Movies Like Barnacle Bill

If you liked Barnacle Bill (1941), a comedy and drama movie directed by Richard Thorpe, here are 20 movies with a similar feel, based on TMDB's recommendations. Each one links to its cast, trailer and where it's streaming.

1
Captains Courageous (1937)
★ 7.4/10Also drama
Harvey, the arrogant and spoiled son of an indulgent absentee-father, falls overboard from a transatlantic steamship and is rescued by a fishing vessel on the Grand Banks. Harvey fails to persuade them to take him…
2
The Thirteenth Year (1999)
★ 6.6/10Also comedy
A teen learns that his birth mother is a mermaid after he begins to grow fins and slimy scales on his thirteenth birthday.
3
About Schmidt (2002)
★ 6.9/10Also drama and comedy
A recently retired man embarks on a journey to his estranged daughter's wedding, only to discover more about himself and life than he ever expected.
4
Big Fish (2003)
★ 7.7/10Also drama
Throughout his life Edward Bloom has always been a man of big appetites, enormous passions and tall tales. In his later years, he remains a huge mystery to his son, William. Now, to get to know the real man, Will…
5
The Way Way Back (2013)
★ 7.1/10Also comedy and drama
Shy 14-year-old Duncan goes on summer vacation with his mother, her overbearing boyfriend, and her boyfriend's daughter. Having a rough time fitting in, Duncan finds an unexpected friend in Owen, manager of the Water…
6
The Black Pirate (1926)
★ 6.7/10Also drama
A nobleman vows to avenge the death of his father by the hands of pirates. To this end, he infiltrates the pirate band; Acting in character, he single-handedly captures a merchant vessel, but things are complicated…
7
Moana (2026)
★ 7.5/10Also comedy
Teenage Moana answers the Ocean's call and, for the first time, voyages beyond the reef of her island of Motunui with infamous demigod Maui on an unforgettable journey to restore prosperity to her people.
8
Last Ride (2009)
★ 6.4/10Also drama
A young boy travels across Australia with his father, who's wanted by the law.
9
Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 (2011)
★ 5.9/10Also comedy
Puppy mayhem turns the lives of newlywed Chihuahua parents Papi and Chloe upside down when their rambunctious, mischievous puppies present one challenge after another. But when their human owners end up in trouble, the…
10
Where the Red Fern Grows (1974)
★ 6.9/10Also drama
Billy Coleman works hard and saves his earnings for two years to achieve his dream of buying two red-bone coonhound pups. He develops a new trust in life as he faces overwhelming challenges in adventure and tragedy…
11
The Good Half (2024)
★ 6.2/10Also comedy and drama
Renn Wheeland returns home to Cleveland for his mother's funeral. Once there, he forges new relationships while healing old ones, before confronting his problems and trying to face his grief.
12
Life with Father (1947)
★ 6.7/10Also comedy
A straitlaced turn-of-the-century father presides over a family of boys and the mother who really rules the roost.
13
Bookworm (2024)
★ 6.4/10Also comedy and drama
Eleven-year-old Mildred’s life is turned upside down when her mother lands in hospital and estranged, American magician father, Strawn Wise, comes to look after her. Hoping to entertain the bookish tween, Strawn takes…
14
Blue Miracle (2021)
★ 7.3/10Also drama
To save their cash-strapped orphanage, a guardian and his kids partner with a washed-up boat captain for a chance to win a lucrative fishing competition.
15
Cadet Kelly (2002)
★ 6.2/10Also comedy
Hyperactive teenager Kelly is enrolled into a military school when her new stepfather becomes the Commandant. At first she has problems fitting in and taking orders until she tries out for the drill team.
16
Rookie of the Year (1993)
★ 6.2/10Also comedy
When the cast comes off his once broken arm, a 12-year-old boy can throw a 100-mile-an-hour fastball, and the Chicago Cubs want him as their new pitcher.
17
Oddball (2015)
★ 6.9/10Also comedy
An eccentric chicken farmer, with the help of his granddaughter, trains his mischievous dog Oddball to protect a penguin sanctuary from fox attacks in an attempt to reunite his family and save their seaside town.
18
It Runs in the Family (2003)
★ 6/10Also comedy and drama
This is the story of a dysfunctional New York family, and their attempts to reconcile
19
A Very Brady Sequel (1996)
★ 5.9/10Also comedy
A man claiming to be Carol Brady's long-lost first husband, Roy Martin, shows up at the suburban Brady residence one evening. An impostor, the man is actually determined to steal the Bradys' familiar horse statue, a…
20
Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home (1995)
★ 5.9/10Also drama and comedy
Jesse becomes reunited with Willy three years after the whale's jump to freedom as the teenager tries to rescue the killer whale and other orcas from an oil spill.