The MoFo Top 100 of the 1930s: The Countdown

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Oh man that's pretty awesome Red Dust made it! Whoohoo!!!
Yeah, that was a fun one to post, I knew you'd like seeing it. BTW that was the image you used on your write up of Red Dust.

So far there's been a whole bunch of films make the countdown from the 30s HoF 1 & 2. I wonder if any other movies from there will make it?



I think Barbary Coast is going to be my Red Dust in that I liked it more than most and now think it won't show up. I should have politiced it a bit and put it higher on my list. I don't like to do that though. I thought it would make a list of 100 for sure.
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I think Barbary Coast is going to be my Red Dust in that I liked it more than most and now think it won't show up. I should have politiced it a bit and put it higher on my list. I don't like to do that though. I thought it would make a list of 100 for sure.
I had Barbary Coast at the bottom of my own list. I really liked it, but there was so many other films, that something had to go towards the bottom. I honestly don't know if it made the countdown or not, without looking, and of course I couldn't say if I did know I do know a lot of my own movies didn't make the countdown.



The Awful Truth was on my watchlist (along with a few other million for this) but sadly it was one that I just never got round to. Red Dust is an ok watch and was in the 30s HOF (pt. ii) so I'm not particularly surprised to see it turn up (the further back the decade the more influence a HOF seems to have), was never in contention for making my ballot though.

Seen: 25/42
My list:
2. Stella Dallas (King Vidor, 1937) [#87]
3. La bête humaine [The Human Beast] (Jean Renoir, 1938) [#78]
4. Way Out West (James W. Horne, 1937) [#81]
8. Les Misérables [Les Miserables] (Richard Boleslawski, 1935) [#67]
16. Otona no miru ehon - Umarete wa mita keredo [I Was Born, But...] (Yasujirô Ozu, 1932) [#75]
19. A Star Is Born (William A. Wellman & Jack Conway, 1937) [#69]
25. Mädchen in Uniform [Girls In Uniform] (Leontine Sagan & Carl Froelich, 1931) [1 pointer]

Faildictions (streamline moderne vsn 2.01):
58. Tsuruhachi Tsurujiro
57. Street Scene



Women will be your undoing, Pépé
The Awful Truth was on my watchlist and never got to seeing it. For some reason I also get this one mixed up with The Philedelphia Story

Red Dust made the list at #18



Red Dust

AKA: I'm Just a Gigalo

Though, understandably, if I ran a rubber plantation in Indochina, I'd be playing the Big Bad Wolf with every woman that came into my sight as well. ESPECIALLY if I was Clark Gable.
And I gotta say, they were lovely ladies indeed and very wonderfully different from each other that broaden the spectrum beautifully. And, in the end. . .

Oh, and yeah, SPOILERS, of course

I am quite happy that he ended up with Jean Harlowe's character, Vanetine. They fit together with their raw, rough edges far better.
Speaking of which, I may be in the minority of those who enjoyed Harlowe from the get-go.
I've seen her in a number of films and, a lot of times she seemed kind of, (for a lack of a better word) held in and not allowed to really stretch behind the role she was placed in. Such as the angry/bored wife in Dinner at Eight comes to mind.
Here, she lets loose that bawdy lady of hers, but, in later scenes, there are countless moments of subtlety in her facial expressions as the affair starts off and she has to watch from the sidelines.
The dinner before the husband is shipped off and out of the way has some great side looks across the table, is a great example of this.
The whole barbs and badly hidden emotions across the board was very well done. Including Gene Raymond's portrayal of the "innocent" and "trusting" husband was someone I didn't think was a sap, just a good guy that gave his trust incorrectly.

The Third Act of the shooting was pretty good and I do like the ending scene of Harlowe reading to the wounded and horny Gable was a fine touch to it all.

Now, I nearly ended it there, but I can't talk about the triangle without mentioning the sweltering, tropical storm riddled location of this story.
There is always something about the tropics and the primal urges that seem to blossom and run rampant in such places that make them ideal for such romantic infidelities and the turbulence that they cause. And the weather follows the sh@t storm that erupts as the affair and it's repercussions unfold. Bringing with it some incredibly sexy scenes with Astor, such as her being carried in, drenched, by Gable. What a hot scene!

Thank you so much, @rauldc14 for joining in last minute and bringing another fun-filled movie to this HoF!

Watched 23/42 (54.7%)
1)
2)
3)
4) Hell's Angels (#85)
5)
6) The Scarlet Empress (#63)
7)
8)
9)
10) The Charge of the Light Brigade (#97)
11)
12) Camille (#96)
13)
14)
15)
16)
17)
18) Red Dust (#59)
19) Bachelor Mother (#86)
20)
21)
22)
23)
24)
25) Seventh Heaven (1 Pointer)
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Goodbye Mr. Chips was on my watchlist, but I haven't had a chance to watch it yet. It's still on my watchlist because it's a movie that I've wanted to see for a long time, and this countdown just made me push it up higher on my watchlist.

Gunga Din is one of the few Cary Grant movies that I've never had a desire to see. I tried watching it a few times when it was on TCM, but I've never been able to get into it enough to finish it.

On the other hand, The Awful Truth is one of my favorite Cary Grant movies, and it was #15 on my list.

I added Red Dust to my watchlist when it was nominated in the HoF, but I just couldn't find the time to watch it before submitting my list.


My List (so far):
9) Bachelor Mother (1939)
15) The Awful Truth (1937)
19) The Young in Heart (1938)



A few of my my top 10 have dropped since I last posted. Both were HoF films.

I watched The Scarlet Empress for the 30s HoF and liked it a lot. I watched it again about a month later and I think it's von Sternberg's best film.

My List
#4. The Scarlet Empress (Josef von Sternberg)
#7. Humanity and Paper Balloons (Sadao Yamanaka)
#15. Love Me Tonight (Rouben Mamoulian)
#20. City Girl (F.W. Murnau)
#22. A Day in the Country (Jean Renoir)

Yeah, that was a fun one to post, I knew you'd like seeing it. BTW that was the image you used on your write up of Red Dust.

So far there's been a whole bunch of films make the countdown from the 30s HoF 1 & 2. I wonder if any other movies from there will make it?
All of these:

It Happened One Night
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
The Roaring Twenties
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
The Thin Man
Of Mice and Men
Make Way For Tomorrow
Pepe le Moko (Not all that sure about this one now but thought it was a lock)
The Bride of Frankenstein

Maybe:

The Goddess
Mad Love

Not a Chance:

Child Bride



I had to double check to see if I voted for Le Jour Se Leve. I didn't but I came very close. Great flick.

I liked Petrified Forest but it wasn't a contender for me.



Phew, finally another twofer in terms of having seen to help keep my percentage at least somewhat respectable. Watched The Petrified Forest for this but imo the dialogue in it isn't always that great and it was never even remotely in contention for a place on my ballot. Le jour se lève is a cracker in my book with Msr. Gabin again in great form as are the others of the main cast, including a completely nude (for a second or two anyway) Arletty. It was my #5 on my ballot.

Seen: 27/44 (still trying to keep ahead of Ed )
My list:
2. Stella Dallas (King Vidor, 1937) [#87]
3. La bête humaine [The Human Beast] (Jean Renoir, 1938) [#78]
4. Way Out West (James W. Horne, 1937) [#81]
5. Le jour se lève [Daybreak] (Marcel Carné, 1939) [#57]
8. Les Misérables [Les Miserables] (Richard Boleslawski, 1935) [#67]
16. Otona no miru ehon - Umarete wa mita keredo [I Was Born, But...] (Yasujirô Ozu, 1932) [#75]
19. A Star Is Born (William A. Wellman & Jack Conway, 1937) [#69]
25. Mädchen in Uniform [Girls In Uniform] (Leontine Sagan & Carl Froelich, 1931) [1 pointer]

Faildictions (streamline moderne vsn 2.01):
56. Ukikusa monogatari
55. You Only Live Once

I get the feeling the top 50 is probably going to be very Hollywood-orientated



Bright light. Bright light. Uh oh.
I've seen the last four many times and didn't list any of them. The Petrified Forest has the most personal meaning for me because I watched it first, it has Bogie and I've been to the actual Petrified Forest in Arizona twice.



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Women will be your undoing, Pépé
The Petrified Forest is a very fine film that I've enjoyed a number of times but with two other Leslie Howard films, I was unable to add this third one.


Watched 24/44 (54.5%)
1)
2)
3)
4) Hell's Angels (#85)
5)
6) The Scarlet Empress (#63)
7)
8)
9)
10) The Charge of the Light Brigade (#97)
11)
12) Camille (#96)
13)
14)
15)
16)
17)
18) Red Dust (#59)
19) Bachelor Mother (#86)
20)
21)
22)
23)
24)
25) Seventh Heaven (1 Pointer)



Am glad to see The Awful Truth on the list, although I didn't include it on mine. Wonderful screwball comedy. Irene Dunne is beautiful and funny as always and Cary Grant is hilarious, plus we've got the ubiquitous Ralph Bellamy as the "third wheel" which he played in quite a few of these comedies. Red Dust I still haven't seen, but I've seen the "sort of" remake, Mogambo (1953) with Clark Gable somewhat playing the same role. I may need to revisit The Petrified Forest but I saw it as a kid, was excited that Bogie was in it, but was bored beyond belief as Leslie Howard talked, talked, and talked to my consternation. I may dig it more now as I do like Mr. Howard. Have never heard of Daybreak unfortunately. So, none of these made my list but like any of these lists, I get to jot down future movies to view.

#6 Gunga Din (61)
#8 Destry Rides Again (72)
#13 Captains Courageous (64)
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