I saw 37 movies that were released in 1931 and these were my 10 favorites. The complete list with my reviews is available here: http://www.imdb.com/list/Fu6-KI2OuCE/
1. City Lights (Charles Chaplin) – My heart belongs to Buster Keaton but even I must admit that no one ever equalled this. The last three minutes are a master class in pure cinema.
the ending
2. M (Fritz Lang) – A masterpiece.
3. La Chienne (Jean Renoir) – I love it when I discover a new film for my non-existent all-time top 100 list and this was one. I prefer this to Lang’s remake, Scarlet Street, which I also love.
Clip
4. Frankenstein (James Whale) – Every time I see this I am moved all over again by Karloff’s sensitive performance as the Monster.
Re-release trailer
5. Marius (Alexander Korda) – The first part of Marcel Pagnol’s “Marseilles” or “Fanny” Trilogy. This is a richly human film filled with marvelous character parts and emotion. The dialogue is wonderful without being too stagey.
6. Le Million (Rene Clair) – I find Clair’s musical souffles totally enchanting and is my very favorite.
7. Comradeship (“Kameradschaft”) (G.W. Pabst)- Story of how German miners come to the rescue of their French comrades trapped underground near the border. The special effects, sound, and photography are amazing for such an early effort. Added to this are a suspenseful story and an accomplished ensemble cast.
8. The Smiling Lieutenant (Ernst Lubitsch) – How can you go wrong with a pre-Code Lubitsch musical featuring numbers such as “Jazz Up Your Lingerie”?
Claudette Colbert and Miriam Hopkins sing “Jazz Up Your Lingerie”
9. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Rouben Mamoulian) – Mamoulian always makes interesting use of his camera and I thought March deserved his Oscar.
Clip – Hyde forces Ivy to sing
10. The 3 Penny Opera (“Die 3 Groschen-Oper”)(G.W. Pabst) – I’ve read a lot of folks don’t care for this because they don’t think it does justice to the Brecht and Weill stage musical. Well I haven’t seen that and I just loved this film. The acting is fantastic and the production is so stylish that the frames could have leapt directly out of a Georg Grosz painting.
Clip – “Mack the Knife”
The last two movies were in a dead heat with the following films: Waterloo Bridge, The Front Page, Bad Girl, and Tokyo Chorus.
Re: M
Peter Lorre may have given the finest performance in film history in this magnificent movie. Who can feel sorry for a child murderer but when the pseudo trial by the underworld is held, his pleading that he could not help himself is so compelling that you suddenly begin to have sympathy for this pathetic little man.
Lang used great symbolism without showing violence….the drifting balloon comes to mind and the heartbreaking scene of the mother with her child’s lunch table set, waiting for her to come home from school. This film needs neither dubbing nor sub-titles since, through the acting of all parties, no explanation is necessary. It could have been a silent film as well as a talkie. This is what the word “masterpiece” means!!
Lorre certainly was superb. I’ve been thinking about whether he ever had a chance to do another role with the same psychological depth. Although I don’t think he ever gave a bad performance, I really can’t recall anything to equal this. Part of the problem may have been his addiction, which made him pretty unreliable, I understand.
I read that Hitchcock had a terrible time with Lorre while making “Secret Agent” as he was in the throes of a serious drug addiction. Hitchcock was ready to replace him but didn’t for some reason…maybe too much of the film was already shot. I don’t know if he ever kicked the habit, do you?
Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde:
March was particularly good in this film but I felt that the transformation to Hyde was just a bit over the top. He was much too simian looking……..seriously, would you let someone that looed like that come into your music hall? Miriam Hopkins, who is not one of my favorites, gave an amazing performance as Ivy. She was at the top of her game here.
Frankenstein:
If an actor can express his emotions through his eyes,then Karloff succeeded. Under all that make-up and without dialogue, his performance was perfection. Can you imagine that Lugosi would have gotten this role but turned it down…..thank God. It is an actor’s workshop on how to project a character sympathetically when playing a menacing part. Such an underrated actor!
Agree with you on the Hyde make up, but I don’t think March is to blame! Love Miriam Hopkins in this, despite the dodgey Cockney accent. And you KNOW we are on the same page with Karloff.
I think one of my comments got lost somewhere re: Peter Lorre. Hitchcock has a terrible time with him on the set of Secret Agent as he was in the throes of his of his drug addition. I wonder if he every truly kicked the habit.
I just picked up in a bargain book bin, the biography of Oona O’Neil (daughter of Eugene) who was Chaplin”s ever so much younger wife who was married to him for years until his death. Haven’t started it yet but I think it might turn out to be pretty interesting.
That Oona O’Neil biography sounds interesting. I’d like to read the 2005 Lorre biography and find out more of his story.