6 Best Mime and Silent Performer Movies

By Vlad Zakh · March 15, 2026

Wordless performance makes for visually poetic, emotionally direct storytelling. The Artist has a silent star’s career collapsing with the talkies, The Circus has a tramp becoming a circus star by accident, and Modern Times follows a factory worker and a homeless woman through the Depression. Mr. Bean’s Holiday brings slapstick to the south of France, and The Red Balloon and Children of Paradise round out the six.

Mr. Bean's Holiday (2007)

TMDB ★ 6.5

A hapless Englishman's simple trip to the south of France spirals into a chaotic series of misadventures.

Directed by Steve Bendelack · 1h 30m · Rated G

Where to watch

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Artist (2011)

IMDb ★ 7.8 RT 95% Metacritic 89

A silent-era star's career collapses just as talkies make his young protegee a star.

Directed by Michel Hazanavicius · 1h 40m · Rated PG-13

Won 5 Oscars162 wins & 204 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Philo, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Circus (1928)

TMDB ★ 8.1

A hapless tramp becomes an unlikely circus star after accidentally proving to be the funniest act in the show.

Directed by Charlie Chaplin · 1h 12m · Rated G

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, FlixFling, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home, FlixFling

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Modern Times (1936)

IMDb ★ 8.5 RT 98% Metacritic 96

A factory worker's sanity frays under an assembly line, as silent comedy meets the sound era on its own terms.

Directed by Charlie Chaplin · 1h 27m · Rated G

6 wins & 1 nomination

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, Criterion Channel, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Red Balloon (1956)

TMDB ★ 7.6

A lonely Parisian boy befriends a magical, sentient red balloon that follows him everywhere.

Directed by Albert Lamorisse · 0h 34m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, FlixFling, HBO Max, IndieFlix Shorts Amazon Channel, Artify · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home, FlixFling, Artify · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home, FlixFling

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Children of Paradise (1945)

TMDB ★ 8.2

A beautiful courtesan captivates four very different men in 19th-century Parisian theatre circles.

Directed by Marcel Carné · 3h 10m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Stream: IndieFlix Shorts Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

6 Best Mime and Silent Performer Movies

Mr. Bean's Holiday (2007)

The Artist (2011)

The Circus (1928)

Modern Times (1936)

The Red Balloon (1956)

Children of Paradise (1945)

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