Films About 1930s America: A General Overview
The 1930s in America was a decade marked by the Great Depression, social upheaval, and significant cultural shifts. As a result, films from this era often reflect the struggles and resilience of the American people, highlighting themes of hardship, hope, and social justice. From the rise of the gangster genre to poignant dramas and musicals that sought to uplift spirits, these films provide a vivid portrayal of life during a tumultuous time in American history. Below is a selection of notable films that capture the essence of 1930s America.
“The Grapes of Wrath”, 1940
Director: John Ford
Based on John Steinbeck's novel, this film tells the harrowing story of the Joad family as they migrate from Oklahoma to California during the Dust Bowl, seeking a better life amidst the struggles of the Great Depression.
Starring: Henry Fonda, Jane Darwell, John Carradine, Charley Grapewin, Dorris Bowdon, Russell Simpson, O.Z. Whitehead, John Qualen, Eddie Quillan, Zeffie Tilbury, Frank Sully, Frank Darien, Darryl Hickman, Shirley Mills, Roger Imhof, Grant Mitchell, Charles D. Brown, John Arledge, Ward Bond, Harry Tyler, William Pawley, Charles Tannen, Selmer Jackson, Charles Middleton, Eddy Waller, Paul Guilfoyle, David Hillary Hughes, Cliff Clark, Joe Sawyer, Frank Faylen, Adrian Morris, Hollis Jewell, Robert Homans, Irving Bacon, Kitty McHugh, Wally Albright, Erville Alderson, Josephine Allen, Robert J. Anderson, Frank Atkinson, Arthur Aylesworth, Trevor Bardette, John Binns, Joe Bordeaux, Leon Brace, Henry Brahe, George P. Breakston, Buster Brodie, Scotty Brown, Hal Budlong;
Production year: 1940;
Genre: drama;
Age: 18+;
Duration: 129 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8,1;
More information about the film “The Grapes of Wrath” on the website imdb.com
“It Happened One Night”, 1934
Director: Frank Capra
A romantic comedy that follows a spoiled heiress who runs away from her family and encounters a cynical reporter. Their journey across America leads to unexpected romance and a fresh perspective on life.
Starring: Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert, Walter Connolly, Roscoe Karns, Jameson Thomas, Alan Hale, Arthur Hoyt, Blanche Friderici, Charles C. Wilson, Ernie Adams, Jessie Arnold, Irving Bacon, William Bailey, William Begg, William A. Boardway, Ward Bond, Harry C. Bradley, George P. Breakston, Charles A. Browne, James Burke, Edmund Burns, Ken Carson, Eddy Chandler, Wallis Clark, Ray Cooke, Joseph Crehan, Ray Creighton, Oliver Cross, Jack Curtis, Mickey Daniels, Eva Dennison, Neal Dodd, Oliver Eckhardt, Billy Engle, Jack Evans, Bess Flowers, Allen Fox, Dolores Fuller, Joaquin Garay, Dick Gordon, Carlton Griffin, Kit Guard, Sherry Hall, A.R. Haysel, Frank Holliday, Harry Holman, Harry Hume, William Irving, Sam Josephson;
Production year: 1934;
Genre: melodrama, comedy;
Age: 0+;
Duration: 105 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8,1;
More information about the film “It Happened One Night” on the website imdb.com
“The Public Enemy”, 1931
Director: William A. Wellman
This gangster film starring James Cagney depicts the rise of a young man in the world of organized crime during the Prohibition era, showcasing the violent realities of the criminal underworld.
Starring: James Cagney, Jean Harlow, Edward Woods, Joan Blondell, Donald Cook, Leslie Fenton, Beryl Mercer, Robert Emmett O'Connor, Murray Kinnell, Lev Abramov, Clark Burroughs, Mae Clarke, Frank Coghlan Jr., George Daly, Frankie Darro, Snitz Edwards, Rita Flynn, Dorothy Gee, Douglas Gerrard, Dorothy Gray, Ben Hendricks Jr., Robert Homans, Eddie Kane, Arnold Lucy, Mia Marvin, Sam McDaniel, Harold Minjir, Kewpie Morgan, Helen Parrish, Lee Phelps, Russ Powell, Purnell Pratt, Nanci Price, Joe Sawyer, Landers Stevens, William H. Strauss, Charles Sullivan, Lucille Ward, Adele Watson;
Production year: 1931;
Genre: drama, crime;
Age: 12+;
Duration: 83 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,6;
More information about the film “The Public Enemy” on the website imdb.com
“Modern Times”, 1936
Director: Charles Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin's silent film satire addresses the dehumanizing aspects of industrialization and the struggles of the working class through the misadventures of the Little Tramp.
Starring: Charles Chaplin, Paulette Goddard, Henry Bergman, Tiny Sandford, Chester Conklin, Hank Mann, Stanley Blystone, Al Ernest Garcia, Richard Alexander, Cecil Reynolds, Mira McKinney, Murdock MacQuarrie, Wilfred Lucas, Edward LeSaint, Fred Malatesta, Sammy Stein, Juana Sutton, Ted Oliver, Norman Ainsley, Walter Bacon, Bobby Barber, Heinie Conklin, Gloria DeHaven, Gloria Delson, Pat Flaherty, Frank Hagney, Chuck Hamilton, Pat Harmon, Lloyd Ingraham, Walter James, Edward Kimball, Jack Low, Buddy Messinger, Bruce Mitchell, Frank Moran, James C. Morton, Dorothy Mueller, Louis Natheaux, J.C. Nugent, Russ Powell, John Rand, Wyn Ritchie Evans, Harry Wilson;
Production year: 1936;
Genre: drama, melodrama, comedy;
MPAA rating: g;
Duration: 87 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8,5;
More information about the film “Modern Times” on the website imdb.com
“Of Mice and Men”, 1992
Director: Gary Sinise
Another adaptation of a John Steinbeck novel, this film explores the friendship between two displaced ranch workers during the Great Depression, examining themes of dreams, loneliness, and sacrifice.
Starring: John Malkovich, Gary Sinise, Ray Walston, Casey Siemaszko, Sherilyn Fenn, John Terry, Richard Riehle, Alexis Arquette, Joe Morton, Noble Willingham, Joe D'Angerio, Tuck Milligan, David Steen, Moira Harris, Mark Boone Junior, Diane McGee, Donna Persico, Lori Romero;
Production year: 1992;
Genre: drama, western;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 115 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,4;
More information about the film “Of Mice and Men” on the website imdb.com
“The Wizard of Oz”, 1939
Director: Victor Fleming, King Vidor
A beloved fantasy musical that follows young Dorothy as she is transported to the magical land of Oz. The film reflects themes of escapism and the search for identity, resonating with the struggles of the era.
Starring: Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley, Billie Burke, Margaret Hamilton, Charley Grapewin, Pat Walshe, Clara Blandick, Terry, The Singer Midgets, Gladys W. Allison, John Ballas, Franz Balluck, Josefine Balluck, John T. Bambury, Dorothy Barrett, Amelia Batchelor, Charles Becker, Harry Bernard, Freda Betsky, Billy Bletcher, Henry Boers, Theodore Boers, Lorraine Bridges, Buster Brodie, Tyler Brooke, Christine Buresh, Eddie Buresh, Lida Buresh, Betty Ann Cain, Candy Candido, Mickey Carroll, Adriana Caselotti, Harry Cogg, Pinto Colvig, Nona Cooper, Tommy Cottonaro, Elizabeth Coulter, Lewis Croft, Jimmy the Crow, Frank Cucksey, Billy Curtis, Ken Darby, Eugene S. David Jr., Eulie H. David, Sid Dawson, Ethel W. Denis, Prince Denis;
Production year: 1939;
Genre: musical, fantasy, adventure, family;
MPAA rating: pg;
Duration: 101 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8,1;
More information about the film “The Wizard of Oz” on the website imdb.com
“Our Daily Bread”, 1934
Director: King Vidor
A documentary-style film that portrays a group of unemployed workers who come together to create a cooperative farm, highlighting themes of community and resilience during hard times.
Starring: Karen Morley, Tom Keene, Barbara Pepper, Addison Richards, John Qualen, Lloyd Ingraham, Sidney Bracey, Henry Hall, Nellie V. Nichols, Frank Minor, Bud Rae, Harry Brown, C.E. Anderson, Earl Askam, Lionel Backus, Eddie Baker, Jack Baldwin, Marion Ballou, Harry Bernard, Harold Berquist, Bonita, Harry C. Bradley, Lynton Brent, Tommy Bupp, Henry Burroughs, Cy Clegg, Billy Engle, Florence Enright, Alma Ferns, Clarence Geldert, Harris Gordon, Mary Gordon, Harrison Greene, Frank Hammond, Jack Hyam, Doris Kemper, Billy Kidston, Maybelle Lee, Sidney Miller, Gene O'Brien, Edward Peil Sr., Hal Price, Bob Reeves, Alexander Schoenberg, Alex Schumberg, Harry Semels, Ray Spiker, Billy Tucker, Robert Tucker;
Production year: 1934;
Genre: drama, melodrama;
Duration: 80 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7;
More information about the film “Our Daily Bread” on the website imdb.com
“The Best Years of Our Lives”, 1946
Director: William Wyler
While set just after World War II, this film touches on the lingering effects of the Great Depression on returning veterans and their reintegration into society, showcasing the challenges of adapting to a changing America.
Starring: Fredric March, Dana Andrews, Harold Russell, Teresa Wright, Myrna Loy, Cathy O'Donnell, Virginia Mayo, Hoagy Carmichael, Gladys George, Roman Bohnen, Ray Collins, Minna Gombell, Walter Baldwin, Steve Cochran, Dorothy Adams, Don Beddoe, Marlene Aames, Charles Halton, Ray Teal, Howland Chamberlain, Dean White, Erskine Sanford, Michael Hall, Victor Cutler, Jimmy Ames, Carol Andrews, Mary Arden, Gertrude Astor, Edward Biby, Harry Cheshire, Sidney Clute, Tom Coleman, Joyce Compton, James Conaty, Heinie Conklin, Bert Conway, Clancy Cooper, Mady Correll, Roy Darmour, Hal K. Dawson, Lawrence Dobkin, Lester Dorr, Claire Du Brey, Tom Dugan, Dick Earle, Edward Earle, Blake Edwards, Billy Engle, Ben Erway, Doris June Fesetta;
Production year: 1946;
Genre: drama, melodrama, war;
Age: 12+;
Duration: 170 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8,1;
More information about the film “The Best Years of Our Lives” on the website imdb.com
“The Devil Is a Woman”, 1935
Director: Josef von Sternberg
A melodrama that explores themes of love and betrayal within the context of a tumultuous relationship, reflecting the complexities of gender and romance during the 1930s.
Starring: Marlene Dietrich, Lionel Atwill, Edward Everett Horton, Alison Skipworth, Cesar Romero, Don Alvarado, Tempe Pigott, Francisco Moreno, Max Barwyn, Eumenio Blanco, Eddie Borden, Jill Dennett, Luisa Espinel, John George, Lawrence Grant, Hank Mann, Edwin Maxwell, Kewpie Morgan, Stanley Price, Donald Reed, Constantine Romanoff, Henry Roquemore, Charles Sellon, Morgan Wallace;
Production year: 1935;
Genre: drama, melodrama, comedy;
Age: 16+;
Duration: 79 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,9;
More information about the film “The Devil Is a Woman” on the website imdb.com
These films collectively offer a glimpse into the diverse experiences of Americans during the 1930s, capturing the era's spirit through storytelling and cinematic innovation.
In exploring the selection of films that depict 1930s America, it becomes evident that this tumultuous era serves as a captivating backdrop for storytelling. From the gripping tales of gangsters and prohibition in films like “The Public Enemy” and “Little Caesar,” to the heartfelt struggles of everyday people in films like “The Grapes of Wrath” and “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” these movies offer a glimpse into the social, political, and economic challenges faced by Americans during this time. Through their engaging narratives, rich cinematography, and powerful performances, these films not only entertain but also shed light on the resilience and spirit of the American people in the face of adversity.
