Highly Recommended - 1930s

This page lists 50 movies released between 1930 and 1939 that are highly recommended. Click on a title to go to a page of basic movie information, including links to reviews and a place for your own notes and annotations. Also see our list of external links to top movie lists for this category.

Thumbnails Titles 1 Column

Thumbnail for A Night at the Opera (1935)

A Night at the Opera (1935)

Thumbnail for All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

Thumbnail for Captain Blood (1935)

Captain Blood (1935)

Thumbnail for Captains Courageous (1937)

Captains Courageous (1937)

Thumbnail for David Copperfield (1935)

David Copperfield (1935)

Thumbnail for Design for Living (1933)

Design for Living (1933)

Thumbnail for Dodsworth (1936)

Dodsworth (1936)

Thumbnail for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931)

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931)

Thumbnail for Dracula (1931)

Dracula (1931)

Thumbnail for Frankenstein (1931)

Frankenstein (1931)

Thumbnail for Freaks (1932)

Freaks (1932)

Thumbnail for Fury (1936)

Fury (1936)

Thumbnail for Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)

Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)

Thumbnail for Gone with the Wind (1939)

Gone with the Wind (1939)

Thumbnail for Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939)

Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939)

Thumbnail for Holiday (1938)

Holiday (1938)

Thumbnail for I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)

I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)

Thumbnail for It Happened One Night (1934)

It Happened One Night (1934)

Thumbnail for Kid Galahad (1937)

Kid Galahad (1937)

Thumbnail for La Chienne (1931)

La Chienne (1931)

Thumbnail for Little Caesar (1931)

Little Caesar (1931)

Thumbnail for Lost Horizon (1937)

Lost Horizon (1937)

Thumbnail for M (1931)

M (1931)

Thumbnail for Make Way for Tomorrow (1937)

Make Way for Tomorrow (1937)

Thumbnail for Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)

Thumbnail for Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

Thumbnail for Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)

Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)

Thumbnail for Olympia Part One: Festival of the Nations (1938)

Olympia Part One: Festival of the Nat... (1938)

Thumbnail for Olympia Part Two: Festival of Beauty (1938)

Olympia Part Two: Festival of Beauty (1938)

Thumbnail for Only Angels Have Wings (1939)

Only Angels Have Wings (1939)

Thumbnail for Pygmalion (1938)

Pygmalion (1938)

Thumbnail for Red Dust (1932)

Red Dust (1932)

Thumbnail for Ruggles of Red Gap (1935)

Ruggles of Red Gap (1935)

Thumbnail for Swing Time (1936)

Swing Time (1936)

Thumbnail for The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

Thumbnail for The Awful Truth (1937)

The Awful Truth (1937)

Thumbnail for The Blue Angel (1930)

The Blue Angel (1930)

Thumbnail for The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

Thumbnail for The Gay Divorcee (1934)

The Gay Divorcee (1934)

Thumbnail for The Good Earth (1937)

The Good Earth (1937)

Thumbnail for The Grand Illusion (1937)

The Grand Illusion (1937)

Thumbnail for The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939)

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939)

Thumbnail for The Invisible Man (1933)

The Invisible Man (1933)

Thumbnail for The Life of Emile Zola (1937)

The Life of Emile Zola (1937)

Thumbnail for The Petrified Forest (1936)

The Petrified Forest (1936)

Thumbnail for The Prisoner of Shark Island (1936)

The Prisoner of Shark Island (1936)

Thumbnail for The Public Enemy (1931)

The Public Enemy (1931)

Thumbnail for They Won't Forget (1937)

They Won't Forget (1937)

Thumbnail for Triumph of the Will (1935)

Triumph of the Will (1935)

Thumbnail for Trouble in Paradise (1932)

Trouble in Paradise (1932)