The MoFo Top 100 of the 1930s: The Countdown

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Sorry if I'm rude but I'm right
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

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Look, I'm not judging you - after all, I'm posting here myself, but maybe, just maybe, if you spent less time here and more time watching films, maybe, and I stress, maybe your taste would be of some value. Just a thought, ya know.



Bright light. Bright light. Uh oh.
Great countdown, CR. The Wizard of Oz is my #3. It was probably the first film I fell in love with .I watched it every year on commercial TV and it was always the most thrilling and fun film a kid could imagine. It's spectacular on a technical scale and definitely introduced a little kid like me to ironic humor and satire, and much of that was in the awesome song lyrics. I fell in love with Judy Garland and it almost seems a perfect movie to me, at least in many ways. I especially love Frank Morgan, who plays the "fake" Professor Marvel, the Gatekeeper, the Carriage Driver, the Doorman and the "fake" Wizard of Oz. The F/X are awesome - the tornado, the flying witch, the flying monkeys, the scenes in the Wizard's Hall ("Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.") I want to mention again how witty the songs and dialogue are. This film may have more indelible images than any I've ever seen


M is my #15. Peter Lorre and Fritz Lang are beyond awesome.

Seen 100/100
My List
1. Pygmalion (34)
2. Gone With the Wind (4)
3. The Wizard of Oz (1)
4. Porky in Wackyland (82)
5. The Young in Heart (65)
6. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (10)
7. My Man Godfrey (31)
8. Modern Times (7)
9. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (40)
10. Olympia (48)
11. Queen Christina (DNP)
12. City Lights (5)
13. Show Boat (DNP)
14. The Man Who Could Work Miracles (DNP)

15. M (15)
16. Love Me Tonight (92)
17. The Baker's Wife (DNP)
18. The Bitter Tea of General Yen (98)
19. It’s Love I’m After (DNP)
20. King Kong (16)
21. Bringing Up Baby (8)
22. It Happened One Night (3)
23. Gunga Din (61)
24. Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (47)
25. Horse Feathers (51)
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Sorry if I'm rude but I'm right
Mr Minio's Top 30s List:

1. Olympia Part I + Part II (1938)
2. Grand Illusion (1937)
3. Earth (1930)
4. Port of Shadows (1938)
5. M (1931)
6. City Girl (1930)
7. Les Misérables (1934)
8. Trouble in Paradise (1932)
9. Angels with Dirty Faces (1938)
10 .Humanity and Paper Balloons (1937)
11. Sazen Tange and the Pot Worth a Million Ryo (1935)
12. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)
13. I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)
14. Sisters of the Gion (1936)
15. Vampyr (1932)
16. Westfront 1918 (1930)
17. A Day in the Country (1936)
18. Stagecoach (1939)
19. Triumph of the Will (1935)
20. The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum (1939)
21. À propos de Nice (1930)
22. The End of the Day (1939)
23. Mr. Thank You (1936)
24. The Goddess (1934)
25. Wooden Crosses (1932)



Hard to argue. The Wizard of Oz is special because it it employs the medium of cinema to enhance the story in ways that couldn't be done in another medium. You can't write "and then everything was in color." It's maybe the most magical moment in the story, and you can't even really describe it. That's what makes it a great movie, even if you don't think it's a great story.

The fact that it was shortly after the popularization of color film makes the mid-film switch a really cool meta choice, too. One of those occasions where a new technology is used in a genuinely creative and interesting way, as opposed to just employed because it's there.



All that said...great job @Citizen Rules!

Fun countdown, loved the art style for the reveal.

I give it a

out of


That last missing one is because Duck Soup wasn't higher and you should've rigged it so it was.



Yay for M, nice to see it so respected here, it's an absolute cracker of a movie imo and was my #1 on the ballot. No surprise to see The Wizard Of Oz at the top of the pile, seen it countless times and it's never lost it's appeal - it made the #13 spot on my ballot.

Seen: 71/100
My full list:  

So only three of my 25 didn't make it which is far less than normal

Many thanks to @Citizen Rules for hosting this - a cracking job as expected!



Wow, I can't believe I'm done and the countdown is over. I enjoyed doing it...For the last 7 months the 1930s Countdown has been a big part of my life! Everyday, first thing in the morning I would do the reveal of the two countdown movies, then I would immediately start working on the presentation images for the next day. It feels strange not to be doing this anymore, and to be truthful I will miss it.

I'm a bit sad that it's over now, but I'm so happy to have been able to do this for everyone! So a BIG, BIG thank you to everyone who sent in a list, and a BIG thank you to those who read the thread....and I'd especially like to thank those who supported the countdown by posting. I'm so glad some of you contributed with your thoughts and reviews, that meant a lot to me! And I'd like to thank Yoda for creating a site where the members are made to feel like family That means more to me than I could say in words.

Thanks guys!



good list overall, it's cool to see M at #2.

here's mine:
1. Trouble in Paradise
2. I Was Born, But
3. M
4. All Quiet on the Western Front
5. Freaks
6. City Lights
7. The 39 Steps
8. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
9. The Lady Vanishes
10. Young Mr. Lincoln
11. Duck Soup
12. It Happened One Night
13. The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex
14. Sans Lendemain
15. Bride of Frankenstein
16. The Song of Songs
17. Frankenstein
18. The Gay Divorcee
19. Vampyr
20. Crime and Punishment
21. Dark Victory
22. Top Hat
23. Captain Blood
24. The Raven
25. The Invisible Man

were i to make my list today, i would instead have camille at #4, grand hotel at #14, and the bowery at #23
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I had neither Gone with the Wind nor The Wizard of Oz on my list. Partially because they didn't need my help (clearly), and for GWTW I just plain don't like it even if I can respect the scale and filmmaking. As for Oz, I liked it as a kid, as most kids do, and used to look forward to watching it annually on TV. But I have outgrown it and my cynical ass would rather make room for Captain Blood, which still holds much of the wonder and fun I got from it when I saw it as a youngster.

M was my number eight, and with the horror aficionados filling their lists with little else I'm not that surprised it went all the way to number two. It Happened One Night was eleventh for me, and while looking at my list clearly there are other '30s comedies I like more I have no problem with it placing in the collective top three.

Thanks, Citizen Rules, good job. Been a while now since I hosted the '70s list, but I know how much darn work it is.

HOLDEN'S COMPLETE LIST
1. All Quiet on the Western Front (#6)
2. Bringing Up Baby (#8)
3. Duck Soup (#12)
4. The Bride of Frankenstein (#18)
5. The Informer (#93)
6. Grand Illusion (#14)
7. Make Way for Tomorrow (#32)
8. M (#2)
9. Fury (#68)
10. City Lights (#5)
11. It Happened One Night (#3)
12. The 39 Steps (#13)
13. Freaks (#9)
14. Ninotchka (#36)
15. I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (#11)
16. Rules of the Game (#15)
17. Public Enemy (#42)
18. Stagecoach (#23)
19. A Night at the Opera (#27)
20. My Man Godfrey (#31)
21. Angels with Dirty Faces (#37)
22. Jezebel (#29)
23. Captain Blood (DNP)
24. The Roaring Twenties (#21)
25. Destry Rides Again (#72)

__________________
"Film is a disease. When it infects your bloodstream it takes over as the number one hormone. It bosses the enzymes, directs the pineal gland, plays Iago to your psyche. As with heroin, the antidote to Film is more Film." - Frank Capra



Yay!!!!! for the Wizard of Oz- truly the number one for the 30's and high up there for one of the all time greats of ALL movies.

Great job CR- you brought a great spirit of nostalgia and camaraderie to this list, that has
obviously touched the hearts of many mofos.

A few notes to mofos -
Agreed @GulfportDoc whose musical expertise can be trusted to laud Rainbow as the best movie/theatrical song of all time.

Also agreed with @Citizen Rules insights on the song, when Dorothy became Judy. Wonderful.

And special thanks for the supportive mentions from you both, and in fact thanks to all the supportive and enthusiastic mofos here!


Finally thanks to @mark f for posting that favorite ( of many favorites ) of scenes - you know every time I have visited the dentist in the last month, I think of ( and totally identify with) the lion leaping from the premises and throwing himself out the window. lol Great stuff!

And now, I think it's fitting to close out my comments with the song that reaches out to my heart and to the hearts of millions- from a place where there isn't any trouble- a place where the dreams that you dare to dream......really do come true.







Wasn't expecting It Happened to be so high, and I'm happy M was so high. Brilliant effort Citizen!

1. The Music Box (#76)
2. Duck Soup (#12)
3. M (#2)
4. Way Out West (#81)
5. A Night at the Opera (#27)
6. Sons of the Desert (#80)
7. The Wizard of Oz (#1)
8. Block-Heads (-)
9. Bringing Up Baby (#8)
10. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (#10)
11. Gone With the Wind (#4)[
12. The Old, Dark House (-)
13. King Kong (#16)
14. The Invisible Man (#30)
15. The Bride of Frankenstein (#18)
16. Monkey Business (#91)
17. The Lady Vanishes (#22)
18. Waterloo Bridge (-)
19. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (#17)
20. The 39 Steps (#13)
21. It Happened One Night (#4)
22. L'age D'or
23. All Quiet on the Western Front (#6)
24. The Man Who Knew Too Much (-)
25. Grand Illusion (#14)

Block Heads is a pretty funny Laurel and Hardy one. Would recommend


The Old Dark House is a James Whale horror that is pretty light at the start but gets pretty dark.


Waterloo Bridge is another James Whale film. A very interesting story and characters with a great performance by the male lead.


L'age D'or is a very, very strange film by Luis Bunuel and Salvador Dali, that takes some material that the book 'Salo' was adapted from!


The Man Who Knew Too Much is a fair Hitchcock, but the remake was better.



2022 Mofo Fantasy Football Champ
I had M at 17 and I liked it a lot more on a rewatch.

Wizard of Oz was my number 1 with it's only real challenge to that spot being It Happened One Night.



2022 Mofo Fantasy Football Champ
And here's my list. Kind of sad The Goddess couldn't make it.

Rauldc14s 1930s list
1. Wizard of Oz
2. It Happened One Night
3. The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum
4. The Goddess
5. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
6. Red Dust
7. 42nd Street
8. Vampyr
9. Grand Illusion
10. Trouble in Paradise
11. Boudu Saved From Drowning
12. Freaks
13. Bringing Up Baby
14. I Am A Fugitive From a Chain Gang
15. Virtue
16. Waterloo Bridge
17. M
18. Stagecoach
19. Destry Rides Again
20. Barbary Coast
21. All Quiet on the Western Front
22. Frankenstein
23. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
24. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
25. Horse Feathers



Here's mine:

1. Grand Illusion (1937)
2. The Rules of the Game (1939)
3. Make Way For Tomorrow (1937)
4. The Scarlet Empress (1934)
5. Port of Shadows (1937)
6. Morocco (1930)
7. Humanity and Paper Balloons (1937)
8. The Roaring Twenties (1939)
9. Gone with the Wind (1939)
10. Pygmalion (1938)
11. The Story of the Last Chrysanthemums (1939)
12. Sisters of the Gion (1936)
13. Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (1931)
14. M (1931)
15. Love Me Tonight (1932)
16. The Only Son (1936)
17. I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)
18. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)
19. Sazen Tange and the Pot Worth a Million Ryo (1935)
20. City Girl (1930)
21. Vampyr (1932)
22. A Day in the Country (1936)
23. Tabu: A Story of the South Seas (1931)
24. Trouble in Paradise (1932)
25. 42nd Street (1933)

I like The Wizard of Oz but I was rooting for M at the end.

Great job @Citizen Rules



  1. Captains Courageous
  2. I Was a Fugitive From a Chain Gang
  3. Dodsworth
  4. The Wizard of Oz
  5. Mad Love
  6. Black Cat
  7. City Lights
  8. It Happened One Night
  9. The Most Dangerous Game
  10. Jezebel
  11. The Roaring Twenties
  12. The Invisible Man
  13. Bride of Frankenstein
  14. The Good Earth
  15. Great Expectations
  16. Emperor Jones
  17. Modern Times
  18. Ninotchka
  19. Pygmalion
  20. Make Way For Tomorrow
  21. Top Hat
  22. Libeled Lady
  23. Ruggles of Red Gap
  24. Anthony Adverse
  25. Things to Come














All good people are asleep and dreaming.
My List

1. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
2. M (1931)
3. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)
4. The Mascot (1933)
5. The Music Box (1932)
6. Le Jour Se Leve (1939)
7. Vampyr (1932)
8. You Can't Take It With You (1938)
9. Bringing Up Baby (1938)
10. I Am A Fugitive From A Chain Gang (1932)
11. Of Human Bondage (1934)
12. Stella Dallas (1937)
13. Der Blaue Engel (1930)
14. Olympia (1938)
15. Drums Along the Mohawk (1939)
16. Ecstasy (1933)
17. The Blood of a Poet (1932)
18. La Chienne (1931)
19. À Nous la Liberté (1931)
20. Le Million (1931)
21. The Rules of the Game (1939)
22. Alexander Nevsky (1938)
23. La Grande Illusion (1937)
24. Dinner at Eight (1933)
25. Things to Come (1936)