Movie Listings by Genre

Director: John Francis Dillon    More Info
Starring: Otis Skinner, Loretta Young, David Manners, Mary Duncan, Sidney Blackmer, Montagu Love, Ford Sterling, Theodore von Eltz, John St. Polis, Edmund Breese

 Baghdad beggar Haji (Otis Skinner) makes his way into the palace inner-circle where he romances Wazir Mansur's (Sidney Blackmer) "head wife" Zeleekha (Mary Duncan) while his daughter Marsinah (Loretta Young) falls in love with Caliph Abdallah (David Manners). Fate plays a big role in this captivating story.

Director: Tod Browning    More Info
Starring: Bela Lugosi, Helen Chandler, Dwight Frye, Edward Van Sloan, David Manners, Herbert Bunston, Michael Visaroff, Frances Dade, Joan Standing, Charles K. Gerrard

 This film–based on Bram Stoker's novel about the Transylvanian vampire Count Dracula (Bela Lugosi)–is a classic. While visiting London, The Count searches for victims who can supply him with the blood he needs to survive.

Director: Marcel Varnel    More Info
Starring: Edmund Lowe, Irene Ware, Bela Lugosi, Herbert Mundin, Henry B. Walthall, Nestor Aber, Virginia Hammond, Weldon Heyburn, June Lang, Michael Stuart

 An insane man threatens the world with his death-ray machine until Chandu (Edmund Lowe) uses his powers of magic to stop the evil plot. A feature-length edition of a serial.

Director: Karl Freund    More Info
Starring: Boris Karloff, David Manners, Zita Johann, Edward Van Sloan, Arthur Byron, Bramwell Fletcher, Noble Johnson, Leonard Mudie, Eddie Kane, Henry Victor

 Boris Karloff takes on the title role in this classic horror film about a third-millennium Egyptian mummy who comes to life. A curse had been placed on anyone who disturbs his tomb when he was buried alive. Now, the tomb is disturbed, the mummy comes to life in the persona of an Egyptologist, and sets out to reincarnate his lover from 3000 years before. He falls in love with Helen Grosvenor (Zita Johann) who he believes is the shadow of his lost love. He abducts her and plots to kill her so they can be reunited forever in the Hereafter. Only Frank Whemple (David Manners) and Dr. Muller (Edward Van Sloan) can save her, but will they arrive in time?

Director: Carl Theodor Dreyer    More Info
Starring: Julian West, Henriette Gerard, Jan Hieronimko, Maurice Schutz, Rena Mandel, Sybille Schmitz, Albert Bras, N. Babanini, Jane Mora

 In this bizarre tale, David Gray (Julian West) visits a European inn in the village of Courtempierre where the Lord of the Manor (Maurice Schutz) gives him a package and tells David to open it if he dies. He does turn up dead, and David meets the Lord's daughters Gisele and Leone (Rena Mandel and Sybille Schmitz). When David opens the package, he finds a copy of "Strange Tales of Vampires," and then he sees a series of eerie sights (presented through trick photography). David is now convinced that there is a vampire in town, and he must save Gisele, Leone, and himself before they also become victims.

Director: Norman Z. McLeod    More Info
Starring: Charlotte Henry, Richard Arlen, Roscoe Ates, Charles Ruggles, Roscoe Karns, Gary Cooper, W.C. Fields, Cary Grant, Sterling Holloway, Edward Everett Horton

 This is the Lewis Carroll story brought to the screen with Alice (Charlotte Henry) dealing with the offbeat characters in Wonderland. This is the first full-length film of the story.

Director: Merian C. Cooper    More Info
Starring: Fay Wray, Bruce Cabot, Robert Armstrong, Noble Johnson, Frank Reicher, Sam Hardy, James Flavin, Paul Porcasi, Etta McDaniel, Vera Lewis

 This film about a huge ape that terrorizes New York City is a classic. It is worth watching for the exciting climax when King Kong takes the "light of his life" (Fay Wray) in his arms and climbs to the top of the Empire State Building where he is attacked by an airplane. Good viewing–even better the second time around.

Director: Gus Meins    More Info
Starring: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Charlotte Henry, Felix Knight, Henry Brandon, Florence Roberts, Ferdinand Munier, Virginia Karns, William Burress, Johnny Downs

 This very amusing film of Victor Herbert's "Mother Goose" operetta features Stannie Dum (Stan Laurel) and Ollie Dee (Oliver Hardy) as apprentice toymakers coming to the aid of Little Bo-Peep (Charlotte Henry). The evil Silas Barnaby (Henry Brandon) is threatening to force Bo-Peep into marrying him if she does not pay her rent. The wedding does occur, but it is Stannie, disguised as Bo-Peep, who marches down the aisle. Barnaby is humiliated and steals one of the Three Little Pigs making it look as if Bo-Peep's boyfriend Tom-Tom Piper (Felix Knight) did the dirty deed. When Stannie and Ollie step in and expose the plot, Barnaby attacks Toyland. But, never fear, the wooden soldiers come to the rescue and save Toyland.

Director: William Dieterle    More Info
Starring: James Cagney, Joe E. Brown, Hugh Herbert, Victor Jory, Frank McHugh, Olivia de Havilland, Dick Powell, Mickey Rooney, Arthur Treacher, Ian Hunter

 In a well-known screen adaptation of this fantasy, Warner Brothers' big-name stars showed up for very good performances. Enhanced by Hal Mohr's Oscar-winning cinematography, this fairy tale follows the misadventures of a group of mythical mischief-makers. James Cagney as Bottom and the music of Mendelssohn are especially good. This was the film debut of Olivia de Havilland in her role as Hermia. Mohr's Oscar was the only write-in ever. An Oscar was also awarded for Best Film Editing, and a nomination was received for Best Picture.

Director: Henry Edwards    More Info
Starring: Seymour Hicks, Donald Calthrop, Robert Cochran, Mary Glynne, Garry Marsh, Oscar Asche, Marie Ney, C.V. France, Athene Seyler, Maurice Evans

 This British film of Charles Dickens' popular story is about greedy Ebenezer Scrooge (Seymour Hicks) whose heart is changed when Christmas spirits visit him on Christmas Eve. The Ghosts of Christmas Past (Marie Ney), Present (Oscar Asche), and Future (C.V. France) are all there, and Donald Calthorp performs well in his role of Bob Cratchit.

Director: Michael Waszynski    More Info
Starring: Avrom Morevski, Isaac Samberg, Moyshe Lipman, Lili Liliana, Dina Halpern, Gershon Lamberger, Leon Liebgold, Max Bozyk, M. Messinger, S. Bronecki

 A Dybbuk is the soul of a dead person that takes possession of the body of another. In this case, when Reb Sender (Moyshe Lipman) reneges on a pact committing his daughter, Leah (Lili Liliana), to marry his long-time friend's son Channon (Leon Liebgold), Channon commits suicide, and his soul possesses Leah's body.

Director: Frank Capra    More Info
Starring: Ronald Colman, Jane Wyatt, Edward Everett Horton, Sam Jaffe, John Howard, Thomas Mitchell, Margo, Isabel Jewell, H.B. Warner, George Chan

 British diplomat Robert Conway (Ronald Colman) and his brother George (John Howard) help British citizens–Henry Bernard (Thomas Mitchell), Gloria (Isabel Jewell), and "Lovey" Lovett (Edward Everett Horton)–evacuate from China during a revolution. Their plane crashes in Tibet, and a rescue team, led by Chang (H.B. Warner), leads them to Shangri-La where they discover a tranquility that they have never before experienced. This wonderful city is ruled by an aging 200 year-old High Lama (Sam Jaffe) who is impressed with Robert and wants him to succeed him after his death. Now, Robert is torn between leaving for England or remaining in Shangri-La with his new-found love Sondra (Jane Wyatt). A winner of two Academy Awards (Best Art Direction and Film Editing), it also received five nominations, including Best Picture and Supporting Actor (Warner).

Director: William Keighley    More Info
Starring: Errol Flynn, Claude Rains, Billy Mauch, Robert J. Mauch, Alan Hale, Montagu Love, Barton MacLane, Henry Stephenson, Eric Portman, Halliwell Hobbes

 Two boys meet–one is Prince Edward (Robert J. Mauch), and the other is a poor boy from London's slums, Tom (Billy Mauch)–and are struck by their physical resemblance to each other. While playing, they exchange clothes and identities, and Edward is evicted from the palace by the Captain of the Guard (Alan Hale) who believes he is a pauper. Now, Tom is thought to be the Prince of Wales by everyone except the evil Earl of Hertford (Claude Rains) who uses the deception as his chance to control the throne. Meanwhile, Edward lives with Tom's father (Barton MacLane) until he is befriended by a soldier of fortune, Miles Hendon (Errol Flynn), who takes him to the palace where he proves his real identity in time to be crowned King of England. A great musical score backs up this film version of Mark Twain's story.

Director: David Hand    More Info
Starring: Adriana Caselotti, Harry Stockwell, Lucille La Verne, Moroni Olsen, Billy Gilbert, Pinto Colvig, Otis Harlan, Scotty Mattraw, Roy Atwell, Stuart Buchanan

 This prototype for Disney animated films tells the story of Snow White (voice of Adriana Caselotti) who escapes the clutches of her evil stepmother and finds refuge with seven dwarfs–Grumpy, Happy, Doc, Bashful, Sneezy, Sleepy, and Dopey. Walt Disney received an honorary Oscar (actually an Oscar and seven miniatures) for significant screen innovation. An all-time great–and still good.

Director: Norman Z. McLeod    More Info
Starring: Cary Grant, Roland Young, Constance Bennett, Billie Burke, Alan Mowbray, Eugene Pallette, Arthur Lake, Hedda Hopper, Virginia Sale, J. Farrell MacDonald

 George and Marion Kerby (Cary Grant and Constance Bennett) die in a car crash, but they must perform a good deed before they can go to Heaven. Cosmo Topper (Roland Young) is the stuffy president of the bank in which George and Marion are stockholders, and they decide that he should be the one who will receive their services. The good deed is to show Topper how to loosen up and enjoy life–but the deed will not come without problems from Topper's wife Clara (Billie Burke) and his butler (Alan Mowbray). Young received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Director: Edwin L. Marin    More Info
Starring: Reginald Owen, Gene Lockhart, Kathleen Lockhart, Terry Kilburn, Barry MacKay, Lynne Carver, Leo G. Carroll, June Lockhart, Ann Rutherford, Halliwell Hobbes

 This early version of "A Christmas Carol" is worth watching. Ebenezer Scrooge (Reginald Owen) is visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Present, Past, and Future (Ann Rutherford, Lionel Braham, and D'Arcy Corrigan), and they convince him to reassess his treatment of Tiny Tim (Terry Kilburn) and his family.

Director: Dave Fleischer    More Info
Starring: Jessica Dragonette, Lanny Ross, Pinto Colvig, Jack Mercer, Sam Parker

 Interesting animation and an excellent musical score (Academy Award nomination) make this version of the Jonathan Swift classic worth a look, especially by the young ones. The film covers the story of Gulliver's (voice of Sam Parker) shipwreck on the island of the small Lilliputians. It is the first feature film for the Fleischer brothers of "Popeye" and "Betty Boop" cartoon fame.

Director: Victor Fleming    More Info
Starring: Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley, Frank Morgan, Billie Burke, Margaret Hamilton, Charley Grapewin, Clara Blandick, Pat Walshe

 This is the classic movie of Frank Baum's allegory about the plight of the farmers and the question of whether the U.S. should use the gold or silver standard. It is the story of the adventures of Dorothy (Judy Garland) and her dog, Toto, who are blown by a tornado from dry, dusty Kansas to the beautiful world of Oz with its yellow brick road (gold) and wise wizard (Federal Government). The fine music was rewarded by Oscars for "Over The Rainbow" as Best Song and for Best Musical Score. The film was nominated for Best Picture, and Judy Garland received an Honorary Award (Miniature Statuette) for Outstanding Juvenile Performance.