6 Best James Burke Movies

By Vlad Zakh · April 13, 2026

James Burke brought a gruff, no-nonsense comic presence to Hollywood and frequently played police detectives and hard-boiled cops. It Happened One Night and Twentieth Century are the 1934 classics, Little Miss Marker has a bookmaker caring for a girl left as collateral, Treasure Island sails for pirate gold, and Ruggles of Red Gap lands an English butler in the Wild West. Bombshell rounds out the list.

Ruggles of Red Gap (1935)

TMDB ★ 7.5

An English butler won in a poker game must adjust to life serving a boisterous American family in the Wild West.

Directed by Leo McCarey · 1h 30m · Rated NR

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Treasure Island (1934)

TMDB ★ 6.9

James Burke features in this adaptation of a young boy who sets sail on a dangerous voyage after discovering a map to buried pirate treasure.

Directed by Victor Fleming · 1h 43m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Stream: Artiflix · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Little Miss Marker (1934)

TMDB ★ 6.8

James Burke is in this Shirley Temple comedy about a bookmaker who reluctantly cares for a young girl left as collateral for her father's bad bet.

Directed by Alexander Hall · 1h 19m

Where to watch

Stream: IndieFlix Shorts Amazon Channel

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Twentieth Century (1934)

TMDB ★ 7.5

A theatrical producer desperately schemes to win back the actress he made a star, now a Hollywood sensation.

Directed by Howard Hawks · 1h 31m · Rated NR

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

It Happened One Night (1934)

IMDb ★ 8.1 RT 98% Metacritic 87

A runaway heiress and a fast-talking reporter share a bus ride that turns into a real romance.

Directed by Frank Capra · 1h 45m · Rated NR

Won 5 Oscars14 wins & 2 nominations

Where to watch

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

Bombshell (1933)

TMDB ★ 7.1

Ethel Griffies features in this comedy about a glamorous but exhausted movie star who tries desperately to escape her chaotic Hollywood life.

Directed by Victor Fleming · 1h 36m · Rated NR

Where to watch

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

Ruggles of Red Gap (1935)

Treasure Island (1934)

Little Miss Marker (1934)

Twentieth Century (1934)

It Happened One Night (1934)

Bombshell (1933)

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