Uplifting Films 1930s (1930-1938): the magic of storytelling

The 1930s were a dynamic time for the movie business. Advances in sound technology meant the “talkie” became the norm. And yet the film industry was still young enough that the writers and directors were still thinking in terms of theater in the ways that stories were structured and told. This bleeding over help make these films, even the lightest and most popular ones, have an intellectual underpinning to their messages. I may not have seen a lot of films from this era, but these are my 1930-1938 favorite uplifting films, and many of them are all-time favorites as well.

Behold Spirit Film: 1930-1938

City Lights (1931)

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City Lights embodies the term Spirit Film. It lifts the spirit, it makes me think about my own nature and how I am like other people.  In addition, this is probably my favorite filmed love story, ever. It is a story about human kindness, and selflessness, and the stripped down simplicity of the black and white silent format helps deliver that message. The usual catalog of Chaplin slapstick gags highlight the humanity of his character The Tramp, and it would take a very hardened person not to feel more connected to his/her fellow humans after watching this.

Brian’s 1930-1938 Favorite Uplifting Films 1930s:

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All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

This film was released about eleven years since the war had ended. The film’s prologue begins with “This story is neither an accusation nor a confession, and least of all an adventure, for death is not an adventure to those who stand face to face with it. It will try simply to tell of a generation of men who, even though they may have escaped its shells, were destroyed by the war…” It is very powerful in its presentation of the negative effects of war, and does a good job of de-glamorizing war in general.

Dinner At Eight (1933)

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This is for people who like their movies witty, talkative and a bit upscale. It makes fun of human quirks and of the affluent class of the 1930s while showcasing brilliant language and great comic acting.

The Divorcee (1930)

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Smart, sophisticated exploration of society’s view of philandering men versus philandering women. It has the fast paced wit of the best films of this period, it doesn’t talk down to its audience, and it shows a strong woman in the lead.

Imitation of Life (1934)

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It is melodramatic, soapy and maybe seems a little unrealistic to jaded twenty-first century eyes, but a 1934 film dealing with race in America, is interesting. It shows white people using black ideas and work for their own benefit. It deals with the struggle of a light skinned black woman trying to pass as white. The two female leads, one black and one white, have a relationship that is complex but kindly. Despite its flaws, this film is more honest about race than most films would be for decades.

It Happened One Night (1934)

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I do love screwball comedies. At their best, they are smart. It is the intelligence underneath the silliness that makes them work. It Happened One Night works because

My Man Godfrey (1936)

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Another screwball comedy that examines class distinctions. It examines all the judgments we make about other people based on appearances and other expectations, and makes us see how silly they all are.

San Francisco (1936)

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Good music, a compelling story and although he ending gets a bit sugary, every time I watch this I get caught up in the drama and the earthquake scene still surprises. We all are so caught up in the petty details of our lives that we don’t always see what is most important.

The Thin Man (1934)

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A very witty, intelligent and sophisticated screwball comedy. It is pure fun to watch but it doesn’t talk down to the audience. It challenges you to keep up.

You Can’t Take It With You (1938)

Not surprisingly give the economy of the 1930s, the theme of a rich man trying to stick it to normal struggling people was very popular in 1930s films. This is one of the better examples of this genre, because every character has energy and determination.

Other Notable Films 1930-1938:

• 42nd Street (1933)
•  The Gay Divorcee (1934)
• Hell’s Angels (1930)
• Sidewalks of New York (1931)
•  Stella Dallas (1937)