Movies Like Bullets or Ballots (1936)

Bullets or Ballots is a 1936 crime, drama film from William Keighley with a MovieMagicScore of 6.6/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Brooklyn's Finest and Street Kings.

Crime Drama

Brooklyn's Finest

2010

Enforcing the law within the notoriously rough Brownsville section of the city and especially within the Van Dyke housing projects is the NYPD's sixty-fifth precinct. Three police officers struggle with the sometimes fine line between right and wrong.

6.3

MagicScore

Street Kings

2008

Tom Ludlow is a disillusioned L.A. Police Officer, rarely playing by the rules and haunted by the death of his wife. When evidence implicates him in the execution of a fellow officer, he is forced to go up against the cop culture he's been a part of his entire career, ultimately leading him to question the loyalties of everyone around him.

6.6

MagicScore

Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)

2020

Harley Quinn joins forces with a singer, an assassin and a police detective to help a young girl who had a hit placed on her after she stole a rare diamond from a crime lord.

6.9

MagicScore

Where the Sidewalk Ends

1950

A police detective's violent nature keeps him from being a good cop.

7.2

MagicScore

Beverly Hills Cop II

1987

Axel Foley returns to the land of sunshine and palm trees to investigate the near-fatal shooting of police Captain Andrew Bogomil. With the help of Sgt. Taggart and Det. Rosewood, they soon uncover that the shooting is associated with a series of "alphabet" robberies masterminded by a heartless weapons kingpin—and the chase is on.

6.5

MagicScore

City Hall

1996

The accidental shooting of a boy in New York City leads to an investigation by the Deputy Mayor, and unexpectedly far-reaching consequences.

5.9

MagicScore

Cover Up

1983

A well-known business lawyer is shot dead in the courthouse. A commissioner of the Criminal Brigade is in charge of the investigation and is helped by a journalist.

5.5

MagicScore

29 Palms

2002

When a bag filled with money goes missing from a casino, the Hitman (Chris O'Donnell) must retrieve it. While he tracks the stash down, the bag changes hands numerous times, finding its way to the Drifter (Jeremy Davies) and the Waitress (Rachael Leigh Cook), among others. As the bag's journey continues, more characters, including the Cop (Michael Rapaport) and the Sheriff (Keith David), get drawn into the winding crime tale, and the search becomes increasingly desperate.

4.6

MagicScore

The Veteran

2011

Soldier Robert Miller returns home from Afghanistan unable to fit back into society. Living on a violent council estate and finding work in undercover surveillance, he becomes obsessed with taking down a group of local gangsters who are intrinsically tied to a suspected terrorist cell. Taking the situation into his own hands, Robert embarks on a brutal quest for justice, with devastating consequences.

5.8

MagicScore

#10

Ransom for a Dead Man

1972

A brilliant attorney gets rid of her boring husband by faking his kidnapping and keeping the ransom. The FBI may be fooled, but not Columbo.

7.2

MagicScore

#11

Best Seller

1987

Hit man Cleve approaches writer/cop Dennis about a story for his next book: How Cleve made a living, working for one of the most powerful politicians in the country. To get the story right, they travel around the country to gather statements and evidence, while strong forces use any means they can to keep the story untold.

5.9

MagicScore

#12

Body Double

1984

After losing an acting role and his girlfriend, Jake Scully finally catches a break: he gets offered a gig house-sitting in the Hollywood Hills. While peering through the beautiful home's telescope one night, he spies a gorgeous woman dancing in her window. But when he witnesses the girl's murder, it leads Scully through the netherworld of the adult entertainment industry on a search for answers—with porn actress Holly Body as his guide.

6.8

MagicScore

#13

Dragged Across Concrete

2019

Two policemen, one an old-timer, the other his volatile younger partner, find themselves suspended when a video of their strong-arm tactics becomes the media's cause du jour. Low on cash and with no other options, these two embittered soldiers descend into the criminal underworld to gain their just due, but instead find far more than they wanted awaiting them in the shadows.

6.6

MagicScore

#14

The Salvation

2014

In 1870s America, a peaceful American settler kills his family's murderer which unleashes the fury of a notorious gang leader. His cowardly fellow townspeople then betray him, forcing him to hunt down the outlaws alone.

6.5

MagicScore

#15

The Yards

2000

In the rail yards of Queens, contractors repair and rebuild the city's subway cars. These contracts are lucrative, so graft and corruption are rife. When Leo Handler gets out of prison, he finds his aunt married to Frank Olchin, one of the big contractors; he's battling with a minority-owned firm for contracts.

6.2

MagicScore

#16

Infernal Affairs II

2003

In this prequel to the original, a bloody power struggle among the Triads coincides with the 1997 handover of Hong Kong, setting up the events of the first film.

7.3

MagicScore

#17

Deep Cover

1992

Black police officer Russell Stevens applies for a special anti-drug squad which targets the highest boss of cocaine delivery to LA—the Colombian foreign minister's nephew. Russell works his way up from the bottom undercover, until he reaches the boss.

6.8

MagicScore

#18

Cruising

1980

When New York is caught in the grip of a sadistic serial killer who preys on patrons of the city's underground bars, young rookie Steve Burns infiltrates the S&M subculture to try and lure him out of the shadows.

6.6

MagicScore

#19

The Heat

2013

Uptight and straight-laced, FBI Special Agent Sarah Ashburn is a methodical investigator with a reputation for excellence--and hyper-arrogance. Shannon Mullins, one of Boston P.D.'s "finest," is foul-mouthed and has a very short fuse, and uses her gut instinct and street smarts to catch the most elusive criminals. Neither has ever had a partner, or a friend for that matter. When these two wildly incompatible law officers join forces to bring down a ruthless drug lord, they become the last thing anyone expected: buddies.

6.6

MagicScore

#20

Out of Bounds

1986

Farm boy Daryl Cage's parents ship him off to the big city to live with his brother, hoping he will have a better life there. After a baggage mixup at the airport, Daryl finds himself in possession of a drug cache, which a ruthless drug dealer wants back. The dealer murders Daryl's brother and the small town boy ends up all alone in the big city, being pursued by both the drug dealer and the police, who suspect him of the murder.

5.3

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Bullets or Ballots?

The top films similar to Bullets or Ballots by MovieMagicScore are Brooklyn's Finest (6.3), Street Kings (6.6), Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (6.9). Each shares crime/drama themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Bullets or Ballots worth watching?

Bullets or Ballots holds a MovieMagicScore of 6.6/10 from 48 viewer ratings.

What kind of movie is Bullets or Ballots?

Bullets or Ballots (1936) is a crime, drama film directed by William Keighley, starring Edward G. Robinson, Joan Blondell, Barton MacLane.

Where can I find more recommendations like Bullets or Ballots?

Browse the full ranked list above, or explore more crime recommendations on MovieMagicScore, where every list is ordered by genuine viewer ratings.

Keep exploring

Movies like Brooklyn's Finest Movies like Street Kings Movies like Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)Movies like Where the Sidewalk Ends Movies like Beverly Hills Cop II Movies like City Hall

About movies like Bullets or Ballots

This ranked list pairs Bullets or Ballots (1936), a crime and drama film from William Keighley, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Edward G. Robinson take note). Unlike critic-driven sites, every position here is ordered by MovieMagicScore — a rating built only from real viewers, with no studio marketing or paid placement. Scores update as more people rate, so the list stays current.

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