6 Best Allen Jenkins Movies

By Vlad Zakh · March 16, 2026

Allen Jenkins brought gruff, streetwise comic energy to Hollywood film, often playing loyal sidekicks and low-level crooks with a heart of gold. Dead End has slum residents crossing paths with a gangster who grew up on their street, Destry Rides Again has a pacifist sheriff clashing with a corrupt saloon owner, and Ball of Fire has a brassy singer hiding with professors. The Falcon Takes Over, Three on a Match and 42nd Street round out the list.

The Falcon Takes Over (1942)

TMDB ★ 6.5

Allen Jenkins appears as a suave amateur detective investigates a murder tied to a missing former convict.

Directed by Irving Reis · 1h 05m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Destry Rides Again (1939)

TMDB ★ 7.4

A pacifist new sheriff's unconventional methods clash with a saloon's corrupt owner and her outlaw gang.

Directed by George Marshall · 1h 34m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Ball of Fire (1941)

TMDB ★ 7.5

A group of sheltered professors writing a slang dictionary enlist the help of a streetwise nightclub singer.

Directed by Howard Hawks · 1h 51m · Rated NR

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Dead End (1937)

TMDB ★ 7.1

Residents of a poor New York slum street cross paths with a notorious gangster who grew up there.

Directed by William Wyler · 1h 33m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Three on a Match (1932)

TMDB ★ 6.7

Allen Jenkins features in this drama about three childhood friends who reunite as adults, only for one's reckless choices to spiral out of control.

Directed by Mervyn LeRoy · 1h 03m

Where to watch

Stream: YouTube TV

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

42nd Street (1933)

TMDB ★ 7.4

A demanding Broadway director stakes everything on one lavish musical during the Depression.

Directed by Lloyd Bacon · 1h 29m · Rated NR

Where to watch

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

▶ 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 Allen Jenkins Movies

The Falcon Takes Over (1942)

Destry Rides Again (1939)

Ball of Fire (1941)

Dead End (1937)

Three on a Match (1932)

42nd Street (1933)

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