1930s

  • Jinchuan Duan – Barkhor nan jie 16 hao (1996)

    1991-2000ChinaDocumentaryJinchuan Duan

    No.16, Barkhor Street is an old courtyard in the heart of Lhasa and the site of the office of the Barkhor Neighborhood Committee. This masterful cinema verité documentary, the landmark work in the history of independent documentaries about Tibet, provides is a photographic study of rich insight into the basic workings of government in Tibet as it that follows the local Party Secretary, Deputy Director, Director for Women’s Affairs, and Community Policeman, among others, as they implement official policies and manage neighborhood affairs.
    – Maysles Documentary CenterRead More »

  • William A. Seiter – The Life of the Party (1937)

    1931-1940ComedyUSAWilliam A. Seiter

    Plot Synopsis by Sandra Brennan
    In this musical comedy, an irresponsible young heir is betrothed to the singing daughter of a wealthy matron.

    Unfortunately, the willful young is not even slightly interested in her “fiance,” preferring the attentions of another instead. Unfortunately, the other man has a big problem. Though he really loves the girl, he will lose his $3 million inheritance if he marries her before the age of 30. Complicating matters is the private detective assigned to keep him from getting to involved with women such as the heroine.Read More »

  • Nick Grinde – The Man They Could Not Hang (1939)

    1931-1940ClassicsHorrorNick GrindeUSA

    When Dr. Savaard’s experiment in cryonics is interrupted by the short-sighted authorities, his volunteer dies, and he is condemned to death. He vows vengeance if he can survive his own hanging.Read More »

  • Nutsa Gogoberidze – Ujmuri AKA Cheerless (1934)

    Drama1931-1940Nutsa GogoberidzeSilentUSSR

    Summary from the dafilms website:
    The silent film shot in 1934 narrates in detail the severe process of eviction of the population and their fierce struggle against the swamp in Mengralian marshland of Georgia…

    According to the legend the deity of the swamp Ujmuri drags down to its bosom anyone who dares come near. And the best of them are forced to marry her. Kavtar and Tsiru fell in love with each other and started their battle to dry up the swamp. Everyone who believes the legend is against it, including Tsiru’s father.Read More »

  • Roy Del Ruth – Taxi! (1932)

    1931-1940CrimeDramaRoy Del RuthUSA

    Amidst a backdrop of growing violence and intimidation, independent cab drivers struggling against a consolidated juggernaut rally around hot-tempered Matt Nolan. Nolan is determined to keep competition alive on the streets, even if it means losing the woman he loves.Read More »

  • W.S. Van Dyke – Guilty Hands (1931)

    1931-1940ClassicsCrimeUSAW.S. Van Dyke

    Starring: Lionel Barrymore, Madge Evans, Kay Francis, C. Aubrey Smith, Polly Moran, Alan Mowbry

    Richard Grant (Barrymore) is a successful lawyer who believes that his many years of dealing with crime has taught him how to commit the perfect murder. He’s working for shady cad Gordon Rich (Mowbry) who informs Grant before a dinner party that he intends to marry his daughter, Barbara (Evans). Grant seethes with anger and, after dinner, kills Rich. It’s almost the perfect crime, but Rich’s troubled mistress Marjorie (Francis), becomes suspicious of Grant.Read More »

  • Jean Renoir – La Marseillaise [+ Commentary] (1938)

    Drama1931-1940FranceJean RenoirPolitics

    A film about the early part of the French Revolution, shown from the eyes of the citizens of Marseille, counts in German exile and, of course, the king Louis XVI, each showing their own small problems.Read More »

  • Aleksandr Dovzhenko – Ivan, Aerograd aka Frontier (The Cultural Heritage) [Disc 4] (1932 – 1935)

    Drama1931-1940Aleksandr DovzhenkoArthouseUSSR

    Ivan (1932)
    Cinemapoem about building of Dniproges (Dnieper Hydroelectric Station), about the fate of rural fellow which comes together with other boys and girls to build one of most buildings of socialist industrial construction. Narrates the language of the poetic cinema of O. Dovzhenko about the process of alteration of consciousness of rural fellow due to industrialization.
    Recipient of an award on ICF in Venice in 1934.Read More »

  • Aleksandr Dovzhenko, Yuliya Solntseva – Shchors AKA Shors (The Cultural Heritage) [Disc 5] (1939)

    Drama1931-1940Aleksandr DovzhenkoUSSRYuliya Solntseva

    The year is 1919. German troops retreat from Ukraine. The Directory, the Ukrainian national government lead by Symon Petliura, takes control of Kyiv. Meanwhile, the Bolshevik division commanded by Mykola Shchors is marching on the capital. The Bolsheviks capture the cities of Vinnytsia, Zhmerynka, and others one by one, but lose Berdychiv to Petliura’s forces. They are demoralized by the defeat. By his personal example of courage and military skill, Shchors inspires the retreating Red troops and leads them to victory over the enemy.Read More »

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