Skip to content
MovieCove
Nunnally Johnson

Nunnally Johnson

Writer, producer and director · Died March 27, 1977, aged 79 · Columbus, Georgia, USA

Nunnally Hunter Johnson (December 5, 1897 – March 25, 1977) was an American filmmaker who wrote, produced, and directed motion pictures. Johnson was born in Columbus, Georgia. He began his career as a journalist, writing for the Columbus Enquirer Sun, the Savannah Press, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, and the New York Herald Tribune. He also wrote short stories and a collection of these, There Ought To Be a Law, was published in 1930. Johnson's first connection with film work was the sale of screen rights to one of his stories in 1927. Johnson asked his editor if he could write film criticism articles in 1932. When this request was denied, he decided to relocate to Hollywood and work directly in the film industry. Quickly finding work as a scriptwriter, Johnson was hired fulltime as a writer by 20th Century-Fox in 1935. He soon began producing films as well and co-founded International Pictures in 1943 with William Goetz. Johnson also directed several films in the 1950s, including two starring Gregory Peck. Johnson was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Screenplay in 1940 for The Grapes of Wrath and the Directors Guild of America Best Directors Award in 1956 for The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit. Johnson died of pneumonia in Hollywood in 1977 and was interred in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 5, 1897
Died
March 27, 1977 (aged 79)
From
Columbus, Georgia, USA
Works as
Writer, producer and director
Titles
54 on MovieCove · 70 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 29% in 30 days

What are Nunnally Johnson's films like?

Across their 54 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Comedy22 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 60th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama14 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 81st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 21st percentile
: browse their Action movies
Crime5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 73rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies
Biography4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 66th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Western2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 81st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Western 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
29%
Self
16%
Survival
9%
Society
8%
Power
6%
Ideas
1%
Family bonds15 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love12 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception11 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity9 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice8 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage5 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption6 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival5 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 54 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 24 · Serious 10 · Dark 20

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 31 · Stylized 21 · Heightened 2

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

Gentle 16 · Charged 23 · Intense 15

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

A split, not a type: Steady 26 · Shifting 28 · 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 25 · Some laughs 17 · Funny 12

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

Slow burn 22 · Even-paced 30 · 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 28 · Engaged 26 · Full focus 0

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 26 · Affecting 17 · Heavy 11

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

Resolved 47 · Open-ended 6 · Ambiguous 1

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
29
Joyful
18
Melancholic
19
Warm
14
Absurd
11
Other
49

How their films linger

Feel-good21 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun20 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking13 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 9 with a twist

  • Happy25
  • Bittersweet20
  • Tragic5
  • Ambiguous4

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 Nunnally Johnson's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 14 of their 54 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (11).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Nunnally Johnson'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

70 credits, 54 with a MovieCove page.

  • The Dirty Dozen: The Fatal Mission(1988)

    Characters

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • The Dirty Dozen: The Deadly Mission(1987)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • The Dirty Dozen: Next Mission(1985)

    Characters

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Dark Mirror(1984)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • The Dirty Dozen(1967)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Dear Brigitte(1965)

    Writers' Assistant

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • The World of Henry Orient(1964)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Take Her, She's Mine(1963)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation(1962)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Flaming Star(1960)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Angel Wore Red(1960)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • The Man Who Understood Women(1959)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • The Three Faces of Eve(1957)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • The True Story of Jesse James(1957)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Oh, Men! Oh, Women!(1957)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit(1956)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • How to Be Very, Very Popular(1955)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Black Widow(1954)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Night People(1954)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Witness to Murder(1954)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • How to Marry a Millionaire(1953)

    Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • My Cousin Rachel(1952)

    Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all films

  • We're Not Married!(1952)

    Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Phone Call from a Stranger(1952)

    Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • O. Henry's Full House(1952)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel(1951)

    Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • The Long Dark Hall(1951)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • The Mudlark (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    Producer · Screenplay

  • The Gunfighter(1950)

    Producer · Script Consultant

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Three Came Home(1950)

    Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Everybody Does It (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    Producer · Writer

  • Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid(1948)

    Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • The Senator Was Indiscreet(1947)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • The Dark Mirror(1946)

    Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Along Came Jones(1945)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • The Southerner(1945)

    Writer

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • The Keys of the Kingdom(1944)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Woman in the Window(1944)

    Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Casanova Brown(1944)

    Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Holy Matrimony (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    Screenplay

  • The Moon Is Down(1943)

    Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Life Begins at Eight-Thirty (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Producer · Writer

  • The Pied Piper (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    Producer · Screenplay

  • Moontide(1942)

    Additional Writing · Writer

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Roxie Hart(1942)

    Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • Tobacco Road(1941)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Chad Hanna (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    Associate Producer · Screenplay

  • I Was an Adventuress(1940)

    Associate Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • The Grapes of Wrath(1940)

    Associate Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Rose of Washington Square(1939)

    Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Wife, Husband and Friend(1939)

    Associate Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Jesse James(1939)

    Associate Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Slave Ship (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Associate Producer

  • Café Metropole (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Associate Producer

  • Nancy Steele Is Missing! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    Associate Producer

  • Banjo on My Knee(1936)

    Associate Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • The Road to Glory(1936)

    Associate Producer

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • The Prisoner of Shark Island(1936)

    Associate Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Dimples(1936)

    Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo(1935)

    Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • Thanks a Million (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Screenplay

  • Cardinal Richelieu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Writer

  • Baby Face Harrington (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Screenplay

  • Kid Millions(1934)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back(1934)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The House of Rothschild(1934)

    Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Moulin Rouge (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    Writer

  • Mama Loves Papa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    Story

  • A Bedtime Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    Writer

  • Rough House Rosie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1927)

    Story

Career shape

A full career of 64 titles from 1927 to 1988.

Biggest box office

Flaming Star (1960)

$4.4M worldwide

Highest rated

The Grapes of Wrath (1940)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

The Dirty Dozen (1967)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Directing8 of 64: 0 only directing, 8 with another role · typical Midcredits score48thWriting57 of 64: 25 only writing, 32 with another role · typical Midcredits score68thProducing36 of 64: 5 only producing, 31 with another role · typical Midcredits score76thOther crew1 of 64: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

64 titles, 33 with more than one role — writing and producing overlap on 30 of them.

By decade

1920s1 · crew1930s19 · crew1940s18 · crew1950s17 · crew1960s7 · crew1980s2 · 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 Nunnally Johnson's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 67th percentile, the median of all 54; across their 54 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 66th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

66thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 54

Approval · how many liked their films

67thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 54

Reach · how many have seen their films

63rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 54

Midcredits score across 54 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up20
  • 50th to 74th20
  • 25th to 49th7
  • Below 25th7

Shape of the crowd

37 of their 54 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Crowd Pleaser37
  • Broadly Agreed5
  • Mixed8

Most divisive · writer

Dark Mirror (1984)

58th percentile spread · 28% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · writer, producer

The Grapes of Wrath (1940)

Midcredits 98th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the dialogue 58/100 and the plot and story 48/100 in their films, across 54 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.

Is Nunnally Johnson's work okay for kids?

Across up to 7 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 40 · moderateMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity7 titles11–24 · median 15 · minimallighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 26 · mildMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 41 · moderateMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 41 · moderateMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Nunnally Johnson work with?

People who share at least 2 of Nunnally Johnson's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Darryl F. Zanuck shares the most, 13.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles