The film industry experienced a period of unprecedented growth in the 1930s, despite the economic downturn of the Great Depression. Movies became an inexpensive entertainment option (admission was 25 cents, less than $5 today), and an easy escape for a public weary of the strains of everyday life. The decade also saw the release of films now consideredamong the greatest movies of all time, and their popularity brought in audiences in droves. According to a2002 study by The University of Dayton, an astounding 80 million people in the United States went to the movies every week in 1930, approximately 65% of the nation’s population.
America’s obsession with the movies was spurred by the advent of talking pictures, led by the release ofThe Jazz Singerin 1927. By 1930, dozens of “talkies” were being released each year, and the quality of those films were raised by some now-legendary filmmakers. Film critic and historianLeonard Maltinhas named the 25 best films of the 1930s, including both domestic and foreign films. It’s part of his larger list of100 Must-See Films of the 20th Century, and the 25 masterpieces are listed below, in alphabetical order.
The 39 Steps (1935)
The 39 Stepsfeatures a favorite subject for director Alfred Hitchcock: a common man caught up in international espionage. It’sa theme Hitchcock would revisitseveral times, includingThe Man Who Knew Too Much,North by Northwest, and the aptly titled film, The Wrong Man. Arguably the first time Hitchcock perfected the formula was withThe 39 Steps.
Here, Robert Donat (Goodbye, Mr. Chips) plays a man who goes on the run after a secret agent is murdered in his apartment. Along the way, he gets handcuffed to an innocent witness (Madeleine Carroll), heightening the suspense and comedy. This fast-paced, clever, and witty film hinted at the stylized classics that were to come from Hitchcock.
The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
Errol Flynn was never better as jolly old England’s swashbuckling rogue, andThe Adventures of Robin Hoodis still the definitive cinematic take on the character. Olivia de Havilland is a perfect Maid Marion, a year before her Oscar-nominated role of Melanie inGone With the Wind. Nominated for four Oscars, including Best Picture (it lost toYou Can’t Take it with You), the film won three, including Best Original Score.
Related:Best Classic Comedies of the 1930s
All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)
A surprisingly profound and emotional film, director Lewis Milestone’s adaptation of the Erich Maria Remarque novel,All Quiet on the Western Front,follows a young German boy (Lew Ayers) who gets caught up in the nation’s frenzy for war. He joins the army, but his dreams of being a war hero are shattered with the bloody realities of battle. Ayers' performance is memorable, highlighted with a speech near the end of the film, in which he chastises students at his alma mater who are eager to follow his path into military service. The film won Best Picture and Best Director for Milestone.
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Bride of Frankensteinis the raresequel that surpasses the original, which is really saying something, considering how great of a filmFrankensteinis.Bride, however, expands on the first film in all the right ways. The Monster has an actual character arc, the “horror” aspects are explored in different ways, and Elsa Lanchester is introduced as an intriguing new character under James Whale’s direction. Over the years, there has been talk ofremakes ofBride of Frankensteinwith various A-list actress, but a new take would not only feel redundant, it would be offensive.
City Lights (1931)
Although most films had already switched to “talkies” in 1931, Chaplin’sCity Lightsdefied the movement, and it’s a better film for it. Chaplin’s “Little Tramp” saves a drunk millionaire from committing suicide, who then pledges to be his best friend. The problem is, the millionaire doesn’t recognize him when he’s sober, leading to some hilarious sequences.
It complicates the Tramp’s pursuit of a blind flower girl (Virginia Cherrill), and the story is much more touching without dialogue. The film’s final scene is beautifully acted, and will either elicit a smile or a tear, but hopefully both.
Dodsworth (1936)
The 1930s usually handled troubled marriages and divorces as comedic plot devices, but William Wyler’sDodsworthis a rare exception. This dramatic tale about a couple (Walter Huston and Ruth Chatterton) navigating the end of their marriage relies less on melodrama and more on frank, insightful dialogue and great acting. Nominated for seven Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor (Huston), the film only won one, for Best Art Direction.
Dracula (1931)
Bela Lugosi is absolutely chilling as the Count in Tod Browning’s 1931Dracula, and the legendary actor seems to relish every line he delivers in this classic. Dwight Frye’s Renfield is every bit as good in a film that holds up despite the lack of graphic content. There have been plenty of remakes which have introduced nearly countless variations on the vampire theme, with some great actors in the role, butLugosi’s unparalleled performance as Draculastill remains the best to date.
Duck Soup (1933)
Groucho Marx plays the unhinged prime minister of a fictional country inDuck Soup, a riotous mockery of both politics and war. Easily thebest of all the Marx Brothers films, the jokes come at machine-gun speed, with puns and physical gags aplenty. The film is best known for its “mirror” gag featuring Harpo, which he famously recreated for a classic episode ofI Love Lucy20 years later.
Frankenstein (1931)
James Whale’s horror classic, based onthe Mary Shelley novel, stars Colin Clive as the doomed Dr. Frankenstein, obsessed with his quest to regenerate life. Boris Karloff is both terrifying and empathetic as The Monster. As good asFrankensteinis, its sequel is arguably a better film overall, and Mel Brooks' spoofYoung Frankensteinhas forever ruined some of the film’s most dramatic moments.
Gone with the Wind (1939)
The king of cinematic epics,Gone with the Windis still an impressive viewing experience, with some iconic performances and a grand adaptation of the Margaret Mitchell novel. Vivien Leigh won an Oscar for Best Actress as the feisty Scarlett O’Hara, and the film won Best Picture, Best Director (Victor Fleming), and Best Adapted Screenplay. Hattie McDaniel became the first African American to win an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. It’s a film thatdemands to be seen in theaters, thanks to the Oscar-winning cinematography.
