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1930s motion pictures: The Golden Age
A lot of people believe that the 1930s marked the beginning of the golden age of cinema. The Motion Picture Production Code, Hollywood’s self-censorship mechanism that guaranteed movies adhered to a particular moral standard, was in full effect during that time. Despite receiving a lot of flak, it was a useful tool for making sure movies were appropriate for the whole family. The fact that some of the greatest movies ever made were produced in accordance with the Code proves how beneficial moral guidelines are to the production of excellent movies.

The 1930 film All Quiet on the Western Front has more explicit content, including violence and adult scenarios.

Lewis Milestone, director An intense and challenging reading of the well-known novel detailing the experiences of a young German soldier in World War I. [Warning: violent military content.]

The material in Public Enemy (1931) is more mature and includes violence and adult situations.

William Wellman directed the film, which starred James Cagney. As a teenage criminal advances through the Chicago underworld’s ranks, a violent mob war could break out due to the unintentional death of a gangster. [CAUTION: violence by gangs]

1933’s Duck Soup

Directed by The Marx Brothers – Possibly the best-known Marx Brothers movie, Groucho uses Chico and Harpo to help him assume the presidency of a small nation, and soon after, mayhem breaks out.

That Was One Night in 1934.

Frank Capra directed the film, which starred Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert. Ranked among the best romantic comedies, it establishes the benchmark for all subsequent “rom-coms.” A man who is actually a reporter in need of a story helps a spoilt heiress who is fleeing her home. An absolute joy.

1934’s The Scarlet Pimpernel

Harold Young was the director of this first motion picture adaptation, which starred Leslie Howard and Merle Oberon as the renowned vigilante who saves aristocrats from the guillotine’s blade.

There is more mature content in The Thin Man (1934), including violence and explicit situations.

William Powell and Myrna Loy appear in this Van Dyke-directed film, which is based partially on Dashiell Hammett’s characters. Nick and Nora Charles, a former detective and his wealthy, vivacious wife, look into a murder case primarily for amusement. This was the first in a long line of entertaining Thin Man movies, nearly all of which are hilarious.

There is more mature content in The 39 Steps (1935), including adult scenarios and violent scenes.

One of Alfred Hitchcock’s greatest films, directed by him, follows a guy in London who tries to assist a counterespionage agent. However, once the agent is slain and the man is implicated, he has to flee in order to protect himself and foil a spy ring that is attempting to obtain top-secret material.

1937’s The Grand Illusion

Jean Renoir, the director; in French with English subtitles My personal favorite movie by the legendary filmmaker, who was also a well-known French painter’s son. Two French troops are taken prisoner in a German POW camp during the First World War. They make multiple efforts to flee before being sent to what appears to be an impregnable castle from which there is no way out. (Note: When necessary, subtitles are provided in French, German, and English.)

Godfrey, My Man (1936)

William Powell and Carole Lombard feature in this amusing romantic comedy directed by Gregory La Cava, which is reminiscent of the well-known “screwball comedies” of the 1930s. A homeless person is employed as the household butler by a careless socialite.However, Godfrey is more complex than first appears.

Raising a Child (1938)

Howard Hawks is the director. Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant appear. A bewildered paleontologist is being chased by a flighty and frequently irritable heiress and her pet leopard, “Baby,” while he is attempting to get a $1 million donation for his museum. An additional entertaining screwball comedy.

1938’s The Lady Vanishes

A wealthy young playgirl discovers that an old woman appears to have vanished from the train while traveling through continental Europe in this film, which was directed by Alfred Hitchcock, a lesser-known great Hitchcock.

The material of Stagecoach (1939) is more explicit and includes violence and adult situations.

John Ford directed the film, which starred John Wayne. It was one of John Ford’s best movies and established the tone for the traditional western. The threat posed by Geronimo complicates a party of travelers’ stagecoach journey, but they also discover something about one another along the way. Though nothing happens at night, one of the characters portrays a “lady of the night.” It is implied that she is merely riding the stagecoach, and one wonders what her true occupation is.)

There is more mature content in Wuthering Heights (1939), such as violence or adult situations.

Under William Wyler’s direction, A visitor is told the tragic story of Heathcliff and Cathy by a servant at the Wuthering Heights home. This is the traditional film adaptation of the book.

Mr. Chips, good bye (1939)

Behind the camera: Sam Wood A touching story with an English setting. An elderly educator (and former boarding school headmaster) looks back on his professional and personal life over the years. It will be very entertaining if your kids have studied Latin.