6 Best Charles Laughton Movies

By Vlad Zakh · January 21, 2026

Charles Laughton brought theatrical, larger-than-life intensity to every role, equally memorable as a tyrannical ship captain or a sympathetic, tormented outcast. Witness for the Prosecution takes shocking turns in a courtroom, Spartacus gives him a cunning Roman senator scheming from a gladiator uprising, The Hunchback of Notre Dame has a bell-ringer protecting a persecuted woman from a corrupt judge, and This Land Is Mine finds courage in a timid schoolteacher under occupation. Mutiny on the Bounty and The Private Life of Henry VIII round out the list.

Spartacus (1960)

TMDB ★ 7.9

An enslaved gladiator leads a massive slave rebellion against the might of the Roman Republic.

Directed by Stanley Kubrick · 3h 17m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Witness for the Prosecution (1957)

IMDb ★ 8.4 RT 100% Metacritic 76

A murder trial takes a series of stunning turns as a defence barrister uncovers hidden truths.

Directed by Billy Wilder · 1h 56m · Rated NR

Nominated for 6 Oscars3 wins & 15 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, MGM Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

This Land Is Mine (1943)

TMDB ★ 7.1

Charles Laughton plays a timid schoolteacher who finds unexpected courage while living under Nazi occupation.

Directed by Jean Renoir · 1h 43m

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939)

TMDB ★ 7.6

Alan Marshal appears as a deformed bell-ringer who risks everything to protect a persecuted gypsy woman.

Directed by William Dieterle · 1h 57m · Rated NR

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)

TMDB ★ 7.7

A tyrannical sea captain's cruelty pushes his crew to seize control of his ship.

Directed by Frank Lloyd · 2h 12m

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)

TMDB ★ 7.2

Binnie Barnes features in this film about the much-married English king and his string of turbulent romances.

Directed by Alexander Korda · 1h 37m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, HBO Max Amazon Channel, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, Criterion 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 Charles Laughton Movies

Spartacus (1960)

Witness for the Prosecution (1957)

This Land Is Mine (1943)

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939)

Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)

The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)

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