Movies Like Murmur of the Heart (1971)

Murmur of the Heart is a 1971 comedy, drama film from Louis Malle with a MovieMagicScore of 7.0/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Angel Heart and Saint Ralph.

Comedy Drama

Angel Heart

1987

A down-and-out Brooklyn detective is hired to track down a singer on an odyssey that will take him through the desperate streets of Harlem, the smoke-filled jazz clubs of New Orleans, and the swamps of Louisiana and its seedy underworld of voodoo.

7.1

MagicScore

Saint Ralph

2005

This Canadian made comedy/drama, set in Hamilton, Ontario in 1954, is a sweet and - at times - goofy story that becomes increasingly poignant as the minutes tick by. It's the fictional tale of a wayward 9th grader, Ralph (Adam Butcher), who is secretly living on his own while his widowed, hospitalized mother remains immersed in a coma. Frequently in trouble with Father Fitzpatrick (Gordon Pinsent), the principal of his all-boys, Catholic school, Ralph is considered something of a joke among peers until he decides to pull off a miracle that could save his mother, i.e., winning the Boston Marathon. Coached by a younger priest and former runner, Father Hibbert (Campbell Scott), whose cynicism has been lifted by the boy's pure hope, Ralph applies himself to his unlikely mission, fending off naysayers and getting help along a very challenging path from sundry allies and friends.

6.9

MagicScore

Big Night

1996

Primo and Secondo, two immigrant brothers, pin their hopes on a banquet honoring Louis Prima to save their struggling restaurant.

6.9

MagicScore

The Color Purple

1985

An epic tale spanning forty years in the life of Celie, an African-American woman living in the South who survives incredible abuse and bigotry. After Celie's abusive father marries her off to the equally debasing 'Mister' Albert Johnson, things go from bad to worse, leaving Celie to find companionship anywhere she can. She perseveres, holding on to her dream of one day being reunited with her sister in Africa.

7.7

MagicScore

Bird

1988

Saxophone player Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker comes to New York in 1940 and is quickly noticed for his remarkable way of playing. He becomes a drug addict but his loving wife Chan tries to help him.

6.8

MagicScore

The Damned

1969

In the early days of Nazi Germany, a powerful noble family must adjust to life under the new dictatorship regime.

7.2

MagicScore

Red Dirt

2000

At only twenty, Griffith is struggling with the responsibilities of caring for his unwell aunt, grieving the loss of their family's matriarch, and his own dreams of leaving Pine Apple. With the arrival of a stranger, Griffith's carefully constructed walls of shame and silence begin to come down and his life takes an unexpected turn.

5.6

MagicScore

Bloody Mama

1970

Sexually abused as a young girl, Kate "Ma" Barker grows into a violent and powerful woman by the 1930s. She lovingly dominates her grown sons and grooms them into a pack of tough crooks. The boys include the cruel Herman, who still shares a bed with Ma; Fred, an ex-con who fell in love with a fellow prisoner; and Lloyd, who gets high on whatever's handy. Together they form a deadly, bizarre family of Depression-era bandits.

5.5

MagicScore

The Winter Lake

2020

When Holly’s dark secret is accidentally uncovered by her new emotionally unstable neighbor Tom, they are pulled into a violent confrontation with her father, who will do anything to keep the secret hidden.

5.0

MagicScore

#10

Grand Jete

2022

Dance teacher and mother Nadja left her son Mario with her own mother when he was little. Now she has reappeared on his doorstep, seeking a closeness that knows fewer and fewer boundaries. An uncompromising film about family relationships.

4.9

MagicScore

#11

The Insect Woman

1963

A woman, Tome, is born to a lower class family in Japan in 1918. The title refers to an insect, repeating its mistakes, as in an infinite circle. Imamura, with this metaphor, introduces the life of Tome, who keeps trying to change her poor life.

7.2

MagicScore

#12

The Iron Giant

1999

In the small town of Rockwell, Maine in October 1957, a giant metal machine befriends a nine-year-old boy and ultimately finds its humanity by unselfishly saving people from their own fears and prejudices.

8.0

MagicScore

#13

Nowhere Boy

2009

A rebellious teenager, future Beatle John Lennon lives with his Aunt Mimi in working-class mid-1950s Liverpool, England. Mimi's husband suddenly dies, and John spies his mother Julia at the funeral. Despite Mimi's misgivings, John intends to have a real relationship with his mother. Julia introduces him to popular music and the banjo and, though a family conflict looms, young John is inspired to form his own band.

7.2

MagicScore

#14

The Tree of Life

2011

The impressionistic story of a Texas family in the 1950s. The film follows the life journey of the eldest son, Jack, through the innocence of childhood to his disillusioned adult years as he tries to reconcile a complicated relationship with his father. Jack finds himself a lost soul in the modern world, seeking answers to the origins and meaning of life while questioning the existence of faith.

6.7

MagicScore

#15

The Singing Detective

2003

Tormented and bedridden by a debilitating disease, a mystery writer relives his detective stories through his imagination and hallucinations.

5.0

MagicScore

#16

Sleepwalkers

1992

Charles Brady and his mother, Mary, are the last of a dying breed whose needs are not of this world. They are Sleepwalkers - able to stay alive only by feeding on the life-force of the innocent, but destined to roam the earth, avoiding discovery while searching for their next victim. That search takes them to the sleepy little town of Travis, Indiana, where beautiful teenager Tanya Robertson is about to become an unwilling pawn in their nightmarish fight for survival.

6.0

MagicScore

#17

The Lovers

1958

A shallow, provincial wife finds her relationship with her preoccupied husband strained by romantic notions of love, leading her further towards Paris and the country wilderness.

6.5

MagicScore

#18

Paris When It Sizzles

1964

Hollywood producer Alexander Meyerheimer has hired drunken writer Richard Benson to write his latest movie. Benson has been in Paris supposedly working on the script for months, but instead has spent the time living it up. Benson now has just two days to the deadline and thus hires a temporary secretary, Gabrielle Simpson, to help him finish on time.

6.3

MagicScore

#19

Gamera vs. Viras

1968

As alien invaders plot to conquer the Earth, two Boy Scouts steal a mini-submarine and discover Gamera in their midst. Transported to the alien's spaceship, the Scouts are menaced by the evil inhabitants, including Viras, a squid-like monster that grows to colossal size to battle Gamera.

5.7

MagicScore

#20

The Road to Wellville

1994

An unhappy young couple visit the infamous Kellogg spa in Battle Creek, Michigan while a young hustler tries get into the breakfast-cereal business and compete against John Kellogg's corn flakes.

5.6

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Murmur of the Heart?

The top films similar to Murmur of the Heart by MovieMagicScore are Angel Heart (7.1), Saint Ralph (6.9), Big Night (6.9). Each shares comedy/drama themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Murmur of the Heart worth watching?

Murmur of the Heart holds a MovieMagicScore of 7.0/10 from 205 viewer ratings, putting it among the better-reviewed titles in its genre.

What kind of movie is Murmur of the Heart?

Murmur of the Heart (1971) is a comedy, drama film directed by Louis Malle, starring Lea Massari, Benoît Ferreux, Marc Winocourt.

Where can I find more recommendations like Murmur of the Heart?

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

Keep exploring

Movies like Angel Heart Movies like Saint Ralph Movies like Big Night Movies like The Color Purple Movies like Bird Movies like The Damned

About movies like Murmur of the Heart

This ranked list pairs Murmur of the Heart (1971), a comedy and drama film from Louis Malle, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Lea Massari 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.

← Back to Murmur of the Heart