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Alan James

Director and writer · Died December 30, 1952, aged 62 · Port Townsend, Washington, USA

Born
March 23, 1890
Died
December 30, 1952 (aged 62)
From
Port Townsend, Washington, USA
Works as
Director and writer
Titles
12 on MovieCove · 84 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 18% in 30 days

What are Alan James' films like?

Across their 12 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 37th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 62nd 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
Morality
58%
Bonds
16%
Power
7%
Society
7%
Self
5%
Survival
5%
Ideas
2%
Justice11 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception4 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRevenge2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 12 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 10 · Serious 2 · Dark 0

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

Grounded 8 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 5 · Charged 5 · Intense 2

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

Steady 6 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 0

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

Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 8 · Relentless 2

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

Casual 8 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 10 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Thrilling
10
Tense
8
Hopeful
3
Joyful
3
Warm
2
Other
2

How their films linger

Fun11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy12

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 Alan James' films?

As of October 24, 2026, all 12 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (10).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Alan James' 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

84 credits, 12 with a MovieCove page.

  • Silver Canyon(1951)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Mule Train(1950)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Detour to Danger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    Writer

  • Manhunt of Mystery Island(1945)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Outlaw Trail(1944)

    Story

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Law Rides Again(1943)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Wild Horse Stampede(1943)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Trigger Smith (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Director

  • Scouts to the Rescue (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    Director

  • Land of Fighting Men (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Director

  • Red Barry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Director

  • Flaming Frontiers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Director

  • Two Gun Justice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Director

  • Call of the Rockies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Director

  • West of Rainbow's End (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1938)

    Director

  • SOS Coast Guard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Director

  • The Painted Stallion(1937)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Dick Tracy(1937)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Wild Horse Round-Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    Director

  • Lucky Terror(1936)

    Director · Screenplay

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

  • Swifty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Director

  • Valley of Wanted Men (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Director

  • Men of Action (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Director

  • When a Man Sees Red (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Smoking Guns (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    Director

  • Honor of the Range (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    Director

  • Wheels of Destiny (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    Director

  • Gun Justice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    Director

  • Fargo Express (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    Director

  • Strawberry Roan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    Director

  • The Trail Drive (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    Director · Screenplay

  • King of the Arena (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    Director · Adaptation

  • The Lone Avenger(1933)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Phantom Thunderbolt (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    Director

  • Drum Taps (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    Story

  • Tombstone Canyon(1932)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Tex Takes a Holiday (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    Director · Scenario Writer

  • Come on, Tarzan(1932)

    Director · Writer

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Phantom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Director · Dialogue · Story

  • Flying Lariats (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Director · Scenario Writer

  • Pueblo Terror (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Director

  • Hell's Valley (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Director · Adaptation · Story

  • Red Fork Range (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1931)

    Director · Dialogue · Scenario Writer · Writer

  • Breed of the West (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Director · Scenario Writer · Story

  • Fowler Studio Varieties (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Director

  • Trails of Danger (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Director · Screenplay · Story

  • Canyon Hawks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Director · Scenario Writer

  • Firebrand Jordan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1930)

    Director

  • The Sky Rider (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Director · Screenplay

  • The Cheer Leader (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1928)

    Director

  • Born to Battle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Director

  • Loco Luck (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Story

  • Bad Man's Bluff (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Director

  • Lure of the West (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Director · Writer

  • Lightnin' Wins (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Director

  • The Fighting Peacemaker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Writer

  • A Six Shootin' Romance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Director · Writer

  • Beyond All Odds (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Director · Writer

  • The Demon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Story

  • Vanishing Millions (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1926)

    Director

  • Cyclone Bob (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Director

  • The Mystery Box (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Director · Writer

  • The Reckless Sex (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Director

  • Warrior Gap (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1925)

    Director

  • The Cowboy and the Flapper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Director

  • The Virgin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Director

  • Her Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Director

  • Fighter's Paradise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Director

  • The White Panther (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1924)

    Director

  • Salty Saunders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    Writer

  • The Secret of the Pueblo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    Scenario Writer · Story

  • Dangerous Trails (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1923)

    Director

  • The Firebrand (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    Director

  • Back Fire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    Director

  • Gun-Shy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1922)

    Director

  • Crossing Trails (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1921)

    Adaptation

  • The Girl Who Dared (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    Writer

  • 3 Gold Coins (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1920)

    Writer

  • The Crow (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1919)

    Story

  • The Pretender (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1918)

    Screenplay

  • The Gun Woman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1918)

    Writer

  • The Law's Outlaw (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1918)

    Scenario Writer

  • The Medicine Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1917)

    Writer

  • The Boss of the Lazy Y (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1917)

    Writer

Career shape

A full career of 83 titles from 1917 to 1951.

Most popular right now

Dick Tracy (1937)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing64 of 83: 46 only directing, 18 with another role · typical Midcredits score46thWriting37 of 83: 19 only writing, 18 with another role · typical Midcredits score40th

83 titles, 18 with more than one role — directing and writing overlap on 18 of them.

By decade

1910s6 · crew1920s30 · crew1930s41 · crew1940s5 · crew1950s1 · 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 Alan James' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 40th percentile, the median of all 12; across their 12 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 43rd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

43rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Approval · how many liked their films

43rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Reach · how many have seen their films

8thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 12

Midcredits score across 12 titles, by percentile

  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th5
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

9 of their 12 titles are Mixed.

  • Crowd Pleaser2
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed9

Most divisive · writer

Outlaw Trail (1944)

67th percentile spread · 34% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · writer

Manhunt of Mystery Island (1945)

Midcredits 62nd · 61% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 59/100 and the pacing 53/100 in their films, across 10 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

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 Alan James work with?

People who share at least 2 of Alan James' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Hoot Gibson shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles