Best of 1930s

1930s: The Golden Age of Hollywood begins as movies become a conduit for human spirit and resilience, as well as a mirror for American suffering during the Great Depression.

Number 5. Bringing Up Baby. A high-strung paleontologist has his wedding plans ruined by a high-spirited stranger, a missing dinosaur bone, and a pet leopard. The definition of screwball romantic comedy with Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn. The absurdity of the trouble gets funnier with every watch.

Number 4. Wizard of Oz.  A tornado takes Dorothy from sepia Kansas, over the rainbow, and into the colorful world of Oz. This masterpiece is sustained by Judy Garland’s beautiful voice, revolutionary technicolor, and classic characters. It’s the movie we grew up watching but never mind revisiting.

Number 3. Gone with the Wind. Scarlet O’Hara experiences trouble for the first time when the Civil War destroys her false kingdoms. Her romance with Rhett Butler plays out against the Civil War and Reconstruction era. It has not aged well as Wizard of Oz, but the monumental influence of this epic cannot be understated.

Number 2. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. A naïve but passionate man fills a vacancy in the Senate. His honest plan for change clashes with the corruption and greed of the city. The political comedy-drama is an early example of Frank Capra’s optimism.

Number 1. City Lights. The Little Tramp falls in love with a blind girl who sells flowers. A mishap leads her to believe he is rich so he is determined to make money through odd jobs. The only silent film on this list, this is the best of Chaplin’s classic outings as the Tramp.