Category: 1930s

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Safe in Hell (1931)

In this Pre-Code film, Dorothy Mackaill accidentally murders the man who turned her toward prostitution, so her current love smuggles her away to the safety of a Caribbean island with no extradition. Unfortunately this island is anything but safe and there are wolves leering from every corner all while Mackaill’s character desperately waits for the day her boyfriend comes back to her. The tension here is palpable and all I could do was pray that somehow she could find sanctuary in a place that offered none.

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The Unholy Three (1930)

When the sideshow they work for is forced to close, the strongman, ventriloquist, and the Twenty Inch Man decide to join together to begin a life of crime. Lon Chaney stars as the ventriloquist in his first and only talkie, though being a remake of one of his earlier silent films, it may not offer anything new for his fans. I enjoyed the twists and turns when their criminal enterprise began to fall apart. Once again Lon Chaney is the man.

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Libeled Lady (1936)

I want to like Jean Harlow in films, but I have yet to find her in a role I’ve liked. William Powell, on the other hand, is generally a delight and he is particularly in this film as the friend who is enticed by a newspaper editor to both marry the editor’s fiancée and woo a socialite in order to prevent the socialite from suing the editor’s newspaper for libel. Myrna Loy is charming and beautiful as the socialite; she and Powell have great chemistry as usual. The plot is a convoluted screwball comedy, but that’s secondary to seeing those two stars together.   Best Picture Nomination

Oscar Nomination: Best Picture

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The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938)

Having watched the 1973 Tom Sawyer less than two months ago, it is difficult not to compare the two films. Tommy Kelly does an excellent job in the title role. The supporting cast is strong with the likes of Walter Brennan, Margaret Hamilton, May Robson, and Donald Meeks. The production is very colorful and lavish. Yet I still preferred the later version. This one seems to be missing some of the fun and joy that I’d expect from a family-friendly film.

Oscar Nomination: Best Art Direction

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Alexander’s Ragtime Band (1938)

With a love triangle as its backdrop, Alexander’s Ragtime Band attempts to tell the early history of jazz during the early parts of the 20th century, all through the music of Irving Berlin. The story is shallow, but the cast is fine, filled with the likes of Tyrone Power, Alice Faye, Ethel Merman, Don Ameche and Jack Haley. The music is the best part and the songs are catchy as all get out. Just reading the name of the film gets the title song stuck in my head.  Best Picture Nomination  Musical  Music

Oscar Win: Best Music, Scoring

Oscar Nominations: Best Picture; Best Writing, Original Story; Best Art Direction; Best Film Editing; Best Music, Original Song

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