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Post by topbilled on May 26, 2023 1:15:54 GMT
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Post by topbilled on May 26, 2023 1:17:47 GMT
MGM
1931: 44 RELEASES
JANUARYTHE BACHELOR FATHERTHE GREAT MEADOWINSPIRATIONFEBRUARYDANCE FOOLS DANCETHE EASIEST WAYTHE PRODIGALPARLOR BEDROOM AND BATHMARCHGENTLEMAN’S FATEMEN CALL IT LOVEA TAILOR MADE MANAPRIL
STRANGERS MAY KISSSTEPPING OUTIT’S A WISE CHILDTHE SECRET SIXSHIPMATESMAYDAYBREAKNEVER THE TWAIN SHALL MEETTRADER HORNLAUGHING SINNERSJUNEJUST A GIGOLOFIVE AND TENA FREE SOULJULYTHE MAN IN POSSESSIONTHE GREAT LOVERPOLITICSAUGUSTSON OF INDIASPORTING BLOODPARDON USGUILTY HANDSTHIS MODERN AGESEPTEMBERTHE SQUAW MANTHE PHANTOM OF PARISSIDEWALKS OF NEW YORKOCTOBERNEW ADVENTURES OF GET RICH QUICK WALLINGFORDSUSAN LENOX HER RISE AND FALLTHE SIN OF MADELON CLAUDETNOVEMBERTHE GUARDSMANTHE CHAMPFLYING HIGHPOSSESSEDWEST OF BROADWAYDECEMBERTHE CUBAN LOVE SONGPRIVATE LIVESMATA HARI
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Post by topbilled on May 26, 2023 1:19:31 GMT
Warner Brothers/First National
1931: 58 RELEASES
JANUARYVIENNESE NIGHTSLITTLE CAESARTHE NAUGHTY FLIRTOTHER MEN’S WOMENKISMETCAPTAIN APPLEJACKFEBRUARYGOING WILDTHE RIGHT OF WAYILLICITKISS ME AGAINSIT TIGHTMARCHFATHER’S SONFIFTY MILLION FRENCHMENTHE HOT HEIRESSAPRILTHE SILENT PARTNERWOMAN HUNGRYTHE FINGER POINTSMISBEHAVING LADIESGOD’S GIFT TO WOMENSVENGALIMAYTOO YOUNG TO MARRYMY PASTTHE MILLIONAIRETHE PUBLIC ENEMYTHE LADY WHO DAREDJUNEPARTY HUSBANDTHE MALTESE FALCONMEN OF THE SKYGOLD DUST GERTIEJULYBIG BUSINESS GIRLSMART MONEYCHANCESCHILDREN OF DREAMSAUGUSTBROADMINDEDSTRANGER IN TOWNNIGHT NURSEBOUGHT!THE RECKLESS HOURTHE STAR WITNESSTHE LAST FLIGHTSEPTEMBERTHE BARGAINALEXANDER HAMILTONI LIKE YOUR NERVESIDE SHOWFIVE STAR FINALOCTOBERPENROD AND SAMTHE ROAD TO SINGAPOREHONOR OF THE FAMILYEXPENSIVE WOMENTHE RULING VOICENOVEMBERTHE MAD GENIUSBLONDE CRAZYLOCAL BOY MAKES GOODDECEMBERCOMPROMISEDSAFE IN HELLMANHATTAN PARADEUNDER EIGHTEENHER MAJESTY LOVE
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Post by topbilled on May 26, 2023 1:21:30 GMT
Universal
1931: 28 RELEASES
FEBRUARYRESURRECTIONDRACULAMARCHFINGER PRINTSHEROES OF THE FLAMESBAD SISTERAPRILTHE VIRTUOUS HUSBANDIRON MANMAYTHE SHE-WOLFSEEDUP FOR MURDERJULYEX-BAD BOYAUGUSTMANY A SLIPTHE HOMICIDE SQUADEAST OF BORNEODANGER ISLANDSEPTEMBERWATERLOO BRIDGEGRAFTOCTOBERTHE SPIRIT OF NOTRE DAMERECKLESS LIVINGTHE SPELL OF THE CIRCUSNOVEMBERFRANKENSTEINBATTLING WITH BUFFALO BILLNICE WOMENDECEMBERLASCA OF THE RIO GRANDEHEAVEN ON EARTHA HOUSE DIVIDEDSTRICTLY DISHONORABLETHE LAST RIDE
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Post by topbilled on May 26, 2023 1:23:39 GMT
Radio Pictures
1931: 50 RELEASES
JANUARYTHE ROYAL BEDBEAU IDEALTHE PAINTED DESERTCIMARRONFEBRUARYMILLIELONELY WIVESKEPT HUSBANDSMARCHTHE LADY REFUSESBEHIND OFFICE DOORSLAUGH AND GET RICHAPRILTHE PERFECT ALIBICRACKED NUTSBEYOND VICTORYBACHELOR APARTMENTBORN TO LOVETHE SIN SHIPMAYEVERYTHING’S ROSIEYOUNG DONOVAN’S KIDJUNEWHITE SHOULDERSTRANSGRESSIONSWEEPSTAKESJULYTHREE WHO LOVEDA WOMAN OF EXPERIENCETHE COMMON LAWTOO MANY COOKSTHE PUBLIC DEFENDERAUGUSTTHE WOMAN BETWEENTRAVELING HUSBANDSTHE RUNAROUNDHIGH STAKESTHE GAY DIPLOMATREBOUNDSEPTEMBERTHE BIG GAMBLECAUGHT PLASTEREDSUNDOWN TRAILSMART WOMANDEVOTIONOCTOBERBAD COMPANYFRIENDS AND LOVERSFANNY FOLEY HERSELFCONSOLATION MARRIAGETHE TIP-OFFFREIGHTERS OF DESTINYNOVEMBERARE THESE OUR CHILDRENWAY BACK HOMESECRET SERVICESUICIDE FLEETDECEMBERTHE BIG SHOTPEACH O’RENO
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Post by topbilled on May 26, 2023 1:25:31 GMT
Paramount
1931: 62 RELEASES
JANUARY
THE BLUE ANGELTHE GANG BUSTERNO LIMITSCANDAL SHEETTHE ROYAL FAMILY OF BROADWAYFEBRUARYFIGHTING CARAVANSSTOLEN HEAVENFINN AND HATTIEIT PAYS TO ADVERTISEMARCHTHE CONQUERING HORDERANGOUNFAITHFULHONOR AMONG LOVERSJUNE MOONMAN OF THE WORLDAPRILDISHONOREDCITY STREETSSKIPPYGUN SMOKEMAYTARNISHED LADYLADIES’ MANDUDE RANCHKICK INTHE VICE SQUADUP POPS THE DEVILJUNETHE LAWYER’S SECRETI TAKE THIS WOMANFORBIDDEN ADVENTURETHE GIRL HABITJULYWOMEN LOVE ONCECONFESSIONS OF A CO-EDTHE NIGHT ANGELTHE MAGNIFICENT LIETHE SECRET CALLHONEYMOON LANEAUGUSTTHE SMILING LIEUTENANTMURDER BY THE CLOCKCAUGHTHUCKLEBERRY FINNAN AMERICAN TRAGEDYSILENCESEPTEMBERSECRETS OF A SECRETARYDAUGHTER OF THE DRAGONPERSONAL MAIDMONKEY BUSINESSTHE ROAD TO RENOOCTOBERMY SINTHE MAD PARADE24 HOURSTHE BELOVED BACHELORNOVEMBERONCE A LADYGIRLS ABOUT TOWNRICH MAN’S FOLLYTOUCHDOWNHIS WOMANTHE CHEATDECEMBERTHE FALSE MADONNAWORKING GIRLSHUSBAND’S HOLIDAYDR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDESOOKYLADIES OF THE BIG HOUSE
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Post by topbilled on May 26, 2023 1:27:13 GMT
United Artists
1931: 12 RELEASES
FEBRUARYREACHING FOR THE MOONMARCHKIKIAPRILTHE FRONT PAGEMAYINDISCREETSEPTEMBERSTREET SCENEOCTOBERPALMY DAYSTHE AGE FOR LOVETHE UNHOLY GARDENNOVEMBERCORSAIRDECEMBERTHE STRUGGLETONIGHT OR NEVERARROWSMITH
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Post by topbilled on May 26, 2023 1:28:48 GMT
Monogram
1931: 13 RELEASES
JUNESHIPS OF HATEDUGAN OF THE BADLANDSJULYPARTNERS OF THE TRAILAUGUSTMOTHER AND SONTHE MONTANA KIDSEPTEMBERTHE MAN FROM DEATH VALLEYOCTOBEROKLAHOMA JIMTWO FISTED JUSTICELAND OF WANTED MENNOVEMBERIN LINE OF DUTYDECEMBERFORGOTTEN WOMENGALLOPING THRULAW OF THE SEA
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Post by topbilled on May 26, 2023 1:30:26 GMT
Columbia
1931: 35 RELEASES
JANUARYTHE LION AND THE LAMBTHE CRIMINAL CODEDESERT VENGEANCETHE LAST PARADEMARCH
TEN CENTS A DANCETHE AVENGERTHE LIGHTNING FLYERAPRIL
DIRIGIBLEMEET THE WIFEMAYSUBWAY EXPRESSSTHE FLOODTHE TEXAS RANGERSKY RAIDERSTHE FIGHTING SHERIFFTHE GOOD BAD GIRLJUNELOVER COME BACKARIZONAAUGUSTTHE MIRACLE WOMANFIFTY FATHOMS DEEPSEPTEMBERBRANDEDTHE PAGAN LADYSHANGHAIED LOVEA DANGEROUS AFFAIROCTOBERBORDER LAWTHE ONE WAY TRAILPLATINUM BLONDENOVEMBERSHOTGUN PASSTHE GUILTY GENERATIONTHE DECEIVERTHE FIGHTING MARSHALDECEMBERTHE RANGE FEUDTHE DEADLINEMEN IN HER LIFETHE SECRET WITNESSMAKER OF MEN
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Post by topbilled on May 26, 2023 1:32:13 GMT
Fox
1931: 48 RELEASES
JANUARYUNDER SUSPICIONTHE MAN WHO CAME BACKMEN ON CALLONCE A SINNER FEBRUARYFAIR WARNINGGIRLS DEMAND EXCITEMENTDON’T BE ON WOMENBODY AND SOULMARCHEAST LYNNENOT EXACTLY GENTLEMENDOCTORS’ WIVESMR. LEMON OF ORANGESEAS BENEATHAPRILA CONNECTICUT YANKEECHARLIE CHAN CARRIES ONTHREE GIRLS LOSTTHE SPYMAYARE YOU THERE?QUICK MILLIONSSIX CYLINDER LOVEYOUNG SINNERSALWAYS GOODBYEWOMEN OF ALL NATIONSJUNEDADDY LONG LEGSANNABELLE’S AFFAIRSTHE BLACK CAMELGOLDIEJULYHUSH MONEYTHEIR MAD MOMENTA HOLY TERRORAUGUSTYOUNG AS YOU FEELTRANSATLANTICSEPTEMBERMERELY MARY ANNBAD GIRLTHE BRATTHE SPIDEROCTOBERWICKEDSKYLINERIDERS OF THE PURPLE SAGESOB SISTERNOVEMBERHEARTBREAKTHE CISCO KIDAMBASSADOR BILLTHE YELLOW TICKETOVER THE HILLDECEMBERSURRENDERGOOD SPORTDELICIOUS
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Post by topbilled on May 26, 2023 1:38:45 GMT
Best Picture: CIMARRON – Radio Pictures
Best Director: Norman Taurog for SKIPPY – Paramount
Best Actor: Lionel Barrymore for A FREE SOUL – Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Best Actress: Marie Dressler for MIN AND BILL – Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Best Supporting Actor: None
Best Supporting Actress: None
Highest grossing film: CITY LIGHTS – United Artists
Note: I did not include CITY LIGHTS in the post for UA since I am not including silent films.
Note re: Marie Dressler's win for Best Actress...MIN AND BILL was released in November 1930.
The qualifying period was for films released between August 1, 1930 and July 31, 1931. |
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Post by Fading Fast on May 26, 2023 4:35:48 GMT
The number of movies is impressive for the second full year of talkies. To be sure, many of these were sixty-ish minute movies, but still.
Also, the titles are awesome. You can tell the Motion Picture Production Code hadn't been enforced yet.
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Post by I Love Melvin on May 26, 2023 12:17:13 GMT
The number of movies is impressive for the second full year of talkies. To be sure, many of these were sixty-ish minute movies, but still.
Also, the titles are awesome. You can tell the Motion Picture Production Code hadn't been enforced yet. That's true that many of the films were short because they were intended to be part of a double bill with shorts, newsreels, cartoons, etc. I grew up at the tail end of double bills and I remember "going to the movies" as an event was almost as important as what you were going to see because it was an entire evening of entertainment. I see some early versions of films whose later remakes are probably more familiar to modern audiences, such as The Maltese Falcon and Waterloo Bridge. Waterloo Bridge was remade only 9 years later and The Maltese Falcon 10 years later, which seems an awfully quick turnaround, probably because advances in the quality of sound recording and filmmaking in general warranted getting more polished versions out there. And why am I remembering Warners' Safe in Hell? I've never seen it but I remember there was some discussion about it on the old TCM site. I'm sure either you or TopBilled can fill me in. |
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Post by Fading Fast on May 26, 2023 13:07:38 GMT
The number of movies is impressive for the second full year of talkies. To be sure, many of these were sixty-ish minute movies, but still.
Also, the titles are awesome. You can tell the Motion Picture Production Code hadn't been enforced yet. That's true that many of the films were short because they were intended to be part of a double bill with shorts, newsreels, cartoons, etc. I grew up at the tail end of double bills and I remember "going to the movies" as an event was almost as important as what you were going to see because it was an entire evening of entertainment. I see some early versions of films whose later remakes are probably more familiar to modern audiences, such as The Maltese Falcon and Waterloo Bridge. Waterloo Bridge was remade only 9 years later and The Maltese Falcon 10 years later, which seems an awfully quick turnaround, probably because advances in the quality of sound recording and filmmaking in general warranted getting more polished versions out there. And why am I remembering Warners' Safe in Hell? I've never seen it but I remember there was some discussion about it on the old TCM site. I'm sure either you or TopBilled can fill me in.
In addition to your spot-on comments about the remakes, Warner Bros even squeezed in a 1936 version of "The Maltese Falcon" story, but under the title of "Satan Met a Lady." Clearly, Warners already owned the rights, so they milked three version in ten years out of the same material.
As to "Safe in Hell," I'm sure we did chat about it on the old board as I love this movie for two reasons. One, it represents one of may favorite things about precodes - the willingness to show the grey morality that makes up most of life - and, two, star Dorothy MacKaill, as seen in this pic from the movie:
My comments on the movie here: "Safe in Hell"
Last thought, while the 1941 version of "The Maltese Falcon" is rightfully knows as the definitive one, I think the 1931 version of "Waterloo Bridge," while technically a bit clunky, is the better version as Mae Clarke's performance is incredible. |
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Post by topbilled on May 26, 2023 14:02:40 GMT
One thing I find interesting is how titles may be reused later, sometimes by other studios, for different stories that are not remakes.
As for the remakes themselves, I think it saved a studio money to re-use a literary property it already owned. Plus a decade later, a "newer" star might resemble an "older" star enough to convince the studio brass to bring a previously made story out of mothballs and re-produce it to see if they can achieve better results. And if they are relying on advances in technology to update things, that might increase its chances of success.
Recently I reviewed Fox's LOVE THAT BRUTE, which was a remake of TALL DARK AND HANDSOME from eight years earlier...and Cesar Romero appears in both versions as different characters. So all sorts of variations occur with the remakes.
Re: the shorter run times for these early-30s releases, it's similar to a TV production model where they were turning out an hour's worth of entertainment each week...and if they didn't keep the contract players busy, they were stuck paying these people sitting on the sidelines, doing nothing, waiting for the next script. That's another reason remakes happened, particularly remakes by the B-film units...they needed something quick to film, to keep everyone working and to keep product flowing into the theaters.
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