6 Best Joan Blondell Movies

By Vlad Zakh · April 6, 2026

Joan Blondell brought brassy, warm-hearted comic energy to Hollywood and became one of the defining stars of Warner Bros.’ pre-Code era. Gold Diggers of 1933 schemes to fund a Depression-era show, Footlight Parade races a producer to stage live prologues, Three on a Match spirals childhood friends into tragedy, and Blonde Crazy has two hotel con artists risking swindles. Night Nurse and The Public Enemy round out the list.

Footlight Parade (1933)

TMDB ★ 7.2

A determined Broadway producer races the clock to stage elaborate live prologues before the movies steal his business.

Directed by Lloyd Bacon · 1h 44m · Rated NR

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)

TMDB ★ 7.2

Struggling Broadway performers scheme to fund a new show during the Great Depression.

Directed by Mervyn LeRoy · 1h 37m · 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

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

Blonde Crazy (1931)

TMDB ★ 6.7

Two con artists working a hotel scheme their way through increasingly risky swindles.

Directed by Roy Del Ruth · 1h 19m · Rated NR

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Night Nurse (1931)

TMDB ★ 6.8

A dedicated nurse uncovers a sinister plot to harm the children under her care.

Directed by William A. Wellman · 1h 12m · Rated NR

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Public Enemy (1931)

IMDb ★ 7.6 RT 100% Metacritic 80

James Cagney plays a small-time hoodlum whose ruthless rise through Prohibition-era Chicago's criminal underworld is the film's engine.

Directed by William A. Wellman · 1h 24m · Rated NR

Nominated for 1 Oscar1 win & 1 nomination

Where to watch

Stream: YouTube TV · 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 Joan Blondell Movies

Footlight Parade (1933)

Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)

Three on a Match (1932)

Blonde Crazy (1931)

Night Nurse (1931)

The Public Enemy (1931)

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