6 Best Jean Arthur Movies

By Vlad Zakh · January 20, 2026

Jean Arthur’s warm, husky voice and unerring comic timing made her one of the defining leading ladies of 1930s and 40s screwball comedy. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington has her as the cynical secretary who helps an idealistic senator, The More the Merrier shares an apartment with two strangers amid a housing shortage, A Foreign Affair investigates fraternisation among occupying soldiers, and Shane helps a gunfighter defend a homesteading family. You Can’t Take It with You and Mr. Deeds Goes to Town round out the list.

Shane (1953)

TMDB ★ 7.6

A mysterious gunfighter helps a family of homesteaders defend their land against a ruthless cattle baron.

Directed by George Stevens · 1h 58m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Stream: Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential · 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

A Foreign Affair (1948)

TMDB ★ 7.2

An American congresswoman checking on morale in occupied Berlin uncovers a captain's secret romance.

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

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The More the Merrier (1943)

TMDB ★ 7.5

Charles Coburn features in this comedy where a wartime housing shortage forces a woman to share her apartment with two men.

Directed by George Stevens · 1h 44m

Where to watch

Stream: YouTube TV · 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

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

IMDb ★ 8.1 RT 85% Metacritic 73

A naive, idealistic new senator battles entrenched political corruption in Washington.

Directed by Frank Capra · 2h 10m · Rated NR

Won 1 Oscar8 wins & 12 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

You Can't Take It with You (1938)

TMDB ★ 8.0

Boyd Irwin features in this comedy about an eccentric, free-spirited family's daughter who falls for the son of a wealthy banker.

Directed by Frank Capra · 2h 06m · Rated NR

Where to watch

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)

TMDB ★ 7.6

A small-town poet who inherits a vast fortune clashes with the greedy city society that wants it.

Directed by Frank Capra · 1h 55m · Rated NR

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

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 Jean Arthur Movies

Shane (1953)

A Foreign Affair (1948)

The More the Merrier (1943)

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

You Can't Take It with You (1938)

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)

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