Cinema probably evolved more in the thirties than any other decade. You can make a case for the first decade of cinema but well that was a time when cinema was still figuring out exactly what cinema was. The thirties saw a great number of changes some good and some bad. My list of the twenties best was incredibly international. Numerous film movements sprung up and for a brief period of time it seemed like a unified Europe could compete with Hollywood. That dream would largely fall through in the 30's at the hands of talking pictures and the inevitable language barriers that would present. Many other film movements of that decade lacked the notoriety and distribution of the previous decades all important first waves. Of all foreign countries France appeared to be the least affected (although plenty of evidence suggests a shaky French film industry for the early part of the thirties). However in the grand scheme of historical perspective France appeared to actually produce better films this decade and numerous filmmakers who first made their mark in the silent era honed their skills the next decade. Jean Renoir clearly stands out as France's most preeminent director of the decade and he can easily make a case as the most important director from any country in the thirties.
Unfortunately most other European countries began to fall a bit this decade. Germany began the decade with a bang but by the time National Socialism took over the film industry lost nearly all of its best filmmakers. Sure the work of Leni Riefenstahl is still a marvel to behold (propaganda aside) her work also falls into the category of being documentary so as previously stated elsewhere doesn't qualify for this particular list. Very few films from the Soviet Union made in the thirties made their way to the US and we're left with a few random selections that seem rather stale and tame compared to their experimental counterparts from a decade earlier. Japan was probably the last major film producing country to adopt talking pictures (1936) and sadly they didn't seem as dedicated to film preservation as other countries and a great many Japanese films of the period are only known by reputation. Of the handful I've seen none have managed to impress me enough to make this list (although Osaka Elegy got a long look). The one thriving Scandinavian film movement was nearly non-existent by the time the thirties began and Sweden wouldn't draw much international attention until Mr. Bergman started making movies a decade later.
So welcome to Hollywood. A hotbed for immigrants throughout most our history, it saw a huge influx of European talent come ashore partially to escape Nazi Germany, but also because Hollywood really liked to spend a lot of money. Fritz Lang made his eventual splash and the decade ended with David O'Selznick signing Britain's best known filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock. Selznick had a marvel of a decade eventually forming his own production company and becoming the model for producer-auteur-moguls of all generations. He helped produce numerous now legendary films including King Kong, A Star is Born, and arguably the most successful film of all time Gone With the Wind.
For many people 1934 was a huge turning point for film and in particular Hollywood, because this is when the infamous production code finally was enforced. A curious bit of "naughty" Hollywood that took us from roughly 1929-1934 was now over. Many of these films disappeared for a few decades and have become the stuff of legend today. The gangster film arrived with a bang (Little Caesar, The Public Enemy, and Scarface) before eventually being watered down and cleaned up. Universal began a remarkable string of monster movies with Frankenstein and Dracula and beat each and every monster franchise into the ground until they were laughable parodies of themselves (Horror of Dracula, The Mummy's Ghost), but those disasters were for the next decade. Both genres were around in the silent era and even saw a few shining examples however there was only one new genre that was not possible before sound. I'll refrain from building more suspense and let the cat out of the bag, it was the musical. A genre that saw a tremendous amount of near deaths and resurrections from nearly unwatchable Revue films of 1929-1932 to sophisticated stage musicals like 42nd Street and a quartet of Busby Berkeley choreographed masterworks (Footlight Parade, Gold Diggers of 1933, and Dames). Numerous teams popped up (Astaire and Rorgers, MacDonald and Eddy) and through a few variations musicals became a serious motion picture force.
So enough of an overview let's get to the list:
10. 42nd Street (1933) - US Lloyd Bacon
Did someone just say something about musicals? It's hard to think that by 1933 musicals seemed like they might be on the way out. Now I'm not sure how much of this is fabricated by an over simplification of film history. Sure anyone whose ever had the "pleasure" of sitting through
MGM's snorefest Hollywood Revue of 1929, and it's countess spawns was probably popping a bottle of champagne when the revue film rode off into the sunset. So going back to the musical's first subgenre (the backstage musical) Warner Bros. made 42nd Street, the first of four films choreographed by Busby Berkeley and starring Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler. Now I think everyone has their own favorite of the bunch but I'm not sure any of it's spawns would have happened if this hadn't been such a huge success. The plot is as predictable as a backstage musical can be. We see a play go from casting to opening night. Along the way we get a few production numbers that couldn't possibly ever be performed on a real Broadway stage, but therein lies the magic of movies and Berkeley. What separates this film to me is some excellent songs that stick in your head much longer than you'd like I'm sure and an incredibly witty script that redeems a tacky premise with so much great dialogue and jokes that it's plot seems like an ironic joke today.9. Bringing Up Baby (1938) US Howard Hawks
I may have left out the screwball comedy in my introduction. The next step in the evolution of screen comedy following the end of the era of silent daredevils. Sure Harold Lloyd continued making some very good films (with all his death defying in tact) but they seem to suffer from all the faults associated with the technical difficulties early sound films had. The new comedy was either stage performers with in tact personas doing their thing (W. C. Fields, Mae West, The Marx Brothers) or of the screwball variety. Sure I'm oversimplifying film history yet again, but there really isn't enough space to discuss all the many faces of comedy in the thirties here. Howard Hawks was one of the first to get on this new style, and for some his Twentieth Century is the first true screwball comedy. However a few years later he would team up Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant (who previously worked together in Sylvia Scarlett and the same year appeared in Holiday). This dynamic duo surprisingly seemed to be a nasty combination together at the time and Bringing Up Baby was a disaster upon release. This only adds to the cult appeal of it which decades later remains one of the decades funniest films with a plot so ludicrous and laughs so effortless it seems like a near perfect film. Despite her four Oscar wins, I'm not terribly convinced Hepburn was ever better than as Susan here. Hawks seemed born for screwball comedy and his fast paced dialogue heavy style makes this stand out as the prototypical screwball film.8. The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) US James Whale
Not going to lie, I think I've seen this about 20 times more than any other film on this list. James Whale's best film is the high water mark in the monster movie universe and the perfect blend of atmospheric horror and the delightful camp typically associated with later and lesser monster movies. Whale seemed determined not to take this too seriously but without cheapening out on then shocking moments. The monster became a human and for the first time we had a sequel to a horror movie where the monster clearly appears to have been killed after the first film.
Perhaps every horror movie sequel owes this film a debt of thanks, and for that reason maybe we shouldn't be praising it, but let's face it Hollywood would have found another monster to bring back before too long. For that reason Whale's film might be the only good horror movie sequel the genre's ever known (certainly the best at any rate). Whale even seemed to have his own stand in with Dr. Praetorius (Ernest Thesiger) who is delightfully over the top and supremely blasphemous. Sadly almost the entire monster movie franchise would start to suffer after Bride. Since it didn't make as much money as its predecessor Universal stopped putting good money into what they saw as cheap kiddie films. In it's place were a ton of follow ups most of which lacked any purpose for existing. It wasn't until 1943 when Universal staged a Technicolor remake of The Phantom of the Opera did they actually take their monster movies seriously (and after that the cycle got even worse). However this is truly a perfect gem of a movie and one that I could watch any day and probably find myself reciting countless lines of dialogue from.7. M (1931) Germany Fritz Lang
Wow, that was all I could say after I first saw this film. Fritz Lang seemed to get more and more pretentious with every silent film he made. Routinely going over two or even three hours. Sets were extravagant subplots were incredibly complex and with every release he seemed hopelessly determined to top himself (a task which got even harder after Metropolis). So it would seem shocking that Lang could put together such a simple and effective film about a child
murderer and the dual pursuit for his eventual capture. The film seems to fit right at home with his film noir crime films he made Hollywood, but certainly a shock coming after the epics he produced prior. The film is loaded with metaphors (police and criminals intercut side by side with similar methods) and was one of the first to effectively use sound as more than a means to hear people talking. Overlapping calls for a daughter with an empty stairwell and a lost balloon, as well as Lorre's whistling Peer Gynt. Funny to think Peter Lorre was best known as a comedic actor before this film. Like Lang he would come to America where despite getting steady work he would never really have a chance to shine quite like he did here, although many cultists frequently site his first American film Mad Love/Hands of Orlac (which was constantly referenced in Malcolm Lowry's Under the Volcano) as one of his best performances. Still any and every film about criminals or serial killers should take a long look at this film which still packs a punch and remains my favorite Fritz Lang film.6. Duck Soup (1933) US Leo McCarey
Well if all this talking about a child murderer has put you in a sour mood this ought to help. The Marx Brothers ultimate film (even more than A Night at the Opera) is pure anarchy and one of the most compulsively watchable and hilarious films ever made. One of the reasons you may need to watch this over and over is because sometimes the jokes fly too fast to even catch. You
wind up laughing too hard at one remark and miss the next. Like all the Marx Brothers' films you can technically call this a musical comedy, but the songs are little more than a chance for you to catch your breath before anarchy takes over again. Duck Soup is the only Marx film that doesn't feature an extended harp solo from Harpo or one of Chico's piano segments. For many that's why the film is their best (great musicians they were these moments typically did slow their films to a crawl). Here we just have a few songs about Freedonia and it's back to a silly war and Harpo's epic battle with a street vendor. The ill advised military conflict could be seen as a satire on Europe's growing militarization and seems to ring very true for those who never supported our involvement in the Middle East, but politics aside it's just as funny a film as you will find. The end of an era for the Marx's and Paramount, the studio that first brought them from Broadway. After the financial failure of the film Zeppo left and the three remaining brothers went to MGM were they were paired with a couple of lame young lovers and their films would continuously get more and more unwatchable, this however is them at their peak and the first recommendation I would give for anyone wanting to check out the Marx Brothers for the first time.5. The Grand Illusion (1937) France Jean Renoir
I've never been really sure what the hell "Poetic Realism" really means. I can however tell you that France was on an absolute roll in the 30's. Jean Renoir made a few worthwhile films in the 20's (Charleston is brilliant), but it seems as soon as he got some sound he hit a stride. Unfortunately some of his earlier films exist in awful condition but with La Chienne (which was later remade by Fritz Lang as Scarlet Street) Renoir made his first certifiable masterpiece. He followed with Boudu Saved From Drowning which seemed to epitomize the idea that we are all
human's none of us terribly good but none of us are all bad. Throughout the decade he seemed to be on cruise control making one classic after another. Grand Illusion however was a step above even his best work. About the same time Abel Gance remade his own J'Accuse for the sound era (which just barely missed this list) Lang made his own World War I film which says more about the human condition than nearly any other war film. It is such a typical Renoir film in its characters, its humor, an ever roaming camera, but it has such a universal appeal while somehow being grand yet simultaneously simple. Every time I see the film I marvel at another aspect of it (last time I finally realized how hilarious the film is at times). Renoir's film was so incredible that it became the first foreign language film to be nominated for a best picture Oscar (previous Academy rules prohibited nominating foreign product). Perhaps the fact that it would be several decades until the next nomination says even more about how unique this film was. Sure every Sight and Sound poll is going to point out Rules of the Game as his ultimate film, but I've seen that three or four times and although great it never really came close to beating this film in my mind. Lang's greatest and a film so fresh it seems to be something new every time I watch it.4. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) US Frank Capra
If France belonged to Jean Renoir than Hollywood was Frank Capra's town in the 30's. From lowly director at a poverty row studio (Ladies of Leisure, Dirigible) to the toast of the town and
three time Oscar winner for the same studio now a major player he truly seemed to live the American dream in the toughest decade in US history. Perhaps that's why his films showed such a resounding optimism. They were their own brand of cheese, which is both mockingly and affectionately referred to as "Capra-corn". I'll admit I was a little on the "man that's cheesy" side of things but with each film of his I saw I suddenly discovered a filmmaker that just seemed to get better and better. It Happened One Night may be the film that skyrocketed his career to the A-list, but despite being a near perfect screwball comedy (and nearly making this list) it doesn't really embody the Capra style in quite the same way his next Oscar winner (Mr. Deeds Goes to Town) does. Sadly Capra was rolling around in his grave when Gary Cooper's beloved yokel turned millionaire was being remade as an Adam Sandler film (I'm shuddering as I type this just thinking about the travesty that was). However that displayed that wide optimism and the belief (which Renoir often shared) that people would eventually do right if given the opportunity. You Can't Take It With You was even better and wound up beating Renoir's Grand Illusion for best picture. However Capra's best film might very well be Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. I watched it again fairly recently expecting it to be a corny piece of mush that wouldn't hold up well to a closer inspection. What I found was a film that seemed even better than the last time (and I loved it the last time). I saw myself rooting for Jefferson Smith (Jimmy Stewart) all over again and falling in love with Clarissa Sanders (Jean Arthur). It's a fairy tale worth believing in that our politicians might deep down still be good people, especially in Illinois but far fetched or not this is still a perfect film in nearly every regard for me.3. Gone With the Wind (1939) US Victor Fleming
Well it's very tempting to name a film as perfect as Mr. Smith as the best of 1939, but this is 1939 we're talking about. A year that for many remains Hollywood's all time best. Not hard to make a case for it with The Wizard of Oz, Stagecoach, Of Mice and Men, Wuthering Heights, The Roaring Twenties, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and a whole lot of others. Selznick's
monumental production has got to be the best though. I can make a fair case for this being the best film of the decade, hell I know a few people who would argue this is the best film of all time. I can honestly say no film clocking in at over 220 minutes ever moved so fast. It's incredibly epic yet it seems to just fly by before you know it. The cast seemed to have descended from Mt. Olympus to play roles that they were destined for. The mere search for Scarlet was enough to monopolize Hollywood gossip for nearly two years before the film was finally cast. Vivian Leigh made a legendary debut in Hollywood with what can easily be called the best role any actress will ever have. Clark Gable was one for the ages and Hattie McDaniel made Oscar history (as did the rest of the film with a record breaking ten Academy Awards). The film still never ceases to amaze first time viewers who finally get a glimpse of what perfection looks like. Not until James Cameron did any filmmaker obsess so much over an epic. Selznick's perfection paid off but it was his never ending drive to top this success that would eventually lead to his downfall. However this is Hollywood at it's peak and still one of the richest uses of three strip Technicolor.2. City Lights (1931) US Charlie Chaplin
Well this film obviously sticks out on this list. In case you haven't been keeping score this is the only silent film on the list. Hollywood converted, but Chaplin thought talking pictures were a passing fad (why in God's name he thought this is a mystery that will probably never be
answered) however he released this film without useless dialogue. He incorporated some sound affects into Modern Times but kept his characters from speaking. City Lights is without a doubt in my mind Chaplin's greatest film and based on it's placement on this list one for the ages. A remarkable romantic film that is both hilarious at times but incredibly moving. Chaplin could romanticize the lower classes but here you almost weep for his selflessness. Virginia Cherrill may have never appeared in another film for all I know (she did periodically before marrying Cary Grant in 1932), but she'll remain one of Chaplin's finest discoveries. Her blind girl is so sweet it makes you wonder if you wouldn't give your own eyes for her. Even the suicidal millionaire is compelling and much more tolerable when drunk, however it is the ease at which he merges these two story lines that make the film culminate in such a satisfying conclusion. It's amazing to think I actually didn't care much for the film the first time I saw it, on a second viewing I wondered what the hell was wrong with my own eyes, this is the best Chaplin would get. Although it might not be his funniest film (I probably laughed the hardest watching The Circus) it is the best example of his physical comedy, social satire, and heart wrenching pathos and a film for the ages.1. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) US Lewis Milestone
Sorry if this list seems a little too Hollywood happy (I did warn you), but anyone whose ever heard me talk about films for more than a minute has probably heard me mention All Quiet on the Western Front. I have often wondered whether or not this might be the greatest film of all time. This absolutely destroyed me the first time I saw it. I literally couldn't speak for an hour after the film ended, I was just in a daze. I couldn't believe how incredible the film was, I was even scared to watch it again. Not only was I a little afraid it wouldn't be as good, but I was also worried I wouldn't be able to take the incredibly grim story over again. World War I was no picnic by any stretch, but despite numerous attempts at making "anti-war" films this is possibly the only film I've ever seen that truly feels "anti-war". Most wind up saying killing is stupid but a whole lot of fun. This film isn't fun, a laugh here or there in training turns into heartache and deplorable conditions at every turn in war. The film is also benefited from the time of it's release. Being before the production code director Lewis Milestone could get away with a lot more violence than would be allowed just a few years later (try finding a severed limb in a film from
1936). In 1930 non-diegetic music was very uncommon. Go back a bit, Dracula, Frankenstein, The Virginian, The Front Page, none of these films have scores. Countless other films from the period have the same style, which is one reason why the ending of William Wellman's The Public Enemy is so effective. However no ending in the history of cinema is as poetic and poignant as the conclusion to All Quiet on the Western Front. From a technical standpoint Lewis Milestone helped liberate the camera and took it out doors. We got field shots, a camera that never ceased to track, pan zoom, and crane all over the place, so much for the reputation of early talkies and their static camera positions. It's still probably the best film to ever win a best picture Academy Award and well there is no excuse why anyone could have not seen this film by now. Simply put movies don't get better than this.
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