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Harry J. May

Cinematographer · Died September 16, 1985, aged 60 · Sherman Oaks, California, USA

Born
November 11, 1924
Died
September 16, 1985 (aged 60)
From
Sherman Oaks, California, USA
Works as
Cinematographer
Titles
15 on MovieCove · 20 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 39 days to Oct 28Down 10% in 30 days

What are Harry J. May's films like?

Across their 14 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 54th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 45th percentile
: 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
37%
Bonds
20%
Power
13%
Self
11%
Society
9%
Survival
8%
Ideas
3%
Justice8 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom2 titles, browse their movies with this themeOppression2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeGrief2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 14 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 11 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 3 · Charged 7 · Intense 4

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

Steady 6 · Shifting 7 · Whiplash 1

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 9 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 0

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

A split, not a type: Slow burn 7 · Even-paced 6 · Relentless 1

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

A split, not a type: Casual 6 · Engaged 8 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 12 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Melancholic
9
Tense
8
Warm
4
Thrilling
3
Contemplative
2
Other
7

How their films linger

Thought-provoking6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet9
  • Tragic1

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 Harry J. May's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 6 of their 15 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (5).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Harry J. May'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

20 credits, 15 with a MovieCove page.

  • This Child Is Mine(1985)

    Cinematographer · In Memory Of

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Beverly Hills Cowgirl Blues(1985)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • For Love or Money(1984)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Sweet Revenge(1984)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Prototype(1983)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Johnny Belinda(1982)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Children of Divorce (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Cinematographer

  • High Noon, Part II: The Return of Will Kane(1980)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Friendly Fire(1979)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • The Plutonium Incident (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Cinematographer

  • Bogie(1980)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • A Vacation in Hell (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Cinematographer

  • Tales of the Unexpected(1979)

    Show 4 episodes · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • Lucan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Cinematographer

  • Stalk the Wild Child(1976)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • J.D.'s Revenge(1976)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Friday Foster(1975)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Detroit 9000(1973)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • The Roommates (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Cinematographer

  • Lock, Stock and Barrel(1971)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

Career shape

A full career of 20 titles from 1971 to 1985.

Biggest box office

Detroit 9000 (1973)

$3.2K worldwide

Highest rated

Detroit 9000 (1973)

Midcredits 51st

Most popular right now

Beverly Hills Cowgirl Blues (1985)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Cinematography20 of 20: 19 only cinematography, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score45thOther crew1 of 20: 0 only other crew, 1 with another role

By decade

1970s9 · crew1980s11 · 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 Harry J. May's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 45th percentile, the median of all 14; across their 14 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 46th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

46thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Approval · how many liked their films

39thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Reach · how many have seen their films

36thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Midcredits score across 15 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up1
  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

11 of their 15 titles are Mixed.

  • Crowd Pleaser3
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed11

Most divisive · cinematographer

This Child Is Mine (1985)

64th percentile spread · 15% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · cinematographer

Friendly Fire (1979)

Midcredits 87th · 76% liked

Reviewers score the cinematography 44/100 in their films, across 8 reviewed titles; fans 57, detractors 27. 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 Harry J. May work with?

People who share at least 2 of Harry J. May's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; David Greene shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers