The 1930s were years of sweeping change in the film industry. It was a decade of transition: from silent films to sound films, or “talkies,” and from black-and-white to color productions. Of course, silent films and black-and-white photography did not disappear overnight, but audiences quickly came to prefer these new innovations to what they had been used to. Remarkably, too, the great Hollywood films of the 1930s were produced during the Great Depression, as the entertainment industry flourished in the face of widespread economic crisis.
It’s long been thought that movie-going provided a form of escapism for Americans suffering from the fallout of the 1929 stock market crash (per Best Movies by Farr). And who could resist trading in the humdrum demands of normal life for two sweet hours in the land of Oz? Though temporary, a good film can serve as a portal into a new, or different world. Whether joyous, terrifying, or somewhere in between, the best films of the ’30s did just this. Here are the top ten, ranked.
10 It Happened One Night (1934)
Columbia Pictures
When a classic romantic comedy like It Happened One Night comes in at number ten, you know you’re dealing with a list of truly remarkable films. This 1934 Clark Gable-Claudette Colbert vehicle became a kind of exemplar for all the many rom-coms to follow. It deals with the classic trope of “enemies-to-lovers,” and does so with class, verve and frequent laughs.
9 Bringing Up Baby (1938)
RKO Radio Pictures
The quintessential “screwball” comedy, Bringing Up Baby is a timeless, witty romp featuring two of the greatest actors of their generation: Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn. In true screwball fashion, Grant plays the clumsy, exasperated counter to the sharp-tongued dominance of Hepburn. The two stars raise this battle-of-the-sexes to classic status as they deal with a troublesome leopard named “Baby.”
8 King Kong (1933)
The giant monster movie to end all giant monster movies, King Kong changed the face of cinema forever when it was released in 1933. With its grand scale and impressive special effects work, it set the stage for the big-budget blockbusters of today. However ham-handed it appears to audiences of today, the film’s titular giant gorilla has become a veritable icon, spawning his own multi-picture franchise that includes the Godzilla vs. Kong crossover from 2021.
7 Frankenstein (1931)
Universal Pictures
Of the classic Universal monster movies, Frankenstein is perhaps the most memorable. It took the core of Mary Shelley’s novel, and turned (or reanimated) it into something new - a campy, Boris Karloff-driven horror masterpiece. It is probably the most influential horror film ever made, and few works have had such a lasting impact on their respective genres. This becomes even more impressive when you consider that its director, James Whale, also helmed The Invisible Man and Bride of Frankenstein.
6 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
Walt Disney Studios
The beauty of Disney’s first animated feature, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, speaks for itself. Its cel animation was unparalleled not only at the time of its release, but for years afterwards (as noted by Den of Geek). And, though more than 85 years old, it continues to enchant audiences to this day. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Musical Score, which might not sound like much, but this was a major step towards animated films being taken seriously by critics.
5 The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
The Wizard of Oz is one of the most well-known films ever made. You’ll hardly meet someone unfamiliar with its basic plot structure, in which a young girl from Kansas is transported to a magical world after being carried away by a tornado. She and her dog must find their way home - a task easier said than done - with the help of three iconic characters: the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Lion. Perhaps most notable is its medium-defining use of Technicolor, which involves a famous transition from black-and-white to color early in the film.
4 Gone with the Wind (1939)
Loew's, Inc.
Adjusting for inflation, Victor Fleming’s Gone with the Wind remains the highest-grossing film ever made. James Cameron’s Avatar may have come close, but it couldn’t quite topple this masterful adaptation of Margaret Mitchell’s epic novel. A tale set before, during, and after the United States Civil War, Gone with the Wind is part historical drama, and part sweeping romance. The film version stars Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable as enemies-turned-lovers-turned enemies Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler. It’s a stunning, grandiose production and one of the best novel adaptations in cinema history.
3 Modern Times (1936)
United Artists
No list of great films from the 1930s would be complete without Charlie Chaplin. While big-name studios were turning from silent films to talkies, and black-and-white to color, Chaplin took his sweet time in coming around. By 1936, he was ready, at last, to make a partial talkie with Modern Times. Both a satire of industrial working conditions and a stunt-filled romantic comedy, it’s one of the highest achievements of Chaplin’s career. More politicized than much of his earlier work, it asks its audience to consider the plights of the downtrodden, the overworked, and the orphaned.
2 M (1931)
Vereinigte Star-Film GmbH
By the time 1931 rolled around, German filmmaker Fritz Lang had already revolutionized the industry with his science-fiction epic, Metropolis. His follow-up masterpiece, M, is a film of much smaller scale, but it is an awe-inspiring production in other ways. Lang’s first sound picture, it’s held together by an impassioned, nervous performance by Peter Lorre, who plays the film’s central serial killer figure. You will hardly find a crime thriller today that does not owe, to some degree, its existence to the great M.
1 City Lights (1931)
United Artists
Our pick for the greatest movie of the 1930s is Charlie Chaplin’s City Lights. Though a silent film, it surpasses every talkie from the decade in conjuring emotion. It’s likely that won’t reach the credits without shedding at least a few tears. The film follows Chaplin’s iconic “Tramp” character, who meets a beautiful, blind flower girl. In an effort to help her with her condition, the Tramp picks up a job to help pay for an eye operation, though he will eventually make far greater sacrifices to achieve this goal. However simple its setup, City Lights is a near-perfect work of cinematic art, and one of the most moving stories ever put to film.
