Cary Grant was one of Hollywood’s most magnetic stars, bringing wit, elegance, and genuine charm to every role he played. From screwball comedies to Hitchcock thrillers, his films have a timeless quality that still holds up beautifully today.
Whether you are a longtime fan or just discovering his work, this list ranks 18 of his best movies by how fun and charming they are to watch. Get ready to add some classics to your must-see list.
1. North by Northwest (1959)
Roger Thornhill did not ask to be mistaken for a spy, but that mix-up sends him on one of the most thrilling rides in movie history. Cary Grant plays this role with cool confidence and just the right splash of humor.
The crop duster chase and the Mount Rushmore finale are unforgettable sequences.
Alfred Hitchcock directed this 1959 masterpiece, and it remains Grant’s most celebrated film. Suspense, romance, and wit blend perfectly throughout every scene.
2. Notorious (1946)
Few films in Hollywood history match the emotional pull of Notorious. Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman create a romance so charged and complicated that every scene feels electric.
Grant plays Devlin, a spy who sends the woman he loves into the arms of a dangerous enemy.
Hitchcock directed this 1946 spy thriller with masterful tension. Critics have called it simply “perfect,” and watching it today, it is very hard to disagree with that praise.
3. His Girl Friday (1940)
Nobody talked faster or funnier in classic Hollywood than Cary Grant in His Girl Friday. He plays Walter Burns, a newspaper editor who uses every trick in the book to keep his ex-wife and star reporter from leaving the job and him.
The dialogue flies so fast you almost need a second viewing to catch it all.
Paired with Rosalind Russell, Grant is absolutely electric. This 1940 screwball comedy is pure, joyful chaos from start to finish.
4. The Awful Truth (1937)
Married couples fighting and falling back in love has never been more entertaining than in The Awful Truth. Grant and Irene Dunne have chemistry so natural it feels like watching two people who genuinely enjoy driving each other crazy.
Their comedic timing is sharp enough to cut glass.
Released in 1937, this film helped launch Grant into true A-list stardom. Fans of romantic comedies owe it to themselves to seek this one out immediately.
5. Bringing Up Baby (1938)
A missing dinosaur bone, a runaway pet leopard, and Katharine Hepburn causing mayhem at every turn – that is the wild premise of Bringing Up Baby. Grant plays a mild-mannered paleontologist whose perfectly planned life unravels hilariously.
His physical comedy in this film is genuinely impressive and often underrated.
Hepburn and Grant together are a force of nature. This 1938 screwball comedy is chaotic, laugh-out-loud funny, and endlessly rewatchable for fans of classic cinema.
6. Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
Discovering that your charming little aunts are actually serial poisoners is, understandably, a lot to process. Grant plays Mortimer Brewster with such over-the-top panic and disbelief that every scene becomes a comedic goldmine.
His rubber-faced reactions are some of the funniest moments in any of his films.
Frank Capra directed this dark comedy in 1944, and it balances creepy subject matter with genuine laughs beautifully. Grant himself reportedly disliked his performance, but audiences have loved it for decades.
7. To Catch a Thief (1955)
Sun-drenched scenery, sparkling jewels, and two of the most glamorous people ever put on screen – To Catch a Thief is a stylish treat from beginning to end. Grant plays John Robie, a reformed jewel thief suspected of returning to old habits.
His sophisticated ease in the role feels completely effortless.
Grace Kelly matches him perfectly, and their chemistry crackles throughout. Hitchcock filmed this 1955 gem on the French Riviera, making it one of the most visually gorgeous films Grant ever made.
8. The Philadelphia Story (1940)
Competing for the affection of Katharine Hepburn while also being her ex-husband sounds complicated, and it absolutely is. Grant plays Dexter Haven with a quiet, knowing confidence that makes him the most magnetic person in every scene despite sharing the screen with huge talents.
He actually donated his entire salary from this film to British war relief.
Released in 1940, The Philadelphia Story is witty, warm, and wonderfully performed. It remains one of the finest romantic comedies ever made.
9. Holiday (1938)
Johnny Case wants to enjoy life before settling down to work, which sounds simple enough until he falls for a woman from one of New York’s wealthiest families. Grant brings a genuine warmth and physical playfulness to this role that is utterly magnetic.
He reportedly felt he overacted, but critics at the time strongly disagreed.
Reuniting with Katharine Hepburn after Bringing Up Baby, this 1938 film has a breezy, freewheeling spirit that makes it a pure pleasure to watch start to finish.
10. An Affair to Remember (1957)
Romance fans have been reaching for tissues over this film since 1957, and it has lost none of its emotional punch. Grant plays Nickie Ferrante, a charming playboy who falls genuinely in love aboard a transatlantic cruise.
The story of their planned reunion on top of the Empire State Building is heartbreakingly beautiful.
Deborah Kerr and Grant share a chemistry that feels warm and completely real. Fans of classic tearjerker romances will find this one deeply satisfying and worth every emotional moment.
11. Charade (1963)
Paris, a mysterious murder, stolen money, and Audrey Hepburn trusting a man who keeps changing his name – Charade has no business being this much fun, and yet it absolutely is. Grant and Hepburn spark off each other with a playful energy that lights up every scene.
The film cleverly blends suspense and comedy without ever losing its breezy charm.
Made in 1963, Charade is often called the best Hitchcock film Hitchcock never made. Stanley Donen directed this stylish, witty gem with real flair.
12. Only Angels Have Wings (1939)
Macho camaraderie, dangerous mail-run flights over the Andes, and Jean Arthur falling hard for the toughest guy in the room – Only Angels Have Wings is a genuinely gripping adventure. Grant plays Jeff Carter with a stoic toughness that was quite different from his usual comedic style, and he pulls it off convincingly.
Howard Hawks directed this 1939 film with tremendous energy. Fans who only know Grant from comedies will be pleasantly surprised by how commanding he is in a more dramatic action setting.
13. Suspicion (1941)
What if the most charming man you ever met was secretly planning to murder you? That unsettling question drives Suspicion, one of Alfred Hitchcock’s most psychologically tense films.
Grant plays Johnnie Aysgarth, a dashing rogue whose wife grows increasingly convinced she is in danger. Casting the beloved Grant as a possible villain was a genuinely bold creative choice.
Joan Fontaine won an Oscar for her performance opposite him. The famous glowing milk scene remains one of Hitchcock’s most iconic images.
14. Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948)
Anyone who has ever dealt with home renovations will find this film painfully, hilariously relatable. Grant plays Jim Blandings, a New York advertising man convinced he can build the perfect country home on a budget – a plan that goes wrong in every imaginable way.
His exasperated reactions as costs spiral are comedy gold.
Myrna Loy is a perfect partner in crime here, and the two share wonderful chemistry. This warm 1948 domestic comedy holds up surprisingly well for modern audiences.
15. My Favorite Wife (1940)
Imagine remarrying, only for your first wife – presumed dead after years lost at sea – to walk back through the door on your honeymoon day. That is the gloriously awkward premise of My Favorite Wife, and Grant plays the trapped-in-the-middle husband with perfect bewildered energy.
His scenes of trying to juggle two marriages are wonderfully squirm-worthy.
Irene Dunne returns as his long-lost wife, and she is sharp and funny throughout. This breezy 1940 marital comedy is lighthearted, endearing, and an easy watch for the whole family.
16. The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947)
Being court-ordered to date a teenage girl who has a crush on you so she gets over it faster is one of the stranger romantic comedy premises ever greenlit, and somehow it works beautifully. Grant plays the reluctant artist Richard Nugent with likable charm and plenty of comic patience.
His chemistry with Myrna Loy, who plays a judge, is quietly delightful.
Shirley Temple plays the starstruck teenager with appealing energy. This 1947 comedy won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay and remains a fun, frothy watch.
17. None But the Lonely Heart (1944)
Stripping away the polished suits and witty one-liners, None But the Lonely Heart reveals a genuinely moving dramatic actor underneath Grant’s glamorous surface. He plays Ernie Mott, a restless Cockney drifter reconnecting with his ailing mother in London’s East End.
The vulnerability he brings to this role surprised audiences who expected his usual breezy confidence.
Grant earned his first Academy Award nomination for this 1944 drama. It is a quieter, more introspective film that rewards patient viewers looking for something deeper from a beloved star.
18. She Done Him Wrong (1933)
Long before he became the definition of Hollywood cool, a young Cary Grant was trying to keep a straight face opposite the unstoppable Mae West. He plays Captain Cummings, an undercover agent posing as a prim Salvation Army officer, which makes him the perfect straight man to West’s gloriously outrageous flirting.
The comedic dynamic between them is genuinely entertaining.
Made in 1933, this pre-Code film is short, snappy, and surprisingly bold for its era. It is a fascinating early snapshot of a star still figuring out just how charming he could be.