La Chienne (1931) Director: Jean Renoir La Chienne (sometimes called "The Bitch") is the second sound film of the great Jean Renoir's career, son of painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir. It was later remade by Fritz Lang as Scarlet Street in 1945. Michel Simon, the lead actor, is best remembered for his roles in other films: Boudu Saved From Drowning and L'Atalante by Jean Vigo. … Continue reading La Chienne
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The Freshman
The Freshman (1925) Director: Fred C. Newmeyer and Sam Taylor The Freshman is the original college satire film. It was Harold Lloyd's second big hit comedy film after Safety Last! in 1923. The film was shot at a variety of California college campuses, including USC and the sports teams at the close of the film were actually Stanford and UC … Continue reading The Freshman
Man on the Flying Trapeze
Man On The Flying Trapeze (1935) Director: Clyde Bruckman Starring W.C. Fields, Man on the Flying Trapeze is a hilarious film. It is actually a loose remake of a film called Running Wild originally made in 1927, also starring W.C. Fields. It tells the story of Ambrose Wolfinger a "memory expert" for a woolen manufacturer - a memory … Continue reading Man on the Flying Trapeze
The Man Who Knew Too Much
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934) Director: Alfred Hitchcock When Francois Truffaut famously interviewed Alfred Hitchcock (published in 1967), Hitchcock remarked that The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934) was merely the work of an amateur. He later went on to create his own remake in 1956, which he much preferred. The film holds nothing in … Continue reading The Man Who Knew Too Much
Dr. Mabuse The Gambler
Dr. Mabuse The Gambler (1922) Director: Fritz Lang Clocking in at over 4 and 1/2 hours, this silent film is masterfully produced. Dr. Mabuse was directed by the famous German director, Fritz Lang - who also directed such masterpieces as M and Metropolis. In German, the film was titled Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler (note the word "spieler" can mean … Continue reading Dr. Mabuse The Gambler
Tarzan The Ape Man
Tarzan The Ape Man (1932) Director: W.S. Van Dyke Based on the famous novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, this 1932 film is a little odd and at times awkward. Nevertheless, MGM later released two remakes of the film. Among other studios, it was the first of 12 Tarzan films. There were also several silent era Tarzan … Continue reading Tarzan The Ape Man
The Old Dark House
The Old Dark House (1932) Director: James Whale James Whale was the successful horror film director of great repute in the 1930s, directing films like Frankenstein (1931), The Invisible Man (1933), and Bride of Frankenstein (1935). His production, The Old Dark House (1932) was based on J.B. Priestly's 1927 novel Benighted and it starred the great Boris Karloff, among others. It is a loopy cult-classic, … Continue reading The Old Dark House
À nous la liberté
À nous la liberté (1931) Director: Rene Clair "Freedom for us all" is a quirky French musical/comedy directed by Rene Clair. It contains beautiful set designs, not unlike Clair's other French films of the early 1930s, like Sous les toits de Paris. The films tells the story of two friends who were at one time … Continue reading À nous la liberté
Haxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages
Haxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages (1922) Director: Benjamin Christiansen Haxan is an odd Danish-Swedish film. Part-documentary and part-horror themed, this silent film is considered one of the creepiest horror films of the silent era - along with The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari or Nosferatu. It was censored and/or banned in Western Europe, but was celebrated in the … Continue reading Haxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages
Swing Time
Swing Time (1936) Director: George Stevens Swing Time is a wonderful film, and may be Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers's finest movie. Together they made ten Hollywood films, and nine of which were musicals for RKO. Six of them were the top money-makers for RKO. As Katherine Hepburn once said, "He gives her class, and she … Continue reading Swing Time
