The best Lana Turner movies somehow manage to combine Old Hollywood glamour, fantastic storytelling, and unmistakable screen presence in what appears to be a natural way. It shouldn’t be a surprise for anyone who has seen just one Turner movie to know that she was one of classic Hollywood’s most enduring stars.
Though perhaps best remembered today for her beauty and her rather scandalous personal life, Turner was an MGM glamour icon and one of the best actresses during her time. Even today, she remains incredibly underappreciated when it comes to her acting skill.
Below, we’ve ranked the top 10 best Lana Turner movies of all time. We’ve taken into consideration the quality of each film, the strength of Turner’s performance within it, its historical importance, as well as its lasting appeal to classic film lovers today.
In this short list, you’ll find films of just about every genre. From film noirs to women’s pictures, from soapy stories to lavish MGM productions, this list has just about everything a classic movie lover is looking for.
10. Green Dolphin Street (1947)
Genre: Romantic Drama
Starring: Van Heflin, Lana Turner, Donna Reed
Directed by: Victor Saville
Green Dolphin Street follows two sisters, Marianne (Turner) and Marguerite (Reed), who find their lives forever altered when they both fall in love with William Ozanne (Richard Hart). After William leaves, his departure changes their lives… especially after he makes one huge mistake.
This sweeping family saga remains a fan favorite for those of Turner — and for good reason. Set in the 19th century in New Zealand, the sweeping romantic drama provides everything one could want from a 1940s MGM epic. The movie also has a very famous earthquake sequence that you won’t want to miss.
Best for those who love romantic suffering and prime MGM spectacle.
9. Ziegfeld Girl (1941)
Genre: Musical
Starring: James Stewart, Judy Garland, Hedy Lamarr, Lana Turner
Directed by: Busby Berkeley
Ziegfeld Girl is an early Turner film that pairs her with fellow MGM greats, such as Judy Garland and Hedy Lamarr. For that alone, it’s worth a watch. In this 1941 musical, Sheila (Turner), Susan (Judy), and Sandra (Hedy) join the Ziegfeld Follies. Relatively quickly, they learn that the glamour of being a Follies girl brings about both professional and personal costs. Will it all be worth it in the end?
The three girls have different stories and different backgrounds, and the film showcases each of their stories rather gloriously. Plus, the musical numbers are lavish. What else would you expect from an MGM spectacle?
Best for those who love Golden Age musicals and ensemble show business dramas.
8. Madame X (1966)
Genre: Drama
Starring: Lana Turner, John Forsythe, Ricardo Montalban
Directed by: David Lowell Rich
By the time the 1960s hit, Turner was no longer the box office smash that she once was. Like so many of her contemporaries of the time, Hollywood was looking for younger actresses. However, she did star in one incredibly memorable drama — and it also happens to be one of the best Lana Turner movies of all time.
Turner plays Holly Parker Anderson in Madame X, the lonely wife of a diplomat. After one decision leaves her a prime target for scandal and public outrage, Holly chooses to leave her family behind — and this costs her dearly over the many years of their separation.
However, she’s brought back into her family’s orbit years later when she’s living under a different identity. Now, she’s in a crisis that could expose her past — and what she has fought to conceal for so long.
Best for those who love tragic heroines and emotional courtroom dramas.
7. Johnny Eager (1941)
Genre: Film Noir
Starring: Robert Taylor, Lana Turner, Edward Arnold, Van Heflin
Directed by: Mervyn LeRoy
In Johnny Eager, Taylor plays a polished gangster who’s pretending that he has reformed his ways. Turner, meanwhile, plays a sheltered young woman who — I’m sure you saw this coming — falls hopelessly under his spell.
A great movie for those who love film noirs, Johnny Eager remains one of the best Lana Turner movies of all time. Turner’s Lisbeth Bard may start as a conventional, sheltered young society girl, but as the film continues, her role darkens as her vulnerability is exploited. Turner is marvelous here.
Best for those looking for a tough MGM crime drama with electric romantic chemistry between the leads.
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6. The Three Musketeers (1948)
Genre: Adventure
Starring: Lana Turner, Gene Kelly, June Allyson, Van Heflin, Gig Young, Robert Coote, Vincent Price
Directed by: George Sidney
Who doesn’t love a Three Musketeers movie? In this 1948 version, young D’Artagnan (Kelly) travels to Paris to join Athos (Heflin), Porthos (Young), and Aramis (Coote) as they seek to defend the French crown.
However, their sword-fighting adventures soon draw them into a vast conspiracy involving none other than Cardinal Richelieu (Price) — and his dangerous agent, Lady de Winter (Turner).
Turner may not play the heroine that the hero fights to save in The Three Musketeers — but that’s not a loss for us at all, for her Lady de Winter is memorable and riveting to watch!
Best for fans of colorful swashbucklers and playful historical adventures.
5. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941)
Genre: Horror
Starring: Spencer Tracy, Ingrid Bergman, Lana Turner
Directed by: Victor Fleming
Early on in Turner’s career, she starred as Beatrix Emery, the fiancée of Dr. Henry Jekyll (Tracy) in this 1941 adaptation of the literary classic. Dr. Jekyll believes that he can separate the good and the evil within a single person. However, his experiment soon unleashes a brutal, evil counterpart — Mr. Hyde.
Mr. Hyde becomes powerful, which puts both Beatrix and barmaid Ivy Peterson (Bergman) into incredible danger. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is definitely one of the very best Lana Turner movies of all time.
Best for those who love Gothic horror and classic literary adaptations.
4. Peyton Place (1957)
Genre: Drama
Starring: Lana Turner, Lee Philips, Lloyd Nolan
Directed by: Mark Robson
Peyton Place is also one of the very best Lana Turner movies of all time — and the only film that earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.
Set in a seemingly respectable New England town, this 1957 drama follows Constance MacKenzie (Turner) as she struggles to protect her daughter. Meanwhile, the new principal (Philips) challenges the small community’s rigid, conservative values.
Viewers quickly learn that beneath the town’s peaceful surface, the townspeople are divided by just about everything — including long-concealed secrets they’re desperate to keep from coming out.
Best for viewers who love sprawling small town dramas and emotionally charged ensemble stories.
3. The Bad and the Beautiful (1952)
Genre: Romantic Drama
Starring: Lana Turner, Kirk Douglas, Walter Pidgeon
Directed by: Vincente Minnelli
In The Bad and the Beautiful, three Hollywood professionals are asked to reunite with producer Jonathan Shields (Douglas) — a charismatic man who managed to both advance their careers while also damaging their entire lives. Among these three is actress Georgia Lorrison (Turner), a woman whom Jonathan Shields helped transform into a star.
This 1952 romantic drama remains one of the very best Lana Turner movies, and seeing her opposite a well-stacked cast is such a treat.
Best for those who enjoy backstage politics and Hollywood dramas.
2. The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)
Genre: Film Noir
Starring: Lana Turner, John Garfield, Cecil Kellaway
Directed by: Tay Garnett
No list of the best Lana Turner movies would be complete without The Postman Always Rings Twice. Some may feel that this is the best Turner movie. Honestly, we had a hard time deciding which film should land at the final spot!
In this 1946 film noir, Garfield plays Frank Chambers, a drifter who takes a job at a roadside diner. Almost immediately, he’s drawn to the owner’s restless wife, Cora Smith (Turner). Their mutual attraction eventually turns into a plan for Cora to escape her marriage — no matter what.
Best for film noir fans who enjoy steamy chemistry and memorable femme fatales in their crime dramas.
1. Imitation of Life (1959)
Genre: Drama
Starring: Lana Turner, John Gavin, Sandra Dee, Juanita Moore, Susan Kohner
Directed by: Douglas Sirk
Imitation of Life is the best Turner movie of all time — though some may disagree and may believe that The Postman Always Rings Twice belongs in this #1 spot. However, we can’t help but feel that this 1959 melodrama is the best all-around film featuring Turner.
Imitation of Life follows aspiring actress Lora Meredith (Turner) as she forms a household with Annie Johnson (Moore), another single mother. As Lora pursues Broadway success, their daughters grow up. Lora’s daughter Susie (Dee) begins to feel neglected, while Sarah Jane (Kohner) struggles with racial identity and tries to pass as white.
Even decades after it was made, this drama remains very watchable — and much of that is because of the phenomenal performances of Turner and the rest of the cast.
Best for viewers who enjoy family melodramas, socially conscious storytelling, and complex mother-daughter relationships.
Watch the Best Lana Turner Movies Today
While we’ve listed the top 10 best Lana Turner movies above, it should go without saying that her career cannot be reduced to one legendary film or one role — or even ten films. Her entire filmography is worth exploring, even the films that weren’t popular back when they were made or today.
Whether Turner was playing a movie star, a tormented mother, or a murderess, one thing remained true: she was riveting to watch. Even today, decades after her career was in full flight, she remains one of the best Old Hollywood actresses to watch on the silver screen.
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