The Critical Hits of 1930-1934

[myrnaloyisdope]

I just finished reading a book called Pre-Code Hollywood, by Thomas Doherty. The book is quite at placing the films of the pre-code era in a political and social context, and I would recommend it. Anyway one of the fascinating things in the book is the list of contemporary critics 10 best filmsas provided by Film Daily for the years 1930-1934. It's interesting to see what was highly esteemed at the time. Anyway I though I would list them here. They are ranked in order from 1 to 10.

1930
All Quiet on the Western Front
Abraham Lincoln
Holiday
Journey's End
Anna Christie
The Big House
With Byrd at the South Pole
The Divorcee
Hell's Angels
Old English

1931
Cimarron
Street Scene
Skippy
Bad Girl
Min and Bill
The Front Page
Five Star Final
City Lights
A Free Soul
The Sin of Madelon Claudet

1932
Grand Hotel
The Champ
Arrowsmith
The Guardsman
Smilin' Through
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Emma
A Bill of Divorcement
Back Street
Scarface

1933
Cavalcade
42nd Street
The Private Life of Henry VIII
Lady for a Day
State Fair
A Farewell to Arms
She Done Him Wrong
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
Maedchen in Uniform
Rasputin and the Empress

1934
The Barretts of Wimpole Street
The House of Rothchild
It Happened One Night
One Night of Love
Little Women
The Thin Man
Viva, Villa!
Dinner at Eight
The Count of Monte Cristo
Berkeley Square