6 Best Robert Preston Movies

By Vlad Zakh · July 18, 2026

Robert Preston built a remarkably versatile career from 1930s adventure pictures to his Tony-winning turn as a charming con man, The Music Man, on screen. This Gun for Hire hunts a hitman paid in counterfeit, How the West Was Won crosses generations of pioneers, The Music Man poses as a band leader to swindle an Iowa town, and Victor/Victoria finds a soprano stardom posing as a female impersonator. Union Pacific and Beau Geste round out the list.

Victor/Victoria (1982)

TMDB ★ 7.3

A struggling singer poses as a female impersonator to find success in 1930s Parisian nightlife.

Directed by Blake Edwards · 2h 14m · Rated PG

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Music Man (1962)

IMDb ★ 7.7 RT 94% Metacritic 76

A con man selling fake band instruments falls for the one person in town who could expose him.

Directed by Morton DaCosta · 2h 31m · Rated G

Won 1 Oscar6 wins & 12 nominations

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

How the West Was Won (1962)

TMDB ★ 7.0

A sweeping saga follows generations of one American family across the westward expansion.

Directed by Henry Hathaway & John Ford · 2h 44m · Rated G

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

This Gun for Hire (1942)

TMDB ★ 7.0

Alan Ladd plays a professional hitman who seeks revenge after being betrayed and paid with counterfeit money.

Directed by Frank Tuttle · 1h 21m · Rated NR

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Union Pacific (1939)

TMDB ★ 6.7

Andy Clyde features in this western about a troubleshooter who protects the construction of the transcontinental railroad from ruthless saboteurs.

Directed by Cecil B. DeMille · 2h 15m · Rated NR

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Beau Geste (1939)

TMDB ★ 7.0

Three orphaned brothers join the French Foreign Legion and face a sadistic, tyrannical commander.

Directed by William A. Wellman · 1h 52m

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 Robert Preston Movies

Victor/Victoria (1982)

The Music Man (1962)

How the West Was Won (1962)

This Gun for Hire (1942)

Union Pacific (1939)

Beau Geste (1939)

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