Cinematography: Merrit B. Gerstad

Direction Sam Wood

Cast The Marx Brothers · Groucho Marx · Harpo Marx · Chico Marx

Synopsis A Night at the Opera (1935) follows the chaotic journey of Groucho Marx, who, driven by an unusual business venture, manages to transport the entire cast of the Milano Opera to New York via a ship. Unbeknownst to him, Harpo...

Direction Tod Browning

Cast Wallace Ford · Leila Hyams · Olga Baclanova · Roscoe Ates

Synopsis Freaks (1932) centers around the cunning trapeze artist Cleopatra (Olga Baclanova), who sets her sights on the inheritance of Hans (Harry Earles), a little person working in a sideshow. Cleopatra's manipulative advances are met with resistance from Hans' fellow sideshow...

Direction Tod Browning

Cast Lon Chaney · Joan Crawford · Norman Kerry · Nick de Ruiz

Synopsis The Unknown (1927) follows the story of Alonzo, a renowned performer in Zanzi's gypsy circus, known as the "armless wonder" who amazes audiences by throwing knives with his feet, assisted by the captivating Nanon, Zanzi's daughter. In truth, Alonzo is...

Direction John M. Stahl

Cast Margaret Sullavan · John Boles · Edna May Oliver · Billie Burke

Synopsis Only Yesterday (1933) tells the tale of a young woman who, during the tumultuous period of World War I, finds herself in a brief, passionate encounter that leads to an unexpected pregnancy. Fast forward to the present, where she crosses...

Direction John M. Stahl

Cast Claudette Colbert · Warren William · Rochelle Hudson · Ned Sparks

Synopsis Imitation of Life (1934) follows the story of Bea Pullman, a widow struggling to support herself and her daughter Jessie. Their fortunes change when Delilah Johnson, a kind-hearted woman, agrees to work as Bea's housekeeper in exchange for accommodation for...

Direction Curtis Bernhardt

Cast Humphrey Bogart · Alexis Smith · Sydney Greenstreet · Rose Hobart

Synopsis Conflict (1945) follows Richard Mason, portrayed by Humphrey Bogart, who feigns severe injuries from a car crash to avoid joining his wife Kathryn on a mountain excursion. However, he is later implicated in her murder on a secluded mountain road....

Direction Henry King

Cast James Stewart · Simone Simon · Jean Hersholt · Gregory Ratoff

Synopsis Seventh Heaven (1937) follows the story of a humble Parisian sewer worker, portrayed by James Stewart, who dreams of elevating his social standing and finding a beautiful wife. His life takes a dramatic turn when he saves a young woman,...

Direction Robert Z. Leonard

Cast William Powell · Myrna Loy · Luise Rainer · Frank Morgan

Synopsis The Great Ziegfeld (1936) begins at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, where a charismatic sideshow barker, Flo Ziegfeld, outmaneuvers his prosperous rival, Billings, and wins over his girlfriend in the process. This dynamic of rivalry and triumph continues throughout their...

Direction Herman Shumlin

Cast Bette Davis · Paul Lukas · Geraldine Fitzgerald · Lucile Watson

Synopsis Watch on the Rhine (1943) follows the story of Sara and Kurt Muller, who, along with their three children, are making their way back to Sara's family home in Washington DC after spending nearly two decades in Europe. The family's...

Direction Irving Rapper

Cast Robert Alda · Joan Leslie · Alexis Smith · Charles Coburn

Synopsis Rhapsody in Blue (1945) follows the life of renowned composer George Gershwin, who is propelled by an insatiable ambition to achieve greatness. However, his relentless pursuit of success takes a toll on his personal life, particularly his romantic entanglements. He...

Direction Archie Mayo

Cast George Raft · Joan Bennett · Lloyd Nolan · Walter Pidgeon

Synopsis The House Across the Bay (1940) follows the story of an aircraft designer who becomes entangled in a dangerous romance with the wife of a notorious gangster. Their relationship seems idyllic until the gangster is released from prison, threatening to...

Direction Archie Mayo · Michael Curtiz

Cast James Cagney · Madge Evans · Arthur Byron · Allen Jenkins

Synopsis The Mayor of Hell (1933) follows the journey of five young delinquents, led by Jimmy Smith, who are sent to the State Reformatory, a facility run by the harsh and unyielding Thompson. The narrative takes a dramatic turn when Patsy...

Direction Tod Browning

Cast Lon Chaney · Polly Moran · Henry B. Walthall · Marceline Day

Synopsis London After Midnight (1927) unfolds in a chilling atmosphere as an eerie mansion, once the residence of a prosperous individual who allegedly took his own life five years prior, becomes the haunt of sinister apparitions. The question lingers: are these...

Direction Tod Browning

Cast Lon Chaney · Lois Moran · Owen Moore · Henry B. Walthall

Synopsis The Road to Mandalay (1926) presents an exhilarating clash of cultures, transporting viewers to a world where the East and West collide in a thrilling narrative. This powerful film showcases Lon Chaney in what many consider his most iconic role,...

Direction W.S. Van Dyke

Cast Lionel Barrymore · Kay Francis · Madge Evans · William Bakewell

Synopsis Guilty Hands (1931) follows the story of Richard Grant, a lawyer with a unique perspective on justice, who believes that murder can be justified under specific conditions. Richard's daughter, Barbara, accompanies him to a dinner party hosted by Gordon Rich,...

Direction Tod Browning

Cast Conrad Nagel · Leila Hyams · Margaret Wycherly · Helene Millard

Synopsis The Thirteenth Chair (1929) follows Edward Wales as he seeks justice for his murdered friend, a man widely regarded as a scoundrel. Wales devises a plan to expose the killer by organizing a séance with a renowned medium, gathering 13...

Direction Benjamin Christensen

Cast Lon Chaney · Barbara Bedford · Ricardo Cortez · Mack Swain

Synopsis Mockery (1927) unfolds against the backdrop of the Russian Civil War, where famine grips Siberia. A simple-minded peasant, Sergei, scavenges for sustenance among the fallen. He crosses paths with an enigmatic young woman in pursuit of the town of Novokursk....

Direction Tay Garnett

Cast Pat O'Brien · Edward Arnold · Broderick Crawford · Ruth Terry

Synopsis Slightly Honorable (1939) follows the gripping tale of a legal professional who finds himself in a dire situation. Accused of the murder of a vibrant young woman, the lawyer must navigate a complex web of deceit and misdirection to prove...

Direction Tay Garnett

Cast Loretta Young · David Niven · Hugh Herbert · Billie Burke

Synopsis Eternally Yours (1939) follows the journey of Anita, portrayed by Loretta Young, who initially appears to have a promising future. She is set to marry Don Barnes, a wealthy man who promises a life of stability and comfort. However, her...

Direction Garson Kanin

Cast Ginger Rogers · George Murphy · Alan Marshal · Burgess Meredith

Synopsis Tom Dick and Harry (1941) follows the romantic entanglements of Ginger Rogers, who works as a telephone operator. She finds herself courted by three very different suitors: George Murphy, a practical and grounded man; Alan Marshal, a wealthy and sophisticated...