Johnny Come Lately

Johnny Come Lately

A Story of a Wanderer Who Stops His Travels Long Enough to Help A Kindly Old Woman in Distress

Directed by William K. Howard

Produced by William Cagney Productions

194397 min7.0 / 10

A brisk, warmhearted small-town drama about a drifter who finds purpose helping a woman in need, driven by charm and good humor rather than conflict.

Cagney is a human dynamo as a drifter who helps save ailing Grace George from losing her newspaper. The pace is fast, and audiences of all ages will be pleased. The supporting cast, have all the small-town characterizations down pat -- with Margaret Hamilton a standout. Cagney himself, had genuine affection for this film, and listed it among his top five movie-making experiences at a retrospective the year before he died. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive, in partnership with the UCLA Film & Television Archive, in 2013.

Questions people ask

  • Does Johnny Come Lately end with hope? Yes, very. More hopeful than 90% of films.

  • Is Johnny Come Lately easy watching? Yes. More comforting than 88% of films.

  • Is Johnny Come Lately scary? Barely. Less frightening than 84% of films.

  • Is Johnny Come Lately sad? Barely. Less sad than 80% of films.

  • Is Johnny Come Lately violent? Not especially. Less violent than 73% of films.

These describe how the film comes across, measured across the whole film and compared with other well-known films. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked scene by scene, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.

51/ 100

Cinnamon Score

How much this film gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.

Familiar shape, done well.

Rarity16

How unlike any other film this one feels

Surprise82

How much more it delivers than it promises

Love70

How much audiences actually like it

The highest scores in the catalogue →

Ensemble

Like Johnny Come Lately

Nearest across the full emotional profile.

Same Mood as Johnny Come Lately

Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.

Like Johnny Come Lately, But Darker

Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.

Like Johnny Come Lately, But Lighter

Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.

Like Johnny Come Lately, But Less Popular

Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.

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