6 Best Stanley Blystone Movies

By Vlad Zakh · August 5, 2026

Stanley Blystone was one of Hollywood’s busiest character actors and was frequently cast as a gruff cop, guard or thug across hundreds of films. Modern Times struggles to survive in an industrialised world, A Night at the Opera helps two young singers, You Only Live Once wrongly convicts an ex-convict, and Phantom of the Opera (1943) haunts the Paris Opera. Manhattan Melodrama and The Circus round out the list.

Phantom of the Opera (1943)

TMDB ★ 6.2

Nelson Eddy stars in this Technicolor remake about a disfigured composer who haunts the Paris Opera House, obsessed with a young singer he secretly mentors.

Directed by Arthur Lubin · 1h 29m · Rated NR

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

You Only Live Once (1937)

TMDB ★ 7.1

Barton MacLane features in this noir about a recently paroled ex-convict who struggles to go straight, but circumstances repeatedly push him back.

Directed by Fritz Lang · 1h 26m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Stream: Philo, Fandor Amazon Channel, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel, Cineverse Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Modern Times (1936)

IMDb ★ 8.5 RT 98% Metacritic 96

A factory worker's sanity frays under an assembly line, as silent comedy meets the sound era on its own terms.

Directed by Charlie Chaplin · 1h 27m · Rated G

6 wins & 1 nomination

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, Criterion Channel, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

A Night at the Opera (1935)

TMDB ★ 7.4

Three chaotic brothers help two young singers break into the world of grand opera.

Directed by Sam Wood · 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

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

The Circus (1928)

TMDB ★ 7.9

A hapless tramp becomes an unlikely circus star after accidentally proving to be the funniest act in the show.

Directed by Charlie Chaplin · 1h 12m · Rated G

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, FlixFling, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home, FlixFling

▶ 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 Stanley Blystone Movies

Phantom of the Opera (1943)

You Only Live Once (1937)

Modern Times (1936)

A Night at the Opera (1935)

Manhattan Melodrama (1934)

The Circus (1928)

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