6 Best Sam Levene Movies

By Vlad Zakh · July 9, 2026

Sam Levene brought a distinctively brash, wisecracking New York energy to Hollywood and excelled in crime dramas and comedies across four decades. Sweet Smell of Success schemes to destroy a young musician, Crossfire investigates a Jewish man’s murder to uncover bigotry, The Killers pieces together a boxer’s story, and Action in the North Atlantic braves U-boats on a merchant ship. Golden Boy and After the Thin Man round out the list.

Sweet Smell of Success (1957)

TMDB ★ 7.6

A ruthless newspaper columnist and a desperate press agent scheme to destroy a young musician.

Directed by Alexander Mackendrick · 1h 37m

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, 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

Crossfire (1947)

TMDB ★ 6.7

Army investigators race to find the soldier responsible for a brutal, bigotry-fuelled murder.

Directed by Edward Dmytryk · 1h 26m · Rated NR

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Killers (1946)

TMDB ★ 7.4

Ava Gardner appears as an insurance investigator uncovers the doomed romance behind a former boxer's murder by hitmen.

Directed by Robert Siodmak · 1h 43m

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Action in the North Atlantic (1943)

TMDB ★ 7.1

Merchant seamen battle German U-boats to keep vital supply lines open across the Atlantic.

Directed by Lloyd Bacon · 2h 06m

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Golden Boy (1939)

TMDB ★ 6.5

Frank Jenks features in this drama about a talented young violinist who abandons music to pursue a dangerous career as a professional boxer.

Directed by Rouben Mamoulian · 1h 39m · Rated NR

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

After the Thin Man (1936)

TMDB ★ 7.3

A wisecracking detective couple investigates a murder tangled up in a rich family's scandalous secrets.

Directed by W.S. Van Dyke · 1h 52m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Stream: Artiflix · 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 Sam Levene Movies

Sweet Smell of Success (1957)

Crossfire (1947)

The Killers (1946)

Action in the North Atlantic (1943)

Golden Boy (1939)

After the Thin Man (1936)

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