1930s Challenge (Official, February 2019)

[72allinncallme]

The 1930s Challenge


Goal:
Watch as many movies from the 1930s as possible (from February 1, 2019 to February 28, 2019).

Rules:
- All movies from 1930-1939 are eligble.
- A feature film (anything 40 minutes or over) counts as one entry.
- A total of 60 minutes of short films count as one entry.
- For Mini-Series (40 minute episodes or longer) each episode counts as an entry.
- For Mini-Series with shorter episodes, the 60 minute rule applies.
- Rewatches allowed.


Stuck for ideas of what to watch? Look no further:

Official iCM list:
1930s (IMDB)


Unofficial iCM lists
iCM Forum's Top 250 Films of the 1930s
The Most Popular Movies From the 30s
The 3rd Academy Awards 1931 (some movies from 1929 there)
The 4th Academy Awards 1932
The 5th Academy Awards 1933
The 6th Academy Awards 1934
The 7th Academy Awards 1935
The 8th Academy Awards 1936
The 9th Academy Awards 1937
The 10th Academy Awards 1938
The 11th Academy Awards 1939
The 12th Academy Awards 1940

Unchecked movies from each of the 10 years, sorted by # of offic…Show

1930: https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/unc ... ear%3A1930
1931: https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/unc ... ear%3A1931
1932: https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/unc ... ear%3A1932
1933: https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/unc ... ear%3A1933
1934: https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/unc ... ear%3A1934
1935: https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/unc ... ear%3A1935
1936: https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/unc ... ear%3A1936
1937: https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/unc ... ear%3A1937
1938: https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/unc ... ear%3A1938
1939: https://www.icheckmovies.com/movies/unc ... ear%3A1939

Not sure how to format your post? Check out the Basic rules thread.


Participants:
01. jdidaco 75
02. jeroeno 49
03. psychotronicbeatnik 46
04. flavo5000 45
05. St. Gloede 38
06. RogerTheMovieManiac88 29
07. albajos 28
08. India Istanbul 27
09. sol 24
10. frbrown 23
10. maxwelldeux 23
12. Nathan Treadway 16
12. peeptoad 16
14. ororama 15
14. sebby 15
16. clemmetarey 13
16. Simba63 13
18. OldAle1 10
18. weirdboy 10
20. Daviddoes 9
21. 72allinncallme 7
21. Opio 7
23. nimimerkillinen 6
23. VincentPrice 6
25. 3eyes 5
25. hurluberlu 5
25. Lonewolf2003 5
28. Eva_L 4
28. Hunziker 4
30. blocho3
30. cinephage 3
30. PUNQ 3
30. Tarris1 3
34. allisoncm 2
34. Coryn 2
34. Mate_cosido 2
34. RBG 2
34. vortexsurfer 2
34. zzzorf 2
40. Knaldskalle 1
40. mightysparks 1

[albajos]

Updated table on all previous 1930s challenges (There has only been one)
viewtopic.php?p=527188#p527188

And a reminder that we have a Triple challenge running
viewtopic.php?p=552574
For February there are no triples possible though, so keep on posting those doubles

[peeptoad]

[maxwelldeux]

And a reminder that we have a Triple challenge running
viewtopic.php?p=552574
For February there are no triples possible though, so keep on posting those doubles

Thanks for confirming the no triples thing next month, albajos.

And thanks for hosting, 72!

[3eyes]

Maybe we should get them to give a retrospective Foreign-language Oscar to Xiao wanyi / Little toys (China 33, silent)
well, it's a double anyhow.

In (sort of)

[VincentPrice]

In

[Tarris1]

Should be able to get in quite a few, been neglecting the '30s for some months now.

[Coryn]

Will be focusing on the Academy Award Challenge but will get some of the 30's in my watchlist in order to keep my triple challenge going.

[jeroeno]

Oh yeah I won this one back in 2012. I have about 60 films in my backlog so will try to watch those, 36 will be my main goal.

[Nathan Treadway]

Modestly in, but, my focus will be Oscars. I want to finish the IMDb 1930s list (4 to go) and clear my 1930s section of my watchlist (about a dozen, including a handful of Oscar winners). So, I'm going to shoot for about 20.

[Knaldskalle]

In, have no idea for how many, though.

[Hunziker]

In. Aiming for 30 something.

[sol]

Always fun to be the first to post.

It starts!

1. Dead End (1937)



Released at Sylvia Sidney's career peak (having appeared in Fury and Sabotage one year before), she expectedly shines here, even with some leaden dialogue (going on again and again about her brother being a good kid). Humphrey Bogart is strong too in an early near-lead role as a local gangster. Neither of them unfortunately have that much screen time though as the film keeps focuses on her teen brother and his annoyingly squeaky-voiced friends, none of whom are likeable in the least. Gregg Toland's Oscar nominated camerawork is very nice though.

[albajos]

Always fun to be the first to post.

Maybe I should move to Christmas Island

[sol]

Always fun to be the first to post.

Maybe I should move to Christmas Island

I think you would do better moving to New Zealand. Almost midnight (i.e. almost February 2nd) there.

[Tarris1]

1. The Most Dangerous Game (1932) 6/10
Not bad, but not particularly exciting

[psychotronicbeatnik]

1. The Divorcee (1930 / Robert Z. Leonard) FTV 6+/10 {4 noms, 1 win / Double}
2. Suzy (1936 / George Fitzmaurice) FTV 7+/10 {1 nom, 0 wins / Double}

30somethingsShow

1. The Divorcee (1930 / Robert Z. Leonard) FTV 6+/10 {4 noms, 1 win / Double}
2. Suzy (1936 / George Fitzmaurice) FTV 7+/10 {1 nom, 0 wins / Double}

[72allinncallme]

1. Gjest Baardsen (1939)

[albajos]

01. You Can't Take It with You (1938) USA 5 official lists 3 304 checks [double]
02. Grand Hotel (1932) USA 4 official lists 2 766 checks [double]
03. Dead End (1937) USA 4 official lists 756 checks [double]
04. Holiday (1938) USA 5 official lists 2 032 checks [double]
05. The Black Cat (1934) USA 6 official lists 2 256 checks

Off. list progress
+1 1930s (80,0%)

!seen 5

[Nathan Treadway]

1. Spawn of the North (1938)
2. Ukikusa monogatari (1934)
3. Midnight (1939)

1/2 way through one of my goals (Platinum on the 1930s list. 2 down, 2 to go!)

[Simba63]

In for a dozen or so:

01. Ninjô kami fûsen (1937) - 7/10

[jdidaco]

Thank you for hosting, 72!

It all starts with a close-up of Arletty's lips ('Un chien qui rapporte') and continues with, to borrow a phrase Graham Greene used for another Gréville, a masterpiece of "camera sense and atmosphere of starved sexuality" ('Remous'),



1. Un chien qui rapporte (A Dog That Fetches, Jean Choux, 1932) 8/10
2. Histoire du soldat inconnu (Story of the Unknown Soldier, Henri Storck, 1932) 9/10 (11 min), Affaire classée (Case Closed, Charles Vanel, 1932) 7/10 (23 min), Amour et publicité (Love & Advertising, Leo Mittler, 1933) 8/10 (26 min) (Total: 60 min)
3. Remous (Whirlpool, Edmond T. Gréville, 1935) 10/10

[mightysparks]

I filtered out films from the 1930s on 4+ lists on TSZDT that might come in handy for this challenge.. https://www.icheckmovies.com/lists/tszd ... htysparks/

Was hoping for a bit of a watchlist, but there's only 10 I haven't seen

[sol]

I filtered out films from the 1930s on 4+ lists on TSZDT that might come in handy for this challenge.. https://www.icheckmovies.com/lists/tszd ... htysparks/

Was hoping for a bit of a watchlist, but there's only 10 I haven't seen

I'll definitely be working on the 1930s TSZDT films in my blind this month. Similarly, I'll focus on the unseen stuff from the list for the 1940s and 1950s Challenges. I'll get a Silver award on that list one of these days, one of these days!

[sol]

Zero Dark ThirtiesShow

1. Dead End (1937)

2. Chun Can (1933)



This silent film from China follows the plight and hardships of a family of silkworm farmers. The patriarch is very superstitious and conflict comes as he argues about whether to spend the family's negligible savings on rice for themselves or leaves for the silkworms. Unfortunately, few of the characters are well developed or likeable. The insight into silkworm farming is rather interesting though, and with some luscious tracking shots over the family at work and well distributed close-ups, this may have well worked better as a documentary on the subject.

[sebby]

01 forbidden
02 little caesar

SpoilerShow

01 forbidden
02 little caesar

[jeroeno]

01. Come and Get It (1936)
02. Acciaio (1933)

[sol]

Zero Dark ThirtiesShow

1. Dead End (1937)
2. Chun Can (1933)

3. Svengali (1931)



Made up to look like Rasputin and sporting a thick accent, John Barrymore certainly provides a memorable turn, and donning glowing contact lenses, his stares into the camera as he hypnotises are downright eerie. Barrymore never quite lets us under his character's skin though and the boyfriend of the singer he hypnotises is simply lifeless, so I had nobody to root for here. The film certainly looks good with expressionistic sets and divine camerawork - in particular, a shot that is made up to look like a single take from one window to another across town.

[PUNQ]

Been a while since I participated in a challenge, but here's one right up my alley. Unfortunately I'm "finished" with the 30s (currently working on the year 1943), so I'm not going to be a contender, but new finds from the 1930s always pops up, so it'll be interesting to see just how many unwatched 30s films turns up on a average month.




1. The Rainmakers (1935, Fred Guiol) - 7/10
--- It's with great sadness I watch Wheeler & Woolsey's The Rainmakers (1935), for it means I've seen them all and I'll never going to find a new one from this great comic duo. At least for me they go out with a bang! An explosive train rush for the sake of bringing rain to the poor farmers. One of the most action-packed comedies they ever did. But don't worry, there is time for a little sweetness between Bert and Dorothy Lee too. I'm gonna miss those guys....




2. Hej-rup! [Heave Ho!] (1934, Martin Fric) - 7/10
--- One of Martin Fric's funniest! And it's without Czechoslovakia's funniest man Vlasta Burian! Instead it's George Voskovec & Jan Werich teaming almost like a Laurel & Hardy duo in a movie filled with wonderful slapstick humor which would fit right in with their American counterparts. Of course I'd love it!




3. Goldie Gets Along (1933, Malcolm St. Clair) - 4/10
--- Something is wrong when I'm rooting for everyone else than Goldie Lili Damita. Goldie Gets Along (1933) does have it's quirks, but I found some of it corny in a good way too. Not for Damita though, for her career went downhill fast after this.

SpoilerShow

1. The Rainmakers (1935, Fred Guiol) - 7/10
2. Hej-rup! [Heave Ho!] (1934, Martin Fric) - 7/10
3. Goldie Gets Along (1933, Malcolm St. Clair) - 4/10

[hurluberlu]

1. Block-heads (John G. Blystone, 1938) 6+

[peeptoad]

1. The Ghoul (1933) 6
2. The Human Monster (1939) 6

[Simba63]

I filtered out films from the 1930s on 4+ lists on TSZDT that might come in handy for this challenge.. https://www.icheckmovies.com/lists/tszd ... htysparks/

Was hoping for a bit of a watchlist, but there's only 10 I haven't seen

I did the same thing when building my watchlist for this challenge.

[72allinncallme]

2. Chanson d'Armor (1934)

SpoilerShow

1. Gjest Baardsen (1939)
2. Chanson d'Armor (1934)

[psychotronicbeatnik]

3. King of Jazz (1930 / John Murray Anderson) 7+/10 {1 nom, 1 win / Double}
4. A Free Soul (1931 / Clarence Brown) FTV 7+/10 {3 noms, 1 win / Double}
5. Grand Hotel (1932 / Edmund Goulding) 8+/10 {1 nom, 1 win / Double}

30somethingsShow

1. The Divorcee (1930 / Robert Z. Leonard) FTV 6+/10 {4 noms, 1 win / Double}
2. Suzy (1936 / George Fitzmaurice) FTV 7+/10 {1 nom, 0 wins / Double}

3. King of Jazz (1930 / John Murray Anderson) 7+/10 {1 nom, 1 win / Double}
4. A Free Soul (1931 / Clarence Brown) FTV 7+/10 {3 noms, 1 win / Double}
5. Grand Hotel (1932 / Edmund Goulding) 8+/10 {1 nom, 1 win / Double}

[maxwelldeux]

1. Sweet Dream (1936)
A fairly forgettable Korean moral tale about being a good housewife - if you're not a good housewife, terrible things will happen.

2. The Lady Vanishes (1938)
I went to borrow this from the library, only to realize that I own it. And I'm glad I do - this is a pretty fantastic movie. I love the comedic elements throughout that balance what is a compelling mystery thrill ride. Yay Hitchcock!

[frbrown]

1. Only Yesterday (1933)

[jdidaco]

The two films directed by Van Dyke, with a team of cinematographers led by Clyde De Vinna, one of the greatest of on-location photographers,



4. With Byrd at the South Pole (Joseph T. Rucker & Willard Van der Veer, 1930) 8/10
5. Trader Horn (W.S. Van Dyke,1931) 7/10
6. Eskimo (W.S. Van Dyke, 1933) 9/10

SpoilerShow

1. Un chien qui rapporte (A Dog That Fetches, Jean Choux, 1932) 8/10
2. Histoire du soldat inconnu (Story of the Unknown Soldier, Henri Storck, 1932) 9/10 (11 min), Affaire classée (Case Closed, Charles Vanel, 1932) 7/10 (23 min), Amour et publicité (Love & Advertising, Leo Mittler, 1933) 8/10 (26 min) (Total: 60 min)
3. Remous (Whirlpool, Edmond T. Gréville, 1935) 10/10

[frbrown]

Cartoons of 1939


2a. The Autograph Hound (1939)

Rewatch. Donald Duck


2b. Goofy and Wilbur (1939)

Rewatch


2c. Hamateur Night (1939)

Tex Avery


2d. It's the Natural Thing to Do (1939)

Popeye


2e. Jitterbug Follies (1939)

Rewatch


2f. Peace on Earth (1939)

Rewatch. Oscar nominee


2g. Porky's Tire Trouble (1939)


2h. The Pointer (1939)

Mickey and Pluto. Oscar nominee


2i. Thugs with Dirty Mugs (1939)

Tex Avery

SpoilerShow

1. Only Yesterday (1933)
2a. The Autograph Hound (1939)
2b. Goofy and Wilbur (1939)
2c. Hamateur Night (1939)
2d. It's the Natural Thing to Do (1939)
2e. Jitterbug Follies (1939)
2f. Peace on Earth (1939)
2g. Porky's Tire Trouble (1939)
2h. The Pointer (1939)
2i. Thugs with Dirty Mugs (1939)

[Nathan Treadway]

4. Hitori musuko (1936) One more left for platinum on the 1930s list. Probably get it in sometime tomorrow or Monday, at the latest.

[Knaldskalle]

1. Animal Crackers (Heerman, 1930). REWATCH. I like my Marx Bros a little more zany, but Groucho has some fantastic lines in this one.