trying to seize the throne. So they set off for Anesthesia, where they become the queen’s guard. But very soon, the minister is able to have the queen abducted, taking advantage of their laxity and sentences them to death.  

A House Divided is a drama film which revolves around a widowed fisherman who falls for a woman, who is young enough to be his daughter. They soon get married. However, things get quite complicated when she falls in love with his son.  

A mint worker accidentally drops $50,000 in new currency into a bag and disposes it into a garbage bin along with an inedible piece of fudge given to him by one of his lady co-workers. Later he realizes his mistake and realizes that only way out for him is to reprint the entire amount. So he decides to break in, but knows that he cannot do it alone. 

Former US Marine Corps pilots, Bill Keller and Toodles Cooper, find themselves jobless in New York City. They start sharing an apartment with Patricia ‘Alabama’ Kent. Later Keller and Cooper become involved in gangster Weber’s narcotics snuggling schemes flying contraband. Keller, Kent, and Cooper find their lives in danger as the authorities close in and Weber becomes ruthless.  

Lumberman Barney Glasgow leaves his girlfriend Lotta Morgan, and instead gets married to Emma Louise, his wealthy boss’s daughter. Over the years, he manages to become quite rich, and after twenty three years, he meets Lotta Bostrom, the daughter of his former girlfriend who has now passed away. She looks exactly like her mother, and Barney can’t stop himself from being attracted to her.

A con man Nick Blake, agrees to pursue a wealthy widow Gladys Halvorsen for her money. However he finds himself genuinely falling in love with the beautiful lady. His associates do not approve of his change of heart and his ex-girlfriend arrives to get her share in the profit. Meanwhile, Gladys’s business manager becomes suspicious of Nick’s real intention.

This silent film follows Captain McQuigg, an honest cop who tries everything possible to bring bootlegger crime-boss, Nick Scarsi, to justice. But all his efforts go waste as corrupt politicians protect Scarsi and transfer McQuigg to a remote place. Finally McQuigg gets his chance when Scarsi’s younger brother is apprehended in a hit-and-run case in McQuigg’s new precinct.

They Shall Have Music is a 1939 drama film which revolves around a boy who runs away from home, and eventually ends up in a music school for poor children. When the school suffers financial hardships, he comes up with a plan to save it.    

Party Wire is a drama film which tells the story of a small-town girl who is victimized by her townsfolk who like gossiping.

Driftwood is a drama film which tells the story of six-year old Jenny, an orphan, who rescues a dog, after he survives a plane wreck, where all other passengers were killed. She and the dog is soon adopted by Dr Steven Webster, though his fiancée isn’t very fond of themss.   

Upon finding out that her boyfriend is married, a young woman decides to kill his wife and implicate her for the murder. However, she is unaware of the fact that a man who has been flirting with her is actually a detective.

A man ends up killing his boss after suspecting him of having an affair with his wife. One year later, he is taken for his execution on a train. On board the train is a reporter dying of lung cancer, who wants to interview the condemned man, and he also has some inside knowledge regarding the man’s case. Meanwhile, the man’s wife is also on the train. She doesn’t believe that her husband is a murderer, and wishes to talk to him about it to explain things, but unfortunately he doesn’t wish to speak to her.

Alice Adams is a romantic comedy drama film which tells the story of a woman named Alice, belonging to a working class family living in a small town. However, she aspires to be among the upper class. She soon gains the attention of a man named Arthur Russell, but she hides her true social standing from him. Meanwhile, her mother pressurizes Mr Adams to invest in a business venture, hoping that they can truly become part of the upper class.

Those Calloways is an American family drama film, which revolves around Cam Calloway and his family, who live in a densely wooded area in New England. Cam’s dream is to build a sanctuary for the geese that fly over the area every year, but every time he tries, his attempts fail. 

Home in Indiana is an adventure romantic drama film, which tells the story of a young lad who is sent to live with his uncle and aunt in Indiana. Although, he is initially unhappy with the arrangement, things change due to his affection for horses, and his romance with a tomboyish girl. 

Based on a novel named Saint Johnson, this western drama film revolves around a gambler Frame Johnson, who is also a former lawman. He is soon pushed to accept the job of a town marshal.

Hannah is so tight with her money that she takes Donnie, her son, to a charity ward when he hurts his leg, in order to avoid paying. Later, after Donny grows up and finishes his graduation, he thinks of becoming a writer, but his mother insists that he works at the bank, where she has entrusted her immense wealth. Soon, things get interesting when Donny meets the daughter of the man who had abandoned his mother years ago.

After finding her fiance dead, Mary Rutledge goes to work at a rowdy gambling house in 1950s San Francisco. She soon falls for another man named Carmichael.

A middle-aged magician starts falling for his beautiful and young assistant. However, she is in love with the magician's young protégé, unaware that he is actually a thief.

The Moon’s Our Home is a comedy film which tells the story of a novelist Henry who starts dating an actress named Margaret. They eventually get married, but neither of them has much idea of the other’s career.  

Based on a play of the same name, this film tells the story of three vaudeville performers, George, Jerome and May, who pretend to be connoisseurs of new technology to get a job at a reputed studio. However, they are pressurized to demonstrate their ‘unique skills’. Therefore, George convinces the head of the studio to let them produce a film.

Fugitive Lovers is a comedy drama film which revolves around Paul Porter, who has been trying to evade the authorities. He soon finds himself attracted to a chorus girl named Letty, who is also on the run, trying to evade a gangster in pursuit of her.

Mary Smith, the bored daughter of presidential hopeful Horace Smith, is living a scandal-free life. She falls in love with cowboy Stretch Willoughby who hates high society. Mary pretends to be a maid hiding her true identity and the two get married. Life gets complicated as both of her lives catch up with one another. 

Naval Aviator, Jonathan L. ‘Scotty’ Scott, has served 28 years in the American navy and has advocated the power of aircraft carriers. When Pearl Harbor is attacked by the Japanese, Lieutenant Commander Scott, first with USS Enterprise, and later with the USS Franklin proves the worth of aircraft carriers in a war. 

After being bored with her life, a waitress, leaves her city, and decides to go to New York for a makeover. However, after a freak accident, she is believed to be the daughter of wealthy industrialist gone missing, which causes comic consequences.  

Based on W. Somerset Maugham’s novel, the movie follows Katrin Koerber who has married Dr. Walter Fane, in spite of not being in love with him and moved to Hong Kong in search of an exciting life. Things take a complicated turn when she falls in love with Jack Townsend. 

Bankrupt novelist, Tony Barrett, and his wife, Dora, are forced to move into Tony’s run-down farm in Connecticut. There Tony’s neighbor buys a piece of his land and Dora returns to New York. Tony stays behind and becomes romantically involved with his neighbor’s daughter Manya. Tragedy strikes the night Manya weds her fiancé, Fredrick. 

This is a semi fictional account of Jean Lafitte, the well-known French pirate and privateer operating in the Gulf of Mexico and his involvement in the War of 1812.  When the woman he loves, agrees to marry him if he gives up piracy, he sets up a trading post to sell luxury goods. But, before long his past deeds catches up with him and he has to take up arms once again. 

Kentucky is a romantic drama sports film, which tells the story of two lovers, Jack and Sally. However, when Sally realizes that Jack’s family was behind her great-grandfather’s death, she finds it difficult to trust him.  

The Mystery of Edwin Drood is a romantic mystery drama film which revolves around a young student named Rosa Bud, who is engaged to a young man named Edwin. However Edwin’s uncle John, who is an opium-addict, begins to develop an obsession with Rosa. When she realizes this, she begins to avoid him, out of fear. Meanwhile, Edwin also develops a rivalry with another student named Neville, over Rosa’s affections.

Kay and June are two showgirls who are left stranded in Palm Beach, since June had refused one of her wealthy male friend’s sexual advances, and he leaves without paying their hotel bills. They seek help from their former colleague, Daisy, who is now engaged to a millionaire. However, they are surprised when Daisy pretends not to know them. Kay tries to win some money gambling, but she instead ends up losing all her money. Things get even more complicated when Daisy goes missing.

The Life of Vergie Winters is a drama film which tells the story of John Shadwell, a politician who is married to a woman named Laura. However, he is in love with a woman from his hometown named Vergie Winters. As rumors begin to spread, the women of the town begin to shun Vergie.  

Manhattan Tower is a drama film which revolves around a woman named Mary Harper and a man named Jimmy Duncan, who both work at the Empire State Building. They eventually fall for one another, and decide to get married, and buy a house, but realize that they lack the necessary funds for it. Upon asking Mary's boss for advice, he tells her to give him all his savings to invest.

Myron, a medical student, finishes his graduation and starts his internship. He asks his sweetheart Ruth, to get married to him but she wants to wait till he has established himself. Meanwhile, she takes up a job as a secretary to an attorney named Albert Hartman, who is impressed by her abilities. When she suffers an appendix attack, she is taken to the hospital, and the surgeon operating on her is none other than Dr Myron.

Dan Van Dyke is the patriarch of a wealthy family, who is quite frustrated, as his family is always in the media, due to their outrageous behavior. His life gets even worse when he is sent to prison for tax evasion, where he meets Ricardi, a bootlegger. They become friends, and when Dan passes away, due to his heart condition, he puts Ricardi in charge of his interests. After his release, Ricardi tries his best to bring Dan’s unruly children under control.       

Atter her husband dies during a fox hunt, a widow forbids her son from riding horses ever again. However, when he finds himself falling for the daughter of his father’s trainer, he decides to go against his mother’s wishes and enters the Maryland Hunt.

An old farmer, his son and three daughters are leaving behind a failing farm for newer pastures. A county agent, who is attracted to the farmer's eldest daughter, offers to help but the farmer refuses. Much to the children's despair, their father stubbornly sticks to his old ways.

During the Second World War, two Navy officers take command of an obsolete World War I vintage destroyer, assigned to convoy-escort duty in the Japanese-controlled waters in the South Pacific. 

The musical revolves around The Centennial International Exhibition of 1876. Julia and Edith’s Aunt, Zenia, visits them with nephew Philippe Lascalles, who’s in charge of the French Pavilion at the exposition. Both sisters fall in love with him and try in their own way to win him over. While Philippe is drawn to Julia, Edith accepts marriage-proposal of longtime suitor Dr. Phelps. 

The leader singer of an opera leaves the Metropolitan, and forms a company of her own, with Tibbett as the leading man. However, after some time, she decides to leave this company as well, forcing Tibbett and the company to continue without her.  

This musical comedy film tells the story of Ernie Holley who decides to run away on his wedding night, after he thinks he has killed one of the wedding guests. His father and his bride later tries to find him and convince him to return home. 

Ginger and Dixie are offered $1000 by a lawyer, in order to serve subpoenas for a breach of promise lawsuit. However, there is much more to the case than it seems.

Curtain at Eight is a mystery film which tells the story of Captain Marty Gallagher and Jim Handley, two detectives who investigate the murder of a theatre actor, who was cheating on his wife with multiple women.

John is an executive at a radio station, who is approached by a woman named Connie, as she is looking for a job for her husband Chick. John gets Chick a job as a radio comic, and over some time, he manages to achieve stardom. However, he starts neglecting Connie, and eventually leaves her. Connie begins to find solace in John.

Curtain Call at Cactus Creek is a Western romantic comedy film which revolves around Eddie, a stagehand in an Old West road show, who handles the lighting, sound effects and other duties. He likes Julie, a singer working on the show, and he also wishes to perform on stage. His life takes a turn when he manages to capture a bank robber.    

Lord Phillip Rexford and Mary is a happily married couple of London. When Rexford goes to America for business, Mary visits a relative in Riviera and encounters her ex-beau Tommie Treal, who pursues her into a situation that creates scandal. Rexford, refusing to believe Mary, grows distant and decides to divorce her. But the distrust may lead to problems in their lives. 

After the American Civil War, an ex-confederate soldier decides that he has seen enough of war and thinks of focusing on making wealth. However, his life takes a turn, when he faces new battles, including a carpetbagger who is hell-bent on destroying him.

In the year 1888, The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band, comprising of eleven members of the Bowel family, are getting ready to perform at the Democratic Presidential Convention for Grover Cleveland. But their plan goes awry when the boyfriend of the family’s eldest daughter, a Republican journalist, convinces them to relocate to Dakota. 

When bandits storm a small town, a peace loving store owner manages to take up a gun and fire at their leader, ultimately causing his death. Although initially the townspeople hail him as a hero they soon start boycotting him, fearing reprisal by the group.  Left with only the support of wife and one friend, he must now learn to deal with the bandits on his own.  

Snug Dominy leaves his mean step-mother and step-brother to take a job with neighbor Roarer McGill. Snug is in love with Roarer’s daughter who refuses to reveal her true feelings. When his step-brother tries to harm the two mules that Snug bought from Roarer, Snug saves the mules and later, uses them to rescue Roarer, thus earning his blessings to marry his daughter. 

Singing is a western film which tells the story of a notorious robber who is unintentionally appointed as deputy after saving the life of the sheriff. He starts wondering if he should give up his illegal activities, and start accepting his new life.  

This mystery film tells the story of a young girl who finds out that she is the daughter of a rich railroad tycoon and was kidnapped as a child. She attempts to find answer with the help of John, her boyfriend.

Pop Clark, the owner of St. Louis Cardinals baseball team, is in danger of losing his team unless they win the pennant. He hires pitcher Larry Kelly, who falls for Pop’s daughter, team-manager Frances. But deaths of Cardinals’ star players on and off field make Larry a suspect, though Larry himself escapes attempts on his life. Now, he must prove his game, and also find the murderer.

Pecos Grant rides into a strange town only to find that the townspeople recognize him as a long-lost friend, though he doesn’t know any of them. He soon attempts to solve the mystery.

Biography of a Bachelor Girl is a romantic comedy film which tells the story of a free-spirited bohemian artist named Marion, who is persuaded by Kurt, a cynical publisher to write her memoir. However, her former boyfriend Leander Nolan tries to prevent the publication of the book, as he fears embarrassment since he is running for Senate. However, Kurt takes Marion away to a secluded cabin in Maine, so that she doesn’t get distracted.

The story is a modernization of Charles Dickens' classic story of a naïve and young boy, Finn who is head over heals with Estella, a girl who only knows how to break men's heart. In years that follow, Finn becomes a successful painter in New York and Estella reappears in his love. Will Finn be able to pursue his unrequited childhood love?

During 1870s, professional gambler John Devlin marries Sandy Poli against the wishes of her railroad-tycoon father. They travel to Dakota to buy land which they can sell later to the railroad at profit. As they realize that two crooks plan to destroy farmers’ wheat-crops and properties to make them leave their lands, risking their own lives they decide to help the wheat-farmers.

West Point of the Air is a drama film which tells the story of an army sergeant who wants his son to become an ace flyer.

In a competition between a railroad and a stagecoach company to obtain the government franchise for Colorado territory, Kit Dodge Jr., daughter of a railroad executive, with the help of travelling salesman Johnny Behind-the-Deuces, is supporting the train-man to reach Tomahawk in time. But afraid of losing their business, a Stagecoach Company sends ruthless Dakota to stop the train at any cost. 

Four Guns to the Border is a Western adventure action film which tells the story of a group of outlaws who plan and execute a robbery in a small town. However, things take a turn when some of the locals attempt to follow them.

Flight is an adventure film which tells the story of a young boy Lefty who decides to enlist in the Marines himself. He is selected to attend pilot training school at Naval Air Station, where he meets William, a flying instructor. When his flight crashes, he is taken to the base hospital, where he meets Elinor Murray, Navy nurse.  He soon begins to fall for her, but it turns out that Williams is also in love with her.   

Rise and Shine is a musical romantic comedy sports film which revolves around the story of a college president, a gambling gangster and a cheerleder, who must work together, after a football star gets kidnapped by a gang.

When a death occurs in the house of an influential family, a hospital nurse is recruited by the police, so that she can keep a watch on their activities. She tries to look into the mystery, but after some time, a second death occurs.

In 1941, the peaceful life of a Ukrainian village is shattered when they are brutally attacked by the Nazi planes followed by ground strike. Some villagers seek refuge in the hills and get together to rise up against the cruelty, especially when a Nazi doctor begins using the village children to fulfil the blood requirement of their wounded soldier.

Henry Judson is a socialite banker who maintains his extravagant lifestyle by stealing from the bank. However, when a cunning assistant manager finds out about this, he begins to blackmail Henry.

Two-Fisted Law is a Western drama film, which tells the story of a rancher who sets out to expose a gang of crooked cattle dealers after they swindle him out of his property rights.

Adapted from Richard Sale’s novel, the movie tells the tale of an actor, Frank Fane, who desperately desires to reach the top and win at the Academy Awards. In his ambitious pursuit, he ignores the difference between right and wrong and also manipulates those close to him including his best friend, acting coach, agent and girlfriend. 

The football team of Belford College is apparently terrible. Therefore, a jailed thief named Tommy Burke is recruited to play for the team, after he is seen playing football in the prison yard. He is paroled, and with Tommy's help, the team is able to win every game. However, he is unable to get rid of his old ways, and he is hoping to join a gang.

Goldie Gets Along is a romantic comedy drama film which tells the story of a young girl named Goldie, who was taken in by her aunt, after her mother had passed away. She was brought to the US, where she lived till the age of 19. However, now she begins to dream of a career in Hollywood. She leaves her boyfriend behind and decides to hitchhike her way to Hollywood.