1930s List Discussion and Suggestions (Lists Project Vol. 3)

[HerrSchreck]

I just thought that I would mention a movie that I only ever heard of and checked out because of a recommendation in an older thread here, but haven't noticed in this thread.

The Sin of Nora Moran...

This is a film that deserves a lot more attention, but until it gets it, it represents one of those private little corners of strange excellence in the most unlikely of places that one goes to from time to time to grab a fill of the unexpected, low budget Sublime. Impossible to articulate in sum what makes this film so excellent, but the unpredictability of its ambition is a good start. It's like walking into Greenhaven and seeing the finest shakespeare you've ever watched ringed with paper mache art direction and bare bulbs, and the uniqueness of the experience just makes it all the more memorable. It just catches you off guard moment by moment... despite-- in the case of the film-- the cornball nature of Zita Johann's delivery (I love her, but really, some of her work in this film is pure Karo). I'm also a big fan of Paul Cavanaugh for some reason I'm no entirely clear on, but probably has something to do with walking through and out of B flicks like Bride of the Gorilla with his dignity fully intact.

It's dvd partner Prison Train is nothing to sneer at either.

Tom, count me in as your comrade in seeing General Yen as my favorite Capra. The film blew me out of my seat while going through a little Stanwyk run over a couple of weeks. The slithering, lofty dignity of the general knocked my socks off.

Of course, if we're speaking of Gremillon, we shouldn't overlook his all-cylinders turning masterpiece, Gueule D'Amour, featuring what is in my mind Gabin's greatest turn..... just maybe.

Anything from Yamanaka kills me completely-- the man and his work, and what could have been. All three surviving films are just sublime, and amazing in how different they are-- in every facet of their execution far beyond mere genre.

As for gangster flicks, try and hunt up the searing Doorway To Hell (1930)-- and watch Lew Ayres defy all your expectations by bringing to life a totally believable, wry, fuck-you-I-don't-give-a-fuck crime boss going happily down in flames from the pinnacle of power after unsuccessfully trying to make a clean break with his balls and his fortune and his woman intact.

Then try a bit harder and dig up a super-tough-to-find Laemmle-Universal gangster flick (shot by Karl Freund) called Afraid To Talk/Merry Go Round (1932)... one of the nastiest affairs from the pre-code era.

The 30's are such rich hunting ground. Always something new to discover-- like Ozeps recently subbed affair Amok, which features some of the richest, lushest camera-exotica this side of TABU.

As for Renoir-- nuff said. When you watch films again and again because you find them so full of life you think they might turn out different with each watching, you know you've a director well-tuned into the rhythms of life and humanity. That's Renoir for me, and La Regle epitomizes this tendency viz his work.

[colinr0380]

It would be interesting to compare Rules of the Game with Boudu Saved From Drowning and La grande illusion in the way that they all seem to portray these kinds of tenuous communities brought together by mutual convenience/briefly coinciding agendas from slightly different angles.

Grand Illusion was the first Renoir film I saw and I remember (somewhat naively, I suppose!) thinking at the time that it was strange that our heroes attempt to escape from their various prisons. None of the camps they stay in are shown to have really harsh conditions and there are lots of nice community moments and even banter with their German guards. The officers are treated particularly well. But it is in the nature of the characters to try and escape from a restrictive culture (even if it is a relatively pleasantly portrayed one) for some form of freedom (even if it is a tenuous and problematic one, which brings out its own nasty vein of individualism and bigotry that up until that point had been subsumed under a common goal). It might be a nice dream of stability but is unsustainable in the long term - de Boeldieu and von Rauffenstein's friendship has to come to a deadly end (or on the other hand, finally gets consummated). And then the relationship that follows between Maréchal and the German woman at the farm offers him the same kind of bittersweet idea of home and family that also cannot be.

In Boudu the main character both destroys the middle-class family and aspires to become like them and the fascination is mutual, at least from the patriach of the family, but eventually Boudu is too much of a force of nature to get tied down and is off on his way again to destination unknown (much like his dog which disappears early in the film, Boudu slips away before it is too late to escape). I think Rules of the Game takes these kinds of character traits from the earlier films and interestingly spreads them throughout most of the characters at different points of the film, making it a much more complex work.

The possibilities of a different kind of life gets seductively dangled before a number of characters in these films and it is what they do with that promise that guides the film, either lightly strolling through the film without caring too much whether the situation they find themselves in comes to an end (Boudu); accepting the short term nature of their circumstances and making the best of them whilst making their own plans (La grande illusion); or hoping to create something more long lasting out of a brief promise or as a result of taking some casual remark or flirtation too seriously (Rules of the Game), which usually leads to despair and destruction.

[Murdoch]

Finally saw Au Bonheur des Dames and as of now it's my number one, Duvivier's adaptation of Zola's novel is like some anti-capitalist reimagining of It where the lead lands the rich business owner but instead of conquering and rising above her retail confines she succumbs to them, culminating in a near operatic finale where the characters fall one after another. The final act is devastating, and Duvivier has one hell of an eye - especially the montage when the Uncle completely loses it - and the building designs are breathtaking in their superstore monstrosity. Looking forward to watching more from Duvivier after this, any suggestions outside what's available in the US?

[Michael Kerpan]

Ooh, The Roaring Twenties is going to figure very highly on my list. The gangster film as Greek tragedy.

My favorite film of this sort -- by a wide margin. Another Walsh film that might make my list -- the widescreen version of Big Trail -- a bit clunky dramatically but visually (and logistically) a marvel.

[Tom Amolad]

In all this discussion of Renoir, I'm puzzled not to find a single mention of The Crime of M. Lange. No love for that one? Among its other pleasures is the amazing use Renoir makes of courtyard space, most spectacularly in that stunning shot where

SpoilerShow

the camera pans 360 degrees and picks up Lange just as he catches up with Batala and kills him, as though to implicate the entire courtyard in the decision.

Rarely are form and politics so excitingly implicated in each other.

For the record (and to be frightfully boring), my number one Renoir remains Rules of the Game. I can't think of any other movie that changes so radically for me each time I see it.

[Zazou dans le Metro]

Finally saw Au Bonheur des Dames and as of now it's my number one, Duvivier's adaptation of Zola's novel is like some anti-capitalist reimagining of It where the lead lands the rich business owner but instead of conquering and rising above her retail confines she succumbs to them, culminating in a near operatic finale where the characters fall one after another. The final act is devastating, and Duvivier has one hell of an eye - especially the montage when the Uncle completely loses it - and the building designs are breathtaking in their superstore monstrosity. Looking forward to watching more from Duvivier after this, any suggestions outside what's available in the US?

Try and track down 'La Belle Equipe' and watch Duvivier's pessimism dissolve the Popular Front ideal. (A similar trajectory could also apply to Renoir's charting of the dissipation of collectivism from M. Lange through to Rules). Gabin is on top form here and there are very Renoiresque pictorial flourishes along the riverside settings. Caveat: A Happy Ending version is also around courtesy of a japanese dvd release which the director did not approve of.

[myrnaloyisdope]

In all this discussion of Renoir, I'm puzzled not to find a single mention of The Crime of M. Lange. No love for that one?

I was thinking I had forgot about that one. I like it quite a bit too, although the narrative feels a bit jarring, as if some key sequence is missing. I love all the Arizona Jim stuff and Jules Berry is an incredible villain, like swear-at-the-TV-kind-of incredible.

[the preacher]

Try and track down 'La Belle Equipe' and watch Duvivier's pessimism dissolve the Popular Front ideal. (A similar trajectory could also apply to Renoir's charting of the dissipation of collectivism from M. Lange through to Rules). Gabin is on top form here and there are very Renoiresque pictorial flourishes along the riverside settings. Caveat: A Happy Ending version is also around courtesy of a japanese dvd release which the director did not approve of.

Actually the film was never released with the original (pessimistic) ending and the only copy available has German subtitles burnt in. It's a more elaborate ending (and with Charpin returning to scene). For me, Duvivier's masterpiece.

[Lemmy Caution]

In all this discussion of Renoir, I'm puzzled not to find a single mention of The Crime of M. Lange. No love for that one?

Yes, indeed. My favorite Renoir.
Was concerned by its absence in this discussion.
One of my favorite political films -- but I also love how much it's rooted in daily human concerns and attached to a certain place. Just the pinnacle of Renoir for me.

I guess I'm a bit of an oddball Renoir fan, as Rules of the Game and Grand Illusion just don't engage me, despite multiple viewings, some reading, etc.
But Toni is great; Boudu and Bete Humaine not far behind.
Did any director have a better 1930's than Renoir?

[Zazou dans le Metro]

Try and track down 'La Belle Equipe' and watch Duvivier's pessimism dissolve the Popular Front ideal. (A similar trajectory could also apply to Renoir's charting of the dissipation of collectivism from M. Lange through to Rules). Gabin is on top form here and there are very Renoiresque pictorial flourishes along the riverside settings. Caveat: A Happy Ending version is also around courtesy of a japanese dvd release which the director did not approve of.

Actually the film was never released with the original (pessimistic) ending and the only copy available has German subtitles burnt in. It's a more elaborate ending (and with Charpin returning to scene). For me, Duvivier's masterpiece.

Where do you get your information from? I have a copy without german burnt in subs (pessimistic version) and the Avant Scene screenplay takes that as the official version.(The Happy Ending being given as an addendum).
Patrick Brion's Cinema de Minuit series has also shown it a couple of times on French TV (in relatively recent times) in both versions as well but I don't know if the german subs were similarly burnt in. If so I don't know the provenance of my copy without them?

[the preacher]

Try and track down 'La Belle Equipe' and watch Duvivier's pessimism dissolve the Popular Front ideal. (A similar trajectory could also apply to Renoir's charting of the dissipation of collectivism from M. Lange through to Rules). Gabin is on top form here and there are very Renoiresque pictorial flourishes along the riverside settings. Caveat: A Happy Ending version is also around courtesy of a japanese dvd release which the director did not approve of.

Actually the film was never released with the original (pessimistic) ending and the only copy available has German subtitles burnt in. It's a more elaborate ending (and with Charpin returning to scene). For me, Duvivier's masterpiece.

Where do you get your information from? I have a copy without german burnt in subs (pessimistic version) and the Avant Scene screenplay takes that as the official version.(The Happy Ending being given as an addendum).
Patrick Brion's Cinema de Minuit series has also shown it a couple of times on French TV (in relatively recent times) in both versions as well but I don't know if the german subs were similarly burnt in. If so I don't know the provenance of my copy without them?

The happy ending was the producer's choice and the film was theatrically released in this way. The first public availability of the original ending was a VHS in the 1990s with both endings, the only copy came from the Swiss Film Archive (I think) and it had German subtitles. I have a copy shown by French TV and it has the German subs on those 9 minutes too.
Do you have a preference for one of them?

[Murdoch]

Thanks for the suggestion, Zazou, it's shameless how little Gabin I've seen and the mere idea of him and Duvivier together has me drooling.

[knives]

Thanks for the suggestion, Zazou, it's shameless how little Gabin I've seen and the mere idea of him and Duvivier together has me drooling.

Pépé le moko

[Murdoch]

That one's been in my kevyip forever, after Au Bonheur and my newfound Duvivier love I'll be getting to it tonight (hopefully)

[swo17]

Any recommendations for lesser known pre-code films apart from those in the three Forbidden Hollywood volumes and the set from Universal?

Less adventurously, what films from these pre-code sets come most highly recommended (other than Waterloo Bridge)?

[Murdoch]

Baby Face from the first set is great, the uncut version is so outwardly sexual that even by today's standards it's extremely risqué. If anything it's likely the only film you'll see where Nietzsche leads a woman to sexual deviancy!

[domino harvey]

Re: pre-code highlights: I just watched the Divorcee for the Best Picture list and it's good. Reminds you that Robert Montgomery's star at present is reduced to shining only on TCM in those dozens of movies he made this decade that aren't out on DVD, though

[knives]

Like I said before the Poe adaptations(especially Black Cat) are the best non-Whale films Universal had in the '30s, but I also love Baby Face from the same set as Waterloo Bridge. It's basically a more vicious version of the film it shares a disk with and of course has one of Stanwyck's best performances. Also don't forget the remake of The Cheat. I'm still not sure if it's genuinely great or simply absurd.

[matrixschmatrix]

I just watched Black Cat last night, and I couldn't get past that early Hollywood sound-film stodginess- in part because every once in a while, you'd see some like the staircase or the Satanic ritual that really let Ulmer cut loose and go all expressionistic, all the scenes in which two people stood and talked to each other about silly things in front of a static camera felt like interruptions before the next good part.

I agree that Lugosi was unusually nuanced in it, though. It's also possible that I have to watch more Universal horror before I get a real feel for what's good and what's bad within the genre.

[myrnaloyisdope]

From the Forbidden Hollywood - Wellman boxset, Heroes for Sale is a brilliant encapsulation of the joys of pre-code William A. Wellman, where he manages to deal with WWI, drug addiction, labor strife, the consequences of mechanization, communism, poverty and the "end of America" in the span of 70 minutes without feeling rushed. I have no idea how the man could make 7 films a year and make them at interesting and often great.

Frisco Jenny has a dynamite performance by Ruth Chatterton, with a really powerful closing sequence.

Wild Boys of the Road is marred a bit by the ending, but it's a pretty powerful depiction of the streams of displaced young people forced to ride the rails during the depression. The film also features some marvellous cinematography.

[HerrSchreck]

For Duviv fans, do N O T miss the achingly beautiful Poil de carotte .. just as good as it gets. I'm also a sucker for his version of The Golem-- this outside of the usuals already mentioned plus La Bandera, The Phantom Chariot, and-- for those fans of Ren's La Nuit du carrefour-- La tête d'un homme, which is another Maigret flick. And on the same plane of excellence as the Ren.

Of course, the early sound Pabsts... the late German and early US Langs-- for the latter the searingly bitter Fury and You Only Live Once are just outstanding for me, and really set the table for the ways and means for the best of Lang still to come (a la the Diana Prod. pics). Then you get the magnificent Feyders like Le Grande Jeu, Carnival In Flanders, etc. The Carnes-- Port of Shadows, Jenny, Jour se leve, Hotel du Nord.

I'm a huge fan of The Black Cat-- I mention this since it's the first time I've heard a nay-say on The Black Cat, but to each his own. I'm a huge fan of all the Universal horror films from the 30's. I don't think there's one I dislike, if only as a time-passer. I love the lesser known stuff like The INvisible Ray, Werewolf of London, Tower of London, Son of Frankenstein, Drac's Daughter. I adore The Ghoul, which Karloff made in the UK in '33... a very strange film with a flumpy narrative, but shot so beautifully by the DP of Pandora's Box that it's flaws fade for me. Pure Halloween Eye Candy... I feel cold October breezes whistling thru the graveyard and down my neck when I watch that film. White Zombie is another, bearing one of Lugosi's finest performances... or at least demonstration of his incredible charisma.

All the UK Tod Slaughter films (particularly with George King), most especially Murder In The Red Barn, Crimes of Stephen Hawke, the nasty Never Too Late To Mend, and--my fave of the bunch-- The Face At The Window.

Christ, I could go on and on... there could be no end. Mamoulian's City Streets and Jekyll/Hyde... Busby Berkley, all the Sternbergs including An American Tragedy and the Lorre Crime & Punishment, which I love. A bunch of Dieterle's.

Every single movie in the WB Legends of Horror box-- Devil Doll, Dr. X, Return of Dr X, Mask of Fu Manchu, Mark of the Vampire.... and, one of my favorite films of all time---- M A D L O V E.

[matrixschmatrix]

Fury is top tier Lang to me- though the classics, M, Scarlet Street, The Big Heat etc. are probably a notch above it, I would put it broadly in the same category- and it's probably my favorite Spencer Tracy performance of all time.

Though I don't know that it will appear on my (or anyone's) list, Liliom is another 30s Lang worth checking out, if only from an auteurist perspective- it's a really interesting gateway between German and American Lang, and also sort of noteworthy as a plot most people know from Rogers and Hammerstein's Carousel. Apparently, it was also one Lang himself was really fond of at the end of his life.

[myrnaloyisdope]

I love 1930's Lang, it's his best decade for me. M is on my very short list of "best films ever", yet it's my third favorite Lang of the decade. I adore You Only Live Once, something about it just gets me everytime. Fury is pretty incredible and even an ill conceived and executed finale doesn't do much to undermine the power of the rest of the film. You and Me is worth watching just for the weirdness of it all. There is no film like it in Lang's catalog, it's weird quasi-musical, love story and gangster picture that never really decides what it wants to be. But it is worth it to watch Sylvia Sidney drop some knowledge to a bunch of crooks on why crime doesn't pay. Jeez, she's adorable.

Liliom is a lot of fun as well, I really Charles Boyer in the lead. Be sure to grab the Carousel DVD, which includes this as a special feature in a much nicer print than the Kino release.

I only recently watched Dr. Mabuse, and though I found it uneven I thought it pretty great as well. The opening sequence is a brilliant and harrowing interplay of jarring sounds. It never quite lives up to that sequence, but it holds its own the rest of the way.

[knives]

I couldn't have said it better Herr, Mad Love is genuinely one of the best American films of all time, but I guess that's true of the era on the whole. While I forgot to delve into it earlier my personal favorite of the less than greats is Invisible Ray which first and foremost is massively entertaining. Both leads are astoundingly restrained(I don't think Lugosi cackles once)so at first it seems stiff, but I think this time restrained actually does work to the benefit of the movie. Of course the story itself is kind of amazing pre-dating Hiroshima and the aids epidemic, but it could easily be treated as a metaphor or rather prediction of both things. The climax is one of the best displays of emotion I've seen by Karloff and it's on par with Goldblum in The Fly(a remake that thematically has more to do with this than the film it actually comes from)

[Mr Sausage]

I love the lesser known stuff like The INvisible Ray, Werewolf of London, Tower of London, Son of Frankenstein, Drac's Daughter.

I'll pimp Son of Frankenstein because it's bound to be overlooked amidst its more revered predecessors. The art direction is fantastic (there's this grotesquely overlarge and oddly-shaped wooden stair case planted in the middle of a mostly empty room that I'll never forget) and the atmosphere suitably fog-shrouded and cobble-stoned in that part Victorian, part Bavarian, part nowhere, fantasy-land Universal concocted. Of course the acting is marvelously entertaining: Lugosi is deliciously phlegm-throated as the broken-necked Slav, Ygor. His dialogue is pretty cracked, too: "they die...dead! He dies...live!" The other stand-out is the always reliable Lionel Atwill, this time playing a one-armed police detective who, when playing darts, keeps the extras stuck in his wooden arm. The back-and-forth between him and Rathbone is great stuff. Karloff is underused, yes, but he gets two great scenes: the first, a touching scene where he drags Wolf Frankenstein in front of a mirror and sadly compares his own misshapen face to a normal human's; the second, an expression of piercing grief that I won't spoil, but it goes from child-like confusion to shattering pain in a second. It stands out because it's not played in the style usual for the period.

I doubt the movie will make any lists, but see it anyway, it's much fun.

As for Werewolf of London, I think Werner Oland makes that movie. He just brings so many weird and sad shades to his character. Everyone else is played fairly predictably, but Oland brings this quiet pathos to his 'Mysterious Easterner' type that's unexpected. There's this wonderful scene where he banters happily with his cleaning lady and suddenly this fleeting look of pain and remorse breaks over his face, and he looks weakly at the single antidote-flower remaining on his desk. You realize in that instant that he loves the little woman and knows what that means for her. That bit lends complex motivations to his actions throughout the movie and makes him something more than a simple antagonist.

There's really good stuff to be found in the 'lesser' Universals of this and the next period. They won't make your lists, I'm sure, but if you look in the corners of these films you'll always find something to surprise and delight.