So now we have gone from five Best Picture nominations to eight. I don’t know why it skyrocketed to that many films, but that just means it’s going to be a harder job watching even more films for this retrospective. But honestly, I think this list of nominees is way better than the year before. Most of the movies nominated are pretty good and are all different, in a good way. You’ve got comedy/musicals, heavy dramas, scandalous stories, and feel-good films that all work pretty well. And thanks to the increase in nominations, smaller movies were able to sneak in and surprise me. Which is good because I needed a string of good movies after the boring years of 1930/1931.
1.Grand Hotel (1932):
This is a simple, yet very effective movie. We follow a a ton of people with their own stories set in a stylish European hotel. And that’s it for the plot. This is a movie about its characters and the setting and story are all background for its cast to bounce off of. What’s so odd is that this movie was only nominated for Best Picture. It got no directing nomination, no acting nominations for its huge cast, yet still won Best Picture of this year. I don’t know, it seems really weird to me. Especially since this has a star studded cast of all the big names of the early 1930s like Greta Garbo, John and Lionel Barrymore, Joan Crawford, and a ton of other actors that seem very familiar to classic movie fans. I like this film a lot thanks to its huge cast, great writing, and solid direction. I liked almost all the characters and they all had unique stories to tell. There are a few dull moments, mostly with Garbo and John Barrymore’s characters, but I still think this is a really solid character study of a film. Of course, I am a fan of movies with large casts of characters so my pick for the winner here is a bit biased. But trust me, if you like really good writing and acting, this movie will not disappoint.
2.Shanghai Express (1932):
Now we’re getting into the risky Pre-Code movies. Set during a civil war in China, a British officer reconnects with his old girlfriend, who has become a prostitute known as Shanghai Lily. While traveling together, the train they’re traveling on is attacked by Chinese rebels by the command of the rebel leader on board. A lot happens in this movie that would not happen just a few years later once the Hayes Code is enforced. Prostitution, sexual assault, murder, torture, rebellion, are all on display in this story. While a lot of it you don’t see because, even in the Pre-Code era, you still couldn’t show things like sex and torture, the fact that it’s implied makes this a dark story. The expertly done direction and sharp writing make this story pretty intense. It’s almost like a noir film, before noir was even a thing. Aside from the forced happy ending, which is prevalent throughout most films of this era, it’s still a pretty heavy, stylish Pre-Code film. Also, Marlene Dietrich and Anna May Wong are sexy as hell, so yeah, check this one out.
3.The Champ (1931):
Now this a movie that tugs on your heartstrings and earns your tears. It’s about a washed up, drunken, gambling addicted boxer who has a plucky little son who loves him dearly. When the boys mother comes back into their lives wanting to take the boy away, the boxer does everything in his power to keep his son with him. This story has all the crazy feels. A washed up boxer with a heart of gold, a cute kid hanging on his every word, tons of drama, and a sports movie is also happening. What carries the story is the father and son dynamic. The kid is so cute and it’s sad, yet heartwarming seeing his father trying to do his best for his son. And it has a tragic as hell ending that might bring a tear to your eye. Sure, it’s playing to your emotions, but it’s done so well that you get sucked into the story and character drama. If you like to cry at the end of movies, this will be it for you.
4.Five Star Final (1931):
Now here’s a story that is cynical, depressing, dark, and just my cup of tea. The “New York Evening Gazette” needs to increase their sales. Editor Joseph Randall (Edward G. Robinson) is forced to reopen a 20-year-old murder case where a woman shoots the father of her child for being unfaithful to her. But Randall starts to question the ethics of this case and this story. It’s a hard hitting movie about how newspapers will do anything to increase their paper sales, the ethics of uncovering an old story despite what the victims have to say, and what that does to a person mentally as they feel they have gone down a dark rabbit hole they can’t get out of. And again, it deals with dark subjects like infidelity, suicide, and murder, that you didn’t see very often in movies of this era. Robinson is the perfect choice to play this hard hitting editor who gets in way too deep into this story. And it has a great ending that doesn’t feel like a cop-out. This one surprised me with how good it really was.
5.The Smiling Lieutenant (1931):
This is a pretty funny, tongue and cheek, musical/comedy. A simple wink starts a love triangle between an Austrian palace guard, his girlfriend, and the princess of the country. Comedy and musical numbers ensue. But seriously, this isn’t a bad comedy at all. It has that Ernst Lubitsch flare of stylish direction, comedic timing, European flare, and snarky yet believable characters are all on full display in this movie. Don’t take the plot seriously as the film doesn’t expect you too. Just enjoy the ride and the musical numbers.
6.Bad Girl (1931):
You know, for a title like this, you would think it would be more risqué. But it’s really a basic melodrama. The story follows a woman named Dorothy (Sally Eilers) who falls in love with a radio salesman and the two end up getting married. But problems arise when she gets pregnant and his radio business is going under. The two have to figure out a way to keep their marriage together. It’s a pretty standard melodrama with lots of fighting, monologues about marriage and love, misunderstandings that turn into trouble for the two, and a whole host of drama that could easily be resolved if anyone talked to each other like normal humans. But despite that, this movie isn’t bad. It kept my interest as bad melodramas are like jangling keys for most people. If you can stomach that, you might enjoy this film.
7.One Hour with You (1932):
Lubitsch was on a role this year, I’m telling you. This one is about a doctor with a lot of female clients who are jealous that he is already married. But things get complicated when his wife’s best friend comes into the picture and tries to seduce him. It’s nothing special and the musical numbers and comedy are all pretty standard for a Lubitsch film. It’s not as strong in the story department like The Smiling Lieutenant was, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s a decent comedy/musical from the early 1930s.
8.Arrowsmith (31):
This movie is about a doctor who wants to save people. That’s really it as far as plot goes. It’s a character study about a man who constantly has to choose between duty to his job and a duty to his family. A lot goes on in this story as this doctor can do anything from curing epidemics, to creating shots for other diseases, to being hailed as one of the smartest men in the country. If you like stories about doctors and drama, you might get something out of it. Me, I thought it was meh. I probably won’t remember it anytime soon. But it’s crazy to see that we went from subpar movies form last year, to having mostly really good movies this year. Hopefully, the Academy can keep this streak of hits up.
Movies for 20 Somethings 