Movies Like Hard to Handle

Ranked by shared directors, cast, themes, genre, and era — not just generic recommendations.

The Doorway to Hell

1930·1h 18m·★ 6.5·Archie Mayo

TMDB recommendsDP: Barney McGillStarring James Cagney

Footlight Parade

1933·1h 44m·★ 7.5·Lloyd Bacon

3 shared cast incl. James Cagney & Ruth Donnelly

I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang

1932·1h 32m·★ 8.2·Mervyn LeRoy

Both star Allen Jenkins & Berton ChurchillDir. Mervyn LeRoy

The Mayor of Hell

1933·1h 30m·★ 6.9·Archie Mayo

Both star James Cagney & Allen JenkinsDP: Barney McGill

Two Seconds

1932·1h 7m·★ 6.9·Mervyn LeRoy

TMDB recommendsStarring Berton ChurchillDir. Mervyn LeRoy

42nd Street

1933·1h 29m·★ 7.3·Lloyd Bacon

TMDB recommendsStarring Allen JenkinsComedy & Romance

Trouble in Paradise

1932·1h 23m·★ 7.9·Ernst Lubitsch

TMDB recommendsComedy & Crime & Romance

Jimmy the Gent

1934·1h 7m·★ 6.6·Michael Curtiz

Both star James Cagney & Allen JenkinsComedy & Romance & Crime

It Happened One Night

1934·1h 45m·★ 8.1·Frank Capra

TMDB recommendsComedy & Romance

The Thin Man

1934·1h 31m·★ 7.9·W.S. Van Dyke

TMDB recommendsComedy & Crime

Shanghai Express

1932·1h 22m·★ 7.3·Josef von Sternberg

TMDB recommendsRomance & Crime

The Bat Whispers

1930·1h 23m·★ 6.3·Roland West

TMDB recommendsComedy & Crime

Mr. Lucky

1943·1h 40m·★ 7.1·H. C. Potter

Fans also likedComedy & Romance & Crime

Night Nurse

1931·1h 12m·★ 7.0·William A. Wellman

DP: Barney McGillCrime & Comedy

Hi, Nellie!

1934·1h 15m·★ 6.8·Mervyn LeRoy

Starring Berton ChurchillDir. Mervyn LeRoyComedy & Crime

M

1931·1h 50m·★ 8.3·Fritz Lang

TMDB recommends

The Kissing Booth 2

2020·2h 12m·★ 5.7·Vince Marcello

Fans also likedComedy & Romance

Scarface

1932·1h 33m·★ 7.7·Howard Hawks

TMDB recommends

Duck Soup

1933·1h 8m·★ 7.7·Leo McCarey

TMDB recommends

I Love You Again

1940·1h 39m·★ 7.4·W.S. Van Dyke

Fans also likedComedy & Romance

How Good Is Hard to Handle?

Ratings across IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic, and TMDB, plus our verdict.