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John Mills

John Mills

Actor, also director and producer · Died April 23, 2005, aged 97 · The Watts Naval Training College, North Elmham, Norfolk, England, UK

Sir John Mills, CBE (born Lewis Ernest Watts Mills; 22 February 1908 – 23 April 2005) was an English actor who appeared in more than 120 films in a career spanning seven decades. On screen, he often played people who are not at all exceptional, but become heroes because of their common sense, generosity and good judgement.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
February 22, 1908
Died
April 23, 2005 (aged 97)
From
The Watts Naval Training College, North Elmham, Norfolk, England, UK
Works as
Actor, also director and producer
Titles
70 on MovieCove · 135 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 14% in 30 days

What are John Mills' films like?

Across their 61 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama22 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 66th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy11 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 69th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Adventure7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 69th percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Action6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 68th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Crime5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 59th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 68th percentile
: browse their Biography movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 90th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary 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
29%
Bonds
20%
Self
17%
Survival
13%
Society
9%
Power
8%
Ideas
4%
Family bonds14 titles, browse their movies with this themeDuty10 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice11 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival9 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception9 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love8 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose7 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice8 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 59 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 23 · Serious 17 · Dark 19

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 32 · Stylized 21 · Heightened 6

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

Gentle 12 · Charged 33 · Intense 14

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

A split, not a type: Steady 29 · Shifting 25 · Whiplash 5

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 37 · Some laughs 16 · Funny 6

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

Slow burn 26 · Even-paced 31 · Relentless 2

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

Casual 23 · Engaged 33 · Full focus 3

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 22 · Affecting 18 · Heavy 19

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

Resolved 43 · Open-ended 14 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

42 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 12 of 42 analyzed roles.

Hero
12 of 42
Mentor
9 of 42
Ally
8 of 42
Shadow
4 of 42
Trickster
3 of 42
Threshold guardian
3 of 42
Herald
2 of 42
Shapeshifter
1 of 42
Show the 42 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
35
Melancholic
31
Warm
16
Contemplative
12
Bittersweet
13
Other
59

How their films linger

Bittersweet28 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful19 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good15 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking12 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 7 with a twist

  • Happy18
  • Bittersweet32
  • Tragic7
  • Ambiguous3

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 Mills' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 38 of their 70 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (24).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for John Mills' 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

135 credits, 70 with a MovieCove page; 20 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Bright Young Things(2003)

    as Gentleman

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • The Many Lives of Richard Attenborough (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Actor

  • The Gentleman Thief(2001)

    as Arthur Rosehip

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • A Profile of In Which We Serve (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Interviewee

  • Cats(1998)

    as Gus the Theatre Cat

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Bean(1997)

    as Chairman

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • The Story of Bean(1997)

    as Chairman

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Hamlet(1996)

    as Old King Norway

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • The Grotesque (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Sir Edward Cleghorn

  • Martin Chuzzlewit(1994)

    Show 3 episodes · as Mr Chuffey

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Deadly Advice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Jack the Ripper

  • Frankenstein(1992)

    as De Lacey

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Harnessing Peacocks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Bernard Quigley

  • The Big Freeze (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Dapper man

  • Night of the Fox(1990)

    as Brig. Dougal Munro

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • Perfect Scoundrels (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Praeger

  • A Tale of Two Cities (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Show 2 episodes · as Jarvis Lorry

  • Around the World in 80 Days(1989)

    Show 3 episodes · as Faversham

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all shows

  • Ending Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Bernard

  • The Lady and the Highwayman(1988)

    as Sir Lawrence Dobson

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Who's That Girl(1987)

    as Montgomery Bell

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Hold the Dream(1986)

    Show 4 episodes · as Henry Rossiter

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all shows

  • When the Wind Blows(1986)

    as Jim Bloggs (voice)

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • The Wind and the Bomb (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Actor

  • Murder with Mirrors(1985)

    as Lewis Serrocold

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • A Woman of Substance(1984)

    Show 3 episodes · as Henry Rossiter

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • Sherlock Holmes and the Masks of Death(1984)

    as Dr. John H. Watson / Narrator

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Sahara(1983)

    as Cambridge

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Gandhi(1982)

    as Lord Chelmsford

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Hotel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Young at Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Show 19 episodes · as Albert Collyer

  • Quatermass (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Show 4 episodes · as Bernard Quatermass

  • The Quatermass Conclusion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as Prof. Bernard Quatermass

  • Zulu Dawn(1979)

    as Sir Henry Bartle Frere

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Tales of the Unexpected(1979)

    Show 1 episode · as Sam Morrissey · as The Man · as William Perkins

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • The Thirty Nine Steps(1978)

    as Scudder

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Dr. Strange(1978)

    as Thomas Lindmer

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • The Big Sleep(1978)

    as Inspector Carson

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • The Devil's Advocate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    as Monsignor Blaise Meredith

  • The Love Boat(1977)

    Show 1 episode · as Bertram MacDonald

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all shows

  • A Dirty Knight's Work(1976)

    as Colonel Bertie Cook

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • The 'Human' Factor(1975)

    as Mike McAllister

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • The Zoo Gang (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Show 6 episodes · as Thomas "The Elephant" Devon

  • Oklahoma Crude(1973)

    as Cleon Doyle

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Lady Caroline Lamb (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as Canning

  • Young Winston(1972)

    as General Kitchner

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Dulcima (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    as Mr. Parker

  • Ryan's Daughter(1970)

    as Michael

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Adam's Woman(1970)

    as Sir Philip MacDonald

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Nanny and the Professor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Show 1 episode · as Uncle Alfred

  • Run Wild, Run Free(1969)

    as The Moorman (Colonel)

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Oh! What a Lovely War(1969)

    as Field Marshall Sir Douglas Haig

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Making of a Lady(1968)

    as Lord William Hamilton

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • A Black Veil for Lisa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    as Inspector Franz Bulon

  • Dundee and the Culhane (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 13 episodes · as Dundee

  • Chuka(1967)

    as Colonel Stuart Valois

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Africa: Texas Style! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    as Wing Commander Hayes

  • The Family Way(1966)

    as Ezra Fitton

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • The Wrong Box(1966)

    as Masterman Finsbury

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Gypsy Girl(1966)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • King Rat(1965)

    as Smedley-Taylor

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Operation Crossbow(1965)

    as General Boyd

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • The Truth About Spring(1965)

    as Tommy Tyler

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The Chalk Garden(1964)

    as Maitland

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • Tiara Tahiti(1962)

    as Lt. Col. Clifford Southey

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • The Valiant (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1962)

    as Captain Morgan

  • Flame in the Streets(1961)

    as Jacko Palmer

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • The Parent Trap(1961)

    as Mitch Evers' Golf Caddy (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • The Singer Not the Song(1961)

    as Father Michael Keogh

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Swiss Family Robinson(1960)

    as Father

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Escape to Paradise/Water Birds (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1960)

    Actor

  • Tunes of Glory(1960)

    as Lt. Col. Basil Barrow (Battalion Commander)

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Season of Passion(1959)

    as Barney

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Tiger Bay(1959)

    as Superintendent Graham

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Hell, Heaven or Hoboken(1958)

    as Major Harvey

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Ice Cold in Alex(1958)

    as Captain Anson

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Dunkirk(1958)

    as Cpl Tubby Binns

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • The Vicious Circle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Dr. Howard Latimer

  • Town on Trial (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    as Supt. Mike Halloran

  • It's Great to be Young! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Dingle

  • Around the World in 80 Days(1956)

    as London Carriage Driver

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • The Letter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1956)

    as Robert Crosbie

  • War and Peace(1956)

    as Platon Karataev

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • The Baby and the Battleship(1956)

    as Puncher Roberts

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Escapade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1955)

    as John Hampden

  • Above Us the Waves(1955)

    as Commandant Fraser

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The End of the Affair(1955)

    as Albert Parkis

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • The Colditz Story(1955)

    as Pat Reid

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Producers' Showcase (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1954)

    Show 1 episode · as Robert Crosbie

  • Hobson's Choice(1954)

    as William Mossop

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • The Long Memory (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1953)

    as Phillip Davidson

  • The Gentle Gunman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1952)

    as Terence Sullivan

  • Mr. Denning Drives North (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1951)

    as Tom Denning

  • Morning Departure (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1950)

    as Lt. Cmdr. Armstrong

  • The Rocking Horse Winner(1949)

    Producer · as Bassett

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • The History of Mr. Polly (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1949)

    as Alfred Polly

  • Scott of the Antarctic(1948)

    as Captain R.F. Scott R.N.

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • The October Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as Jim Ackland

  • So Well Remembered (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1947)

    as George Boswell

  • Great Expectations(1946)

    as Pip

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Land of Promise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as The Voice

  • Johnny in the Clouds(1945)

    as Pilot Officer Peter Penrose

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • Waterloo Road (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Jim Colter

  • Total War in Britain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • This Happy Breed(1944)

    as Billy Mitchell

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Information Please (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as British Flyer

  • Victory Wedding (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Bill Clark

  • We Dive at Dawn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Lt. Taylor RN

  • The Sky’s the Limit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Tom

  • The Young Mr. Pitt(1942)

    as William Wilberforce

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • In Which We Serve(1942)

    as Ordinary Seaman Blake / Shorty Blake

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • The Black Sheep of Whitehall (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Bobby Jessop

  • The Big Blockade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Tom

  • Bombsight Stolen(1941)

    as Flt·Lieut. Perry

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Old Bill and Son (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Young Bill

  • All Hands (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1940)

    as Jack

  • Goodbye, Mr. Chips(1939)

    as Peter Colley as a Young Man

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Happy Family (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1939)

    as Fred

  • The Green Cockatoo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Jim Connor

  • O.H.M.S. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1937)

    as Cpl. Bert Dawson

  • Tudor Rose (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Lord Guilford Dudley

  • First Offence (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1936)

    as Johnnie Penrose

  • Broadway Gondolier (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    Actor

  • Brown on Resolution (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Albert Brown

  • Royal Cavalcade (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Young Enlistee

  • Blind Justice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Ralph Summers

  • Car of Dreams (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Robert Miller

  • Charing Cross Road (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1935)

    as Tony

  • Doctor's Orders (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Ronnie Blake

  • The Lash (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Arthur Haughton

  • A Political Party (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Tony Smithers

  • Those Were the Days (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1934)

    as Bobby Poskett

  • The Ghost Camera(1933)

    as Ernest Elton

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Britannia of Billingsgate (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1933)

    as Fred Bolton

  • The Midshipmaid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1932)

    as Golightly

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 134 titles from 1932 to 2003; peak year 1965.

Biggest box office

Gandhi (1982)

$53M worldwide

Highest rated

Gandhi (1982)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

Tales of the Unexpected (1979)

Film career

19322003

Peak 1965 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 24 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting133 of 134: 132 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score68thDirecting1 of 134: 1 only directing, 0 with another roleProducing1 of 134: 0 only producing, 1 with another role

By decade

1930s19 · acting1940s22 · 22 acting · 1 crew1950s22 · acting1960s22 · 21 acting · 1 crew1970s19 · acting1980s15 · acting1990s11 · acting2000s4 · acting

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 33% of 45 roles
3949596979

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. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do John Mills' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 68th percentile, the median of all 64; across their 59 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 59

Approval · how many liked their films

68thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 59

Reach · how many have seen their films

61stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 59

Midcredits score across 70 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up27
  • 50th to 74th25
  • 25th to 49th10
  • Below 25th8

Shape of the crowd

42 of their 70 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved11
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser42
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed13

Most divisive · actor

The Gentleman Thief (2001)

75th percentile spread · 29% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Gandhi (1982)

Midcredits 97th · 88% liked

Reviewers score the acting 73/100 in their films, across 58 reviewed titles; fans 80, detractors 48. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

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 John Mills' work okay for kids?

Across up to 13 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore7 titles18–65 · median 38 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity13 titles5–48 · median 20 · mildlighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 23 · mildMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs6 titles16–42 · median 24 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense6 titles21–74 · median 47 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian 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 John Mills work with?

People who share at least 2 of John Mills' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; David Lean shares the most, 6.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers

Mixed roles