6 Best Samuel S. Hinds Movies

By Vlad Zakh · July 17, 2026

Samuel S. Hinds brought a dignified, fatherly presence to Hollywood’s golden age and appeared in hundreds of films as judges, doctors and other quiet authority figures. It’s a Wonderful Life shows a despairing man his town without him, Scarlet Street drags a clerk into fraud and murder, First Love sends an orphan to wealthy relatives, and Stage Door pits aspiring actresses at a boarding house. Manhattan Melodrama and Lady for a Day round out the list.

It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

IMDb ★ 8.6 RT 94% Metacritic 89

A despairing man is shown by a guardian angel what his community would have lost without him.

Directed by Frank Capra · 2h 11m · Rated PG

Nominated for 5 Oscars11 wins & 7 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent: JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Scarlet Street (1945)

TMDB ★ 7.6

A meek clerk's infatuation with a manipulative woman drags him into fraud, murder and ruin.

Directed by Fritz Lang · 1h 43m · Rated NR

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

First Love (1939)

TMDB ★ 7.6

Deanna Durbin is in this musical about an orphaned teenager sent to live with wealthy relatives who navigates her first real romance.

Directed by Henry Koster · 1h 24m · Rated NR

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Stage Door (1937)

TMDB ★ 7.1

A group of aspiring actresses sharing a boarding house compete for the same coveted Broadway roles.

Directed by Gregory La Cava · 1h 32m · 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

Manhattan Melodrama (1934)

TMDB ★ 7.0

Two childhood friends raised together grow up to become a gangster and a district attorney.

Directed by W.S. Van Dyke · 1h 33m · Rated NR

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Lady for a Day (1933)

TMDB ★ 7.1

A poor street vendor's desperate lie to impress her visiting daughter draws in an unlikely group of helpers.

Directed by Frank Capra · 1h 36m · 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 Samuel S. Hinds Movies

It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

Scarlet Street (1945)

First Love (1939)

Stage Door (1937)

Manhattan Melodrama (1934)

Lady for a Day (1933)

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