The Top 10 Films of the 1930s

Hello, everyone! Since the 2010s end this year, I thought it would be fun to start making “Top 10” lists for films from every decade. I decided to start with the 1930s because it was a significant time in film history. “Talkies” (movies with sound) came about in the late 1920s, but they became the standard during the 1930s (now I have an entertaining mental image of Avengers: Endgame as a silent film, with the little dialogue cards popping up all the time).

The 1930s were also the time of the Great Depression. I can only imagine how hard it would be for those who wanted to experience the new technology in the latest films but couldn’t afford to go. If I were alive then, I know I would save any spare change I had to make my way to the movies. I wouldn’t let those hard times keep me from getting to the movie theater (my wife is trying to convince me that minor things, like bread and milk, would be higher priorities).

The Universal monster movies were another significant development in the 1930s. I’m sure the likes of Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Mummy scared the pants off everyone who had seen them.

In college, I learned about the Hays Code. It was a list of expectations for motion pictures developed by Will H. Hays, the first chairman of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America (MPPDA). Examples of these expectations included no nudity, no ridicule of religion, no illegal drug use, upholding the sanctity of marriage, and much more. I wonder what he would think of today’s movies.

Enough of my rambling. In no particular order, here are my Top Ten Films of the 1930s!

Duck Soup (1933)

As you’ve probably discovered, I love to quote movies. Many of my favorites are recent(ish) comedies, such as The Big Lebowski (1998) or Dumb and Dumber (1994). But when I quote Duck Soup, my friends look at me as if I’m nuts. I have to explain to them that films like Duck Soup influenced most of the comedic gems we love today.

When I think of the dialogue from Duck Soup, I can’t help but smile. One of my favorite lines is when Groucho offers a playing card to a woman. She asked what to do with the card, and he replied, “Keep it, I have fifty-one left.” This comedy was definitely way ahead of its time.

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

This was a childhood favorite. The contrast of sepia turning to vivid color still amazes me. I’m usually not a big fan of musicals, but I love the music in this movie. Everything from “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” to “If I Only Had a Heart” speaks to the audience. You feel the characters’ emotions when they sing. I look forward to watching this film with my future kids someday.

King Kong (1933)

King Kong is one of the most amazing films I’ve ever seen! The stop-motion animation of the title Kong and other creatures on the uninhabited island is impressive. Even today, with the great strides that have been made in visual effects, the work on King Kong is still incredible.

Wuthering Heights (1939)

The cinematography in this film is beautiful! I’m not the only one who thinks so, because it won an Oscar for that category. The moonlit scenes and the soft candlelight spoke to me when I watched the film. The lighting played a huge role in illustrating this beautiful love story – it’s simply remarkable.

City Lights (1931)

When film studios first decided to use sound in their films, Charlie Chaplin decided not to be what we now call an “early  adopter.” He chose to make City Lights as another silent film, and I think it works very well. And it has an ending that makes you want to cry tears of joy every time you see it.

A Chump at Oxford (1939)

Laurel and Hardy are at their peak in this abundantly hilarious film! The duo decides to go back to school to learn the three R’s: “Reading, ‘Riting, and ‘Rithmetic.” They choose Oxford to get the best education possible, but the other snobby students are less-than-welcoming and do what they can to get rid of the pair.

Ninotchka (1939)

I haven’t seen Ninotchka in years, but I still remember the chemistry between Ninotchka and Leon (Greta Garbo and Melvyn Douglas). They play off each other so well that it makes me wonder if George Lucas had them in mind when he imagined Han Solo and Princess Leia, the way they ignore their attraction in favor of badgering each other. This film is a classic example of “love/hate” relationships, told in a delightfully funny way.

M (1931)

Legendary director Fritz Lang’s first “talkie,” this film is one of the earliest examples of film noir brilliance. It is set in a sinister world where children go missing and the police and citizens are on a manhunt for the abductor. That sentence alone describes a plot not for the faint of heart. It has some disturbing elements but is nonetheless a remarkable film that has paved the way for a whole new generation of crime films.

Bringing Up Baby (1938)

One of the best pairings of Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn, Bringing Up Baby was way ahead of its time. I find it odd that this was Hepburn’s first comedy since she was such a perfect fit for the role. Grant, of course, had roots in Vaudeville, so he was already a tenured comedian.

It Happened One Night (1934)

Achieving the first “clean sweep” of the Oscars, It Happened One Night won Best Picture, Actor, Actress, Director, and Screenplay. This coup would not be seen again until 1975, with One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert had great chemistry together and brought out the best in each other. This is one of the earliest examples of a great romantic comedy.

I enjoyed compiling this list for you. The 1930s produced so many terrific films, truly setting the bar high for their successors.  At first, I figured it would be hard to find ten films I loved from the first decade of “talkies,” but I ended up having to trim the list! I look forward to making more “best of” lists by decade!

Happy watching!