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John J. Mescall

Cinematographer · Died February 10, 1962, aged 63 · Litchfield, Illinois, USA

Born
January 8, 1899
Died
February 10, 1962 (aged 63)
From
Litchfield, Illinois, USA
Works as
Cinematographer
Titles
18 on MovieCove · 72 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Up 17% in 30 days

What are John J. Mescall's films like?

Across their 15 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy8 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 54th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 56th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
31%
Self
20%
Morality
16%
Survival
15%
Society
12%
Power
6%
Romantic love5 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival4 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIsolation2 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 15 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 8 · Serious 6 · Dark 1

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 11 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 8 · Charged 4 · Intense 3

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 9 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 8 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 4

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 10 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 11 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 13 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
7
Tense
7
Dread
3
Warm
3
Hopeful
4
Other
13

How their films linger

Feel-good8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy10
  • Bittersweet2
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch John J. Mescall's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 10 of their 18 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for John J. Mescall's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

72 credits, 18 with a MovieCove page.

  • Hi Grandma! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Cinematographer

  • Not of This Earth(1957)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • The Desperados Are in Town (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    Cinematographer

  • Davy Crockett, Indian Scout(1950)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Bedside Manner(1945)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films

  • Dark Waters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    Cinematographer

  • Youth Runs Wild (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    Cinematographer

  • Andy Hardy's Double Life(1942)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Sweater Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Cinematographer

  • Take a Letter, Darling(1942)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films

  • New Wine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Cinematographer

  • Her First Romance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    Cinematographer

  • Kit Carson(1940)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • When Tomorrow Comes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Cinematographer

  • Exile Express (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Cinematographer

  • My Lucky Star (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Cinematographer

  • Josette (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Cinematographer

  • Happy Landing(1938)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • The Road Back (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Cinematographer

  • Make a Wish(1937)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Show Boat(1936)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • Magnificent Obsession(1935)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • Smart Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Cinematographer

  • Bride of Frankenstein(1935)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Night Life of the Gods (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Cinematographer

  • One More River (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    Cinematographer

  • The Black Cat(1934)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • By Candlelight (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    Cinematographer

  • The Invisible Man(1933)

    Cinematographer · Visual Effects Camera

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • The Return of Casey Jones(1933)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • New Morals for Old (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    Cinematographer

  • Ambassador Bill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Cinematographer

  • Skyline (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Cinematographer

  • Born to Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Cinematographer

  • The Easiest Way (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Cinematographer

  • Sin Takes a Holiday (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Cinematographer

  • Fairways and Foul (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Director

  • Big News(1929)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • The Sophomore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Cinematographer

  • The Leatherneck (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1929)

    Cinematographer

  • High Voltage(1929)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • The Shady Lady (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Cinematographer

  • Love Over Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Cinematographer

  • Sal of Singapore (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Cinematographer

  • Captain Swagger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Cinematographer

  • Man-Made Women (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Cinematographer

  • Walking Back (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Cinematographer

  • The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Cinematographer

  • The Wreck of the Hesperus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Cinematographer

  • The Yankee Clipper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Cinematographer

  • So This Is Paris(1926)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • The Social Highwayman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Cinematographer

  • Oh! What a Nurse! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Cinematographer

  • The Love Toy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Cinematographer

  • Below the Line (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Cinematographer

  • The Wife Who Wasn't Wanted (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Cinematographer

  • The Woman Hater (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Cinematographer

  • The Bridge of Sighs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Cinematographer

  • Wine of Youth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Cinematographer

  • The Tenth Woman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Cinematographer

  • True As Steel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Cinematographer

  • Three Weeks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Cinematographer

  • Reno (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    Cinematographer

  • Six Days (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    Cinematographer

  • Souls for Sale(1923)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Gimme (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    Cinematographer

  • Watch Your Step (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    Cinematographer

  • Dangerous Curve Ahead (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    Cinematographer

  • All's Fair in Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    Cinematographer

  • Hold Your Horses (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    Cinematographer

  • Edgar's Hamlet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    Cinematographer

  • Edgar and the Teacher's Pet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    Cinematographer

Career shape

A full career of 69 titles from 1920 to 1958.

Biggest box office

Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

$15K worldwide

Highest rated

Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

Midcredits 95th

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing1 of 69: 1 only directing, 0 with another roleCinematography68 of 69: 67 only cinematography, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score71stOther crew1 of 69: 0 only other crew, 1 with another role

By decade

1920s35 · crew1930s21 · crew1940s9 · crew1950s4 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do John J. Mescall's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 57th percentile, the median of all 18; across their 15 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 50th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

50thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Approval · how many liked their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Reach · how many have seen their films

36thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Midcredits score across 18 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

7 of their 18 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Crowd Pleaser7
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed4

Most divisive · cinematographer

The Return of Casey Jones (1933)

60th percentile spread · 31% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · cinematographer

Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

Midcredits 95th · 82% liked

Reviewers score the cinematography 63/100 in their films, across 14 reviewed titles; fans 69, detractors 50. The element that speaks to their work as a cinematographer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does John J. Mescall work with?

People who share at least 2 of John J. Mescall's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Doane Harrison shares the most, 3.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Editors

Producers