6 Best Porter Hall Movies

By Vlad Zakh · March 18, 2026

Porter Hall brought sharp, often duplicitous energy to Hollywood, as convincing as a corrupt businessman as a comically stubborn bureaucrat. Double Indemnity draws an insurance man into a murder scheme, Sullivan’s Travels sends a director out as a homeless drifter, Ace in the Hole exploits a man trapped in a cave, and Miracle on 34th Street slowly converts a sceptical girl. His Girl Friday and The Great McGinty round out the list.

Ace in the Hole (1951)

TMDB ★ 8.1

A cynical reporter deliberately drags out a man's rescue from a cave-in to maximise the story.

Directed by Billy Wilder · 1h 52m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Stream: Brew, FlixFling, IndieFlix, IndieFlix Shorts Amazon Channel · Rent: JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Brew, Google Play Movies, YouTube · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Brew, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

IMDb ★ 7.9 RT 96% Metacritic 88

A department-store Santa's claim to be the real thing ends up in an actual courtroom.

Directed by George Seaton · 1h 36m · Rated NR

Won 3 Oscars10 wins & 1 nomination

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Disney 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

Double Indemnity (1944)

IMDb ★ 8.3 RT 97% Metacritic 95

An insurance salesman is drawn into a scheme to murder a client's husband for the payout.

Directed by Billy Wilder · 1h 47m · Rated NR

Nominated for 7 Oscars5 wins & 9 nominations

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Sullivan's Travels (1941)

TMDB ★ 7.9

A successful film director poses as a homeless drifter to research a serious social drama.

Directed by Preston Sturges · 1h 31m · Rated NR

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

His Girl Friday (1940)

TMDB ★ 7.9

A newspaper editor schemes to stop his star reporter ex-wife from remarrying and leaving journalism.

Directed by Howard Hawks · 1h 32m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, YouTube TV, MGM Plus, Pure Flix · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Great McGinty (1940)

TMDB ★ 7.1

Brian Donlevy appears as a corrupt political machine's handpicked candidate for governor who unexpectedly develops a conscience.

Directed by Preston Sturges · 1h 22m · 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 Porter Hall Movies

Ace in the Hole (1951)

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

Double Indemnity (1944)

Sullivan's Travels (1941)

His Girl Friday (1940)

The Great McGinty (1940)

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