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Ian McLellan Hunter

Ian McLellan Hunter

Writer · Died March 5, 1991, aged 75

Ian McLellan Hunter (8 August 1915 – 5 March 1991) was an English screenwriter, best remembered for fronting for the blacklisted Dalton Trumbo as the credited writer of Roman Holiday in 1953. During that time, many American actors and screenwriters were blacklisted as communists in Hollywood, and as a result, used pseudonyms for protection. used a variety of pseudonyms when working individually or collaboratively. Hunter used many, when scriptwriting for English productions, including: Samuel B. West, and Ian Larkin.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
August 8, 1915
Died
March 5, 1991 (aged 75)
Works as
Writer
Titles
17 on MovieCove · 26 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 27Down 5% in 30 days

What are Ian McLellan Hunter's films like?

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

Genres

Drama7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 37th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 40th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 44th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action 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
30%
Morality
25%
Self
19%
Survival
10%
Power
6%
Society
6%
Ideas
5%
Romantic love6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty2 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

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

A split, not a type: Light 7 · Serious 5 · Dark 3

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 7 · Stylized 6 · 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 7 · Charged 6 · Intense 2

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

Steady 8 · Shifting 7 · 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 7 · Funny 0

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 10 · Even-paced 5 · 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 10 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 10 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
7
Melancholic
8
Warm
4
Romantic
5
Joyful
3
Other
11

How their films linger

Feel-good8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy7
  • Bittersweet6
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous1

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 Ian McLellan Hunter's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 10 of their 17 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Ian McLellan Hunter'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

26 credits, 17 with a MovieCove page.

  • Your Ticket Is No Longer Valid(1981)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • You Can't Go Home Again(1979)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Mastermind (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Screenplay

  • The Adams Chronicles (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Show 1 episode · Writer

  • The Outside Man(1972)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • A Dream of Kings(1969)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde(1968)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Captain Sindbad(1963)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • The Defenders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Show 2 episodes · Writer

  • A Day of My Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1961)

    Story

  • The Adventures of Robin Hood(1955)

    Show 1 episode · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows

  • Roman Holiday(1953)

    Screenplay · Story

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • A Woman of Distinction (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Story

  • Your Witness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Screenplay

  • The Amazing Mr. X(1948)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Mr. District Attorney(1947)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Show Business(1944)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Young Ideas(1943)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Slightly Dangerous(1943)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Footlight Fever (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Screenplay

  • Arkansas Judge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    Adaptation

  • Second Chorus(1940)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • The Courageous Dr. Christian(1940)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Escape to Paradise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Story

  • Meet Dr. Christian(1939)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Fisherman's Wharf(1939)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

Career shape

A full career of 24 titles from 1939 to 1979.

Biggest box office

Roman Holiday (1953)

$239K worldwide

Highest rated

Roman Holiday (1953)

Midcredits 99th

By role

only this rolewith another role
Writing24 of 24: 24 only writing, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score48th

By decade

1930s3 · crew1940s8 · crew1950s4 · crew1960s5 · crew1970s4 · 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 Ian McLellan Hunter's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 43rd percentile, the median of all 16; across their 15 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 36th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

36thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Approval · how many liked their films

46thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Reach · how many have seen their films

31stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Midcredits score across 17 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up1
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th7
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

8 of their 17 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Crowd Pleaser8
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed5

Most divisive · writer

You Can't Go Home Again (1979)

69th percentile spread · 23% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · writer

Roman Holiday (1953)

Midcredits 99th · 90% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 49/100 and the plot and story 46/100 in their films, across 14 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a writer.

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 Ian McLellan Hunter work with?

People who share at least 2 of Ian McLellan Hunter's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Bernard Vorhaus shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers