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Raffles (1939) Directed by Sam Wood

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Raffles Reviews

Mr David Niven... is invariably charming, but hardly convincing as a modern criminal.

Full Review | Oct 16, 2020

So fun that we... turn a blind eye to David Niven's exploits. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Apr 3, 2020

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Brief Synopsis

Cast & crew, david niven, olivia de havilland, dame may whitty, dudley digges, douglas walton, photos & videos, technical specs.

Unknown to Scotland Yard, the thief operating under the sobriquet of "The Amateur Cracksman" is actually A. J. Raffles, a cricket star and English gentleman who steals to support his elegant life style. When Raffles falls in love with Gwen Manders, he renounces his life of crime, but this does not deter Scotland Yard's Inspector MacKenzie from his investigation. Raffles' reformation is short-lived, however, as Gwen's brother Bunny confides that he desperately needs £1,000 in order to repay the money he embezzled and lost at gambling. An empty cigarette package, meanwhile, leads MacKenzie to the country estate of Lord Melrose, where Raffles is weekending. However, it is not the inspector but Raffles who discovers the plot of petty thief Crawshay to steal Lady Melrose's emerald necklace. Raffles wrestles the necklace from Crawshay, who is then arrested by the police. The next morning, Raffles leaves for London to sell the jewels, and Gwen overhears the inspector setting a trap for him. She rushes to warn Raffles, but too late, for the inspector springs his trap and arrests Raffles with the gems. Raffles exhibits his ingenuity one last time as he cleverly eludes the police and escapes into the night.

E. E. Clive

Lionel pape.

Peter Godfrey

Margaret seddon, hilda plowright.

Gilbert Emery

Keith hitchcock, vesey o'davoren, george cathrey, travis banton, james basevi, douglas field, samuel goldwyn, julia heron, sidney howard, frank maher, walter mayo, sherman todd, gregg toland, john van druten, victor young, photo collections.

Hosted Intro

Raffles (1940)

Writer Sidney Howard also wrote the script for the 1930 Goldwyn film Raffles . According to a November 1938 news item in Motion Picture Daily , this picture, originally titled Colonel Rowan of Scotland Yard , was to have been filmed in England. The war in Europe caused the studio to change its production plans. Modern sources note that Samuel Goldwyn used the role of Raffles to lure David Niven, who wanted to play the character and was at odds with Goldwyn, to renew his contract with the studio. News items in Hollywood Reporter note that Niven, who was a soldier in the British army, was granted a twenty-one day grace period by the British Consul so that he could finish his scenes in this film before beginning his military service. The production company worked double time so that Niven could finish on time, shooting all his scenes first. This was Niven's last American film until the 1946 film The Magnificent Doll. Modern sources add that F. Scott Fitzgerald worked on the script and William Wyler helped with the direction, but their participation in the final film has not been confirmed. The E. W. Hornung novel has been filmed several times. In 1914 Hyclass Producing Company made Raffles the Amateur Cracksman directed by George Irving and starring John Barrymore and Frederick Perry (see AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1911-20 ; F1.3622). In 1925, Universal filmed a picture of the same name, directed by King Baggot and starring House Peters, and in 1930, Goldwyn filmed Raffles , directed by Harry D'Abbadie and George Fitzmaurice and starring Ronald Colman and Kay Francis (see AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1921-30 ; F2.4419 and F2.4420). The 1940 version was based on the screenplay that Sidney Howard wrote for the 1930 Goldwyn film.

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David Niven (Raffles) Olivia de Havilland (Gwen) May Whitty (Lady Melrose) Dudley Digges (MacKenzie) Douglas Walton (Bunny) E.E. Clive (Barraclough) Lionel Pape (Lord Melrose) Peter Godfrey (Crawshay) Margaret Seddon (Maud Holden) Hilda Plowright (Wilson)

Man about town and First Class cricketer A.J. Raffles keeps himself solvent with daring robberies. Meeting Gwen from his schooldays and falling in love all over again, he spends the weekend with her parents, Lord and Lady Melrose. A necklace presents an irresistible temptation, but also in attendance is Scotland Yard's finest, finally on the trail.

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Movie Review: Raffles (1939)

by StevenHelmer

A review of the 1939 crime drama starring David Niven and Olivia de Havilland.

Synopsis: Well-known cricketer A. J. Raffles moonlights as a daring art and jewelry thief. But, when he is re-introduced to a friend's sister, he falls in love and, because of that, decides to give up his life of crime. However, when his friend threatens to kill himself over money issues, Raffles decides to pull off one last jewelry theft. Unfortunately, a Scotland Yard detective has grown suspicious of him and is determined to catch him in the act.

Who's In It?

The movie stars David Niven , Olivia de Havilland , Dame May Whitty , E. E. Clive and Dudley Digges.

My wife had to work last night and, as is usually the case, I put the kids to bed and looked for a movie to watch while waiting up for her. I came across this particular film and, thinking it sounded somewhat interesting, decided to watch it. As it turns out, it was a pretty good movie.

One of the things I found I really liked about this movie was the cat-and-mouse drama between Raffles (Niven) and the Scotland Yard inspector (Digges) that was hot on his trail. When I started watching this movie, I figured it would be like some similar films I've seen and the inspector would be a bumbling idiot who was easily duped. Instead, the inspector proved to be Raffles' equal, quickly picking up on subtle clues, zeroing in on his suspect and staying focused even as Raffles tried to get him to pursue other suspects.

I also found I liked Raffles himself, mostly because, even though he was breaking the law, his motives for doing so seemed somewhat pure. Even before trying to steal an expensive necklace to help his friend, Bunny ( Douglas Walton ), he was quick to use his gift to help others, usually by allowing them to "find" the stolen item and return it for the reward money.

I think the most intriguing character in this, however, had to be Raffles' love interest, Gwen (de Havilland). She was the reason he was going to give up his life of crime and her brother, Bunny, was the reason he was trying to pull off the last caper. But, as she also grew suspicious, I found I was curious about how she would react to the truth. I didn't know if she would understand his reasons for committing the crime or if she would end up outing him to the authorities. And, that uncertainty did keep the movie from becoming anywhere near as predictable as I thought it would be.

Final Opinion

I wasn't overly impressed with how the movie ended. But, overall, thought it was a good cat-and-mouse crime drama and I did enjoy watching it. If you haven't seen this classic film, it's worth watching on a rainy day.

My Grade: B

More By This Writer

StevenHelmer, Thank you for product lines, pretty pictures and practical information. The library system here does not have Raffles among its Blu-ray and DVD collections. But it does have what appears to be a colorized reboot or remake, in two releases, as Raffles: The First Step and Raffles: To Catch a Thief, from 2002.

Would you all happen to have seen the above two films? Also, would you all happen to have seen the Elementary series episode, with Johnny Lee Miller as Sherlock Holmes, in which Raffles is a character?

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Raffles (1939)

Genre: adventure / comedy, duration: 72 minuten, country: united states, directed by: sam wood, stars: david niven , olivia de havilland and may whitty, imdb score: 6,4 (1.214), releasedate: 11 november 1939.

Raffles plot

"Meet 'Raffles'! He's a lion with the ladies-and the cops all want him too!" AJ Raffles is a distinguished gentleman and top cricketer, who keeps his finances in order by committing a theft here and there. He meets his old love Gwen and spends the weekend with her parents Lord and Lady Melrose. However, they appear to possess a valuable piece of jewelry, which is a great temptation for Raffles. Unfortunately, a Scotland Yard detective is also present...

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Barraclough

Lord Melrose

Maud Holden

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Raffles (1939)

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Previous Goldwyn production of Raffles had Ronald Colman and Kay Francis as main figures in the romantic motivation to dovetail with the crook angle. Here, however, script concentrates on cat-and-mouse by-play between Scotland Yard inspector Mackenzie (Douglas Digges) and the elusive cracksman (David Niven), with the romantic interludes of minor importance. Present version also lacks the sparkle and good humor of the original with Colman.

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As weekend guest of Lord and Lady Melrose (Lionel Pape, May Whitty) Raffles discovers his buddy and brother of his sweetheart needs funds quickly to prevent being cashiered from the army. Under the nose of the Scotland Yard inspector, he plans to pilfer the hostess’ necklace, but eventually finds he has to lift the gems from a thief who had the same idea.

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The E.W. Hornung tale [The Amateur Cracksman] has moments of interest and suspense in its present telling, but overall is able to generate only slight reaction for a familiar yarn. Niven is adequate as Raffles, with Digges providing interesting, amusing and important characterization as the inspector. Olivia de Havilland has slight footage as the romantic interest opposite Niven.

Raffles has been given Class A production values throughout, but on the entertainment side its a lower A.

Production: Goldwyn. Director Sam Wood, William Wyler; Producer Samuel Goldwyn; Screenplay John Van Druten, Sydney Howard; Camera Gregg Toland; Editor Sherman Todd; Music Victor Young; Art Director James Basevi
Crew: (B&W) Extract of a review from 1939. Running time: 70 MIN.
With: David Niven Olivia de Havilland May Whitty Dudley Digges Douglas Walton Lionel Pape

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Raffles (1930) / Raffles (1939) DVD Review: Because Cricket Doesn’t Pay

There have been many notable, historically celebrated examples of a literary character enjoying a long and happy life (or death) over the course of several decades (or even centuries) via not only their original work, but through the lucrative cash-cow known as franchising as well. But for every Sherlock Holmes, Tarzan, or Dracula, there is a staggering amount of lesser-known fictional entities that ultimately failed to make the grade within the grand scheme of things. In fact, it’s quite frightening to think of how many once-briefly-popular imaginary men and women (and to some degree, those who would have to mark “other” on an application were they real) have come and gone since the very advent of storytelling itself.

And while I stay up night after night praying to God that the entire bibliography of Stephenie Meyer will someday be forgotten, my heart goes out to some of the others who probably shouldn’t have been. One such instance could be the character of A.J. Raffles, an English gentleman who moonlights as a jewel thief. But the sympathy I extend to Raffles has nothing to do with that, and exists solely over the very laughable fact that Raffles’ creator, E.W. Hornung, also made the amateur cracksman a championship cricketer. Yes, that’s right: our protagonist plays cricket. The Dark Knight is a millionaire playboy in the daytime, whereas The Amateur Cracksman engages in one of the most boring sports known to man. I think that’s a fair trade-off, don’t you?

But since cricket doesn’t pay, crime ultimately does  when it comes to Raffles paying his escalating bills or wooing ladies of high society in 1930s London. Hornung published a series of short stories telling about the adventures of antihero Raffles and his trusty sidekick, a guy named Bunny, from 1898 to 1909, with the latter character serving as chronicler. If that sounds suspiciously like another literary coupling like, say, Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson, then you’re spot on. Surprisingly, the series received high praise from Holmes creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle himself, commenting Hornung’s creations as a darker version of his own crime-fighting duo – though the shock of such swiftly comes to an end once one discovers Doyle and Hornung were, in fact, brothers-in-law.

And while history has no doubt revealed who the more talented (or at least) popular author of the family was, it must be noted that Raffles enjoyed a brief franchise stint in various forms of media over the years. In the realm of film, Raffles was originally brought to life upon the silent silver screen in 1905, and was effectively rebooted a total of three times after that (once in 1917, with John Barrymore playing the eponymous role; again in 1921, with Gerald Ames; and finally in 1925, with House Peters starring), though it appeared poor Raffles was never quite sought-after enough to make it past the introductory movie phase. And while speculation abounds to this day over whether Raffles’ apparent unpopularity in the filmic format was due to the fact that his best friend liked to be called Bunny, Raffles was sent back to the drawing board twice in the 1930s, wherein prolific producer Samuel Goldwyn had a say in things.

Of course, by the look of things, that which Goldwyn said was “Look, I don’t care, just make the same damn movie again!” as both of the Raffles included in this double feature from the Warner Archive Collection use the exact same stage play adaptation as their plot (hey, they did the same thing with 1931’s Dracula ; it was just the way they did things then, I guess!). The first Raffles , released in 1930, delivers a suicidal drama queen of a man named Bunny (Bramwell Fletcher) onto Raffles’ doorstep after he writes a bad check for £1,000 after gambling all but his soul away. Unbeknownst to all, Raffles (Ronald Colman) is in fact the same notorious burglar Scotland Yard has dubbed “The Amateur Cracksman”, and he’s ready to retire from his dark evenings of latent larceny after falling hard for high society dame Lady Gwen (Kay Francis). But with his best friend in peril (are we sure Bunny’s suicidal tendencies have nothing to do with Raffles dating a girl?), Raffles decides it’s time for one last job.

And that job is the theft of the Melrose necklace, as once worn by Empress Joséphine, and which is currently adorning the double-wide sagging scrag of old Lady Melrose (Alison Skipworth). But the heist proves to be more of a challenge than even an amateur like Raffles is prepared for after a group of professional hoods led by a fellow named Crawshaw (John Rogers) set their sights on the same target, to wit a Scotland Yard detective, McKenzie (David Torrence) – who is actually Scottish – comes barging in to spoil all the fun along with his trained staff of total buffoons. So, it’s up to Raffles to figure out a way to snatch up the necklace while wooing both Lady Gwen and Lady Melrose, buttering up to Lord Melrose (Frederick Kerr, who practically played the same character as the elderly patriarch of Universal’s  Frankenstein  family a year later), keeping an eye out for Crawshaw and a suspicious McKenzie, and – most importantly of all – making sure Bunny stays on his meds.

George Fitzmaurice ( Son of the Sheik ) took over directing after Harry d’Abbadie d’Arrast was canned, and Raffles was actually nominated for Best Sound in 1930, as it was the first time such a category was included on the Academy Awards roster. (The film was shot in silent form as well, proving to be the last Goldwyn film to do so in the process.) Hearing the scratchy soundtrack today makes it almost as amusing as a protagonist who plays professional cricket, as the ultra-sensitive microphones of the early ’30s picked up everything, and Foley had yet to become the fine art it is today. But of course this adds to the fun here, and I liked the pairing of Colman and Francis here (wait, did someone say Coleman Francis?), and the constant bickering between Lady Melrose – who has two pugs named Gin and Tonic – and Lord Melrose (especially Kerr’s interpretation of him) is a delight to watch. But of course, you get to see it all over again in the 1939 version of Raffles , with a few slight alterations, naturally.

For starters, the great David Niven takes on the lead part (and does a damn fine job, naturally, and who had to take a grace period from joining the British Army in order to finish the film), with another icon – Olivia de Havilland – portraying Lady Gwen, who, this time ’round, happens to be the sister of Bunny Manders (Douglas Walton), who is nowhere near as overly-dramatic as his predecessor in this incarnation. In fact, Bunny is far more of a minor character in this outing, and their visit to the Melrose estate (with Dame May Whitty and Lionel Pape hosting) is pre-arranged in the beginning of the film, with Bunny’s need for cash arising later into the story. The arrival of Inspector McKenzie (Dudley Diggs) is also altered for this version; having achieved in the obtaining of a clue as to the possible whereabouts – and subsequently, the identity – of The Amateur Cracksman in the beginning of the movie (wherein a cute l’il kitten is involved in one of Raffles’ many burglaries).

But what sets this Raffles apart from the previous one is its timing. With the art of editing – not to mention filmmaking in general – having come a long,  long way since those talkies came into existence, Goldwyn’s 1939 version presents a tighter-paced (though still rather slow) offering that amazingly still clocks in at almost the exact same length. Sam Wood, best known today as one of the few directors capable of putting up with the outrageous antics of The Marx Brothers in A Night at the Opera and A Day at the Races , takes many of the same angles (and maybe even same sets in some instances) and adds a little more flair to them; an opening scene wherein a television set is seen as a way of introducing the main character seems downright surreal for a movie made in 1939.

Also of note here in this version is a slightly-different ending (wherein Raffles willingly surrenders to the police after giving them a run for their money; I suppose with it being wartime and all…), a better-written butler character for Raffles (expertly played as a friend, too, by E.E. Clive), and an almost brilliant bit of casting with Peter Godfrey as the criminal Crawshaw. Laurel and Hardy regular James Finlayson can be seen in the beginning as a hansom cab driver with a slightly stubborn horse named Lucy. Even with these very subtle changes, Raffles still never managed to make it past the odd film in the motion picture industry; the next time he was seen on the big screen was in 1958 – in a Spanish-language Mexican production (!).

Sadly, that version is nowhere to be seen here, nor is the alternate silent take on the 1930 film. But what we do get out of this Warner Archive release is a rather queer (no, not like Bunny) two-fer that delivers the titles in their best-surviving, available elements (read: a bit flawed, audio and video-wise). Neither film is what you might call great filmmaking today. It may have not even been back then; at least it certainly didn’t seem popular enough to spawn a lasting legacy of photoplay installments. But both movies (each on loan from the Samuel Goldwyn collection) deserve a viewing in their own right just the same, and pairing them back-to-back like this was a very wise move – even if you know how the other story’s going to go once you watch the other.

But hey, the more movies we have with guys named Bunny and cricketers masquerading as sportsmen in ’em, the better, I say. Enjoy.

Luigi Bastardo

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1939 Directed by Sam Wood

Meet 'Raffles'! He's a lion with the ladies-and the cops all want him too!

David Niven Olivia de Havilland May Whitty Dudley Digges Douglas Walton E. E. Clive Lionel Pape Margaret Seddon Hilda Plowright Gilbert Emery Keith Hitchcock Vesey O'Davoren George Cathrey Gibson Gowland George Atkinson Frank Baker Leonard Carey Herbert Clifton Richard Clucas Larry Dods Elspeth Dudgeon James Finlayson Leyland Hodgson Charles Irwin Colin Kenny George Kirby Wilfred Lucas Edmund Mortimer John Power Show All… Ellinor Vanderveer Eric Wilton Sam Harris Peter Godfrey Forrester Harvey

Director Director

Producer producer.

Samuel Goldwyn

Writers Writers

Sidney Howard John Van Druten

Original Writer Original Writer

E.W. Hornung

Editor Editor

Sherman Todd

Cinematography Cinematography

Gregg Toland

Assistant Director Asst. Director

Walter Mayo

Art Direction Art Direction

James Basevi

Set Decoration Set Decoration

Julia Heron

Composer Composer

Victor Young

Sound Sound

Frank Maher

Costume Design Costume Design

Travis Banton

Howard Productions

Alternative Titles

Gentlemantyven, Caballero y ladrón, Raffles, gentleman cambrioleur, Raffles, a frakkos betörő, Rafles, Raffles, O Ladrão Amador, Herr Raffles gör visit

Adventure Crime Comedy

Releases by Date

11 nov 1939, 29 dec 1939, releases by country.

Theatrical NR

72 mins More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by Lara Pop ★★ 16

Sam Wood, you have done better than this. Raffles is evidently not made with as much love as Goodbye Mr. Chips , nor does it let loose multiple slings of witticisms like The Devil and Miss Jones or A Night at the Opera . The story - about a jewel heist - should by all means be engaging but has no momentum. The film would desperately need some suspense; instead it lets the audience know who the thief is from the get-go and seems to do everything in its power to not make you invested.

I feel awful for my boy Niv. The movie butchers any potential chemistry he might have with Olivia de Havilland (I mean, how dare you with two…

Review by PUNQ ★★½

Raffles once more!

I've seen Raffles, the Amateur Cracksman (1917) with John Barrymore , which is the best version of the story.

I've seen Raffles (1925) with House Peters , which is the worst version of the story.

I've seen Raffles (1930) with Ronald Colman , which is the average version of the story.

And now I've also seen Raffles (1939) with David Niven , which is the Olivia de Havilland version of the story.

Review by Paul D ★★★ 8

If you're casting the role of a suave, debonair, sophisticated thief then who better than the suave, debonair and sophisticated David Niven. He seems perfect for the role. Now, if only role were a little more interesting.

A.J. Raffles is a gentleman cricketer (an amateur to all you non-aficionados) who apparently supports himself by committing burglaries, although in this incarnation he is seen only to carry out the thefts in order to pass on the stolen goods to someone in need of the money they can collect as a reward.

If he's doing that all the time it's anyone's guess how he makes ends meet. It is also a mystery on the evidence put forward here, how it is that…

Review by 📀 Cammmalot 📀 ★★★

There’s not much fun in life if you never trust anybody...

I often hear the complaint that Hollywood has run out of ideas.

Perhaps the same was said 1939 when this was released. It’s a remake of the 1930 version, which was also a remake of the 1925 version, which was also a remake of the 1917 version. In fact by the time David Niven stepped into the role, Mr. Raffles had already been played by eight other actors, going all the way back to a 1905 short.

This one sticks surprisingly close to the 1930 version with only some minor adjustments to accommodate the Hays code. They also improved bits of action, but sadly toned down the supporting characters.…

Review by Michael Shawn ★★★

Even with a crackerjack cast, this feels inferior to the original in every way. What was effortlessly witty and sophisticated before, now feels muddled and rushed and belabored, even as a practically word-for-word remake. The storytelling is a little confused, not helped at all by some indelicate editing in the first several minutes. It's a shame because David Niven is inspired casting as the high-society jewel thief, and Olivia De Havilland is always good, no matter what she's doing. They, along with Dame May Whitty, keep it from being a disaster, but it certainly had much room for improvement.

Review by biLLy Go ★★★

"I know there must questions tumbling over each other in your mind—questions that should be asked and can't be answered."

I think I liked this one a little better than the other but it suffers from the same problem—way too much cat and mouse, and not nearly enough time spent with our lovely leading ladies.

Review by victoryfish ★★½ 4

If Olivia de Havilland had been cast as Raffles, I would have given this film five stars.

Unfortunately, though, she wasn’t, and David Niven is a little too gentlemanly of a gentleman thief. He’s charming, but he seems like a sweet little boy stealing candy compared to Ronald Colman’s more debonair Raffles. This version feels older than 1939, but it wasn’t necessarily bad—just tepid. I was definitely missing the pre-Code atmosphere and edge that the 1930 version has.

Review by hellohildy ★★★★

Breezy, charming, clever David Niven is one of my favorite things.

Review by megan ★★

Pretty sure David Niven is an actual gentleman thief and acting is just his cover.

Review by Karina Oliveira 4

Goldwyn’s second crack (ha, ha) at cricket and crime.

Despite nine years of technical progress since the 1930 version, this remake feels disappointingly perfunctory. David Niven is a nice enough fit for the lead, but no Ronald Colman. Like Kay Francis before her, Olivia de Havilland (on loan from WB) is lovely but wasted. Even Dudley Digges’s Scottish inspector lacks the amusement of David Torrence’s pompous performance. It’s all very much going through the motions with little in the way of new twists or inspiration.

Of course one aspect I knew would be altered was the ending. We’re no longer in pre-Code land. I will quote my favorite pin:

F*CK JOSEPH BREEN

On the plus side, this version does feature…

Review by Fint ★★½ 2

A B-movie plot and a B-movie running-time have been dumped on this Sam Goldwyn production with A-listers David Niven and Olivia De Havilland. A strange combination that fails to enthral and is one notable misfire from Hollywood's Golden Year of 1939.

Review by Joe ★★★★½

David Niven playing Raffles is one of those preternaturally good bits of casting, so much so that you begin to wonder how this character could have existed for so long without him. Throw in GOAT Olivia de Havilland and a crack, fat-free 72-minute run time, and I don't even care that it doesn't have a real ending. I wish they'd made a bunch more of these.

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Cine-Mundial Don Q. So fun that we... turn a blind eye to David Niven's exploits. [Full review in Spanish]

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The 25 Best Movies of the 1930s, Ranked

Timeless classics from a decade that was more than a lifetime ago.

The 1920s might have been roaring , but by all accounts, the 1930s were depressing . The entire decade was largely defined by the Great Depression, which began near the end of 1929 and lasted until 1939… a year that saw little relief on a global scale, given it saw the start of World War II , which went on to define much of the 1940s. Hard times, indeed, but at least cinema was as good as ever.

Hardships were plentiful, but filmgoers found escapism and comfort in the movies of the time, which had advanced technologically since the prior decade, given the advent of sound in movies in 1927. The 1930s was also a time when color film started to get a little more widespread, even if the majority of releases remained in black-and-white. There are plenty of films from this decade that still resonate , with some of the best ranked below, starting with the great and ending with the greatest.

25 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1939)

Director: william dieterle.

Though its horror elements are somewhat downplayed, 1939’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame still has enough unsettling and bold imagery to be counted among the greatest gothic horror movies of all time . It takes place in the late 1400s, and has a story that involves a twisted Chief Justice, a hunchback who works for him, and a young woman who both men develop feelings for.

The story is more well-known among audiences today for the animated Disney version, which is good in its own right, of course, but changes various things about the original story to be more family-friendly. The 1939 version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame is more mature and gritty, and all in a way that still holds up while retaining a certain level of power and emotional impact , even when watched today.

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24 'Scarface' (1932)

Director: howard hawks.

Yes, 1983’s Scarface , starring a bombastic Al Pacino , is an epic crime classic, but it undeniably owes a great deal to 1932’s Scarface , which tells a very similar rise-and-fall story, and arguably codified that sort of narrative within the crime genre. Tony Camonte comes from very little, achieves a great deal of power and success in a short time, and then finds himself beginning to lose it all, due to his temper and other negative attributes.

There is a certain thrill in watching a character achieve a great deal of power so rapidly, even with the inevitability that it’s all going to be for nothing by the end. These sorts of gangster movies are morality plays , after all, and though 1932’s Scarface has understandably aged a little when compared to other crime movies, it still packs a punch and makes for a very engaging watch.

Scarface (1932)

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23 'Duck Soup' (1933)

Director: leo mccarey.

The Marx Brothers were an iconic comedic team that made plenty of classic comedies that are still beloved to this day ( Bill Hader’s a fan, for example ). They were at their peak during the 1930s, both in terms of quantity and quality of films, and when it comes to selecting their arguable masterpiece, it seems fair to single out 1933’s Duck Soup .

With a nice and short runtime of just 69 minutes, Duck Soup never slows down for a second, telling a madcap and loose story about a war between two fictional countries being started for the pettiest of reasons. Along the way, there’s plenty of wordplay, slapstick violence, and even a handful of musical numbers for good measure. It’s hard to imagine someone coming away from such a rush of a film without feeling at least a little bit entertained.

22 'The Adventures of Robin Hood' (1938)

Directors: michael curtiz and william keighley.

Robin Hood is a legendary fictional character, and one who never seems to go out of style when it comes to film adaptations. These include Kevin Costner playing the character in 1991’s Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves , Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe teaming up to make Robin Hood in 2010 , and even Sean Connery playing an aging version of the character in 1976’s Robin and Marian . There’s also, of course, the animated Disney version of the story from 1973.

However, what’s arguably the definitive Robin Hood movie came out way back in 1938, and was called The Adventures of Robin Hood . It’s a fast-paced, action-packed, and overall breezy take on the classic legend surrounding a man who takes from the rich and redistributes their wealth to the poor. Overall, the film feels incredibly well-balanced when it comes to delivering action, adventure, romance, and even some comedic relief.

The Adventures of Robin Hood

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21 'Freaks' (1932)

Director: tod browning.

Freaks was one of the most controversial films of its decade, and to this day, it’s still able to divide viewers over the question of how it handles its lead characters, called “Freaks” by the title, though they are humanized in the film itself. Perhaps the arguments more surround how far that humanization goes, and whether it sufficiently does the job of not overstepping boundaries or making monsters out of people who have various deformities.

It is ultimately something of a horror movie, though arguably more of a drama , being set in and around a circus, and focusing on how various performers are made to feel like freaks, given they get gawked at by circus attendees. Freaks does show their point of view and their struggles, with the film ultimately being about them fighting back against their label and status within the circus. It’s a sad, strange, and sometimes unsettling film, and one of the boldest and most challenging of its era for sure.

20 'The Roaring Twenties' (1939)

Director: raoul walsh.

Okay, Scarface (1932) is very good, but if you had to pick one old-school gangster movie from the 1930s to label as the very best, there’s a good argument to be made that The Roaring Twenties is most deserving. Not only do you get James Cagney at his very best in the lead role (the guy could play a gangster like no one else), but it also has Humphrey Bogart in a key supporting role, with the two combining to make this a real powerhouse film, when it comes to the acting.

And everything else is great, too, with a dramatic and well-paced story set during the titular decade, and following two friends who work together on a successful bootlegging operation during the Prohibition era. As tends to happen in these sorts of movies, things fall apart, with the second half of The Roaring Twenties feeling explosive and even tragic, making it one of the most impactful crime movies of its decade .

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19 'Les Misérables' (1934)

Director: raymond bernard.

Forget about the musical version from 2012 ; 1934’s Les Misérables is where it’s at, being one of many film adaptations of the Victor Hugo novel of the same name, and arguably the best. Running for close to five hours, this French-produced take on Les Misérables feels like a true and fitting epic , showcasing how numerous characters – each dealing with their own tragic lives – cross paths during a tumultuous time in French history.

It's something of a miracle that Les Misérables works so well, and over such a long runtime, too, given the wide-scale stuff surrounding revolution and class warfare feels appropriately grand, and the smaller, more character-focused moments are fittingly intimate and emotional . It does take a while to watch, but patient viewers will be rewarded immensely with a truly great adaptation of an epic novel.

18 'Bringing Up Baby' (1938)

Screwball comedies were all the rage back in the 1930s, likely because life during the Great Depression was a struggle for most, and films that provided non-stop laughs and cartoonish situations proved understandably cathartic. Of these very silly and entertaining movies featuring characters who could talk a mile (or two) a minute, Bringing Up Baby is undoubtedly one of the very best.

The narrative of Bringing Up Baby is largely concerned with two mismatched people who are forced into a series of chaotic misadventures together , with an unlikely romance developing… though the film’s ultimately more focused on comedy than romance. Beyond simply being very funny and packed with timeless humor, the movie also proved influential in a rather unexpected way: influencing Christopher Reeve in his iconic portrayal of Clark Kent/Superman.

Bringing Up Baby

17 'the bride of frankenstein' (1935), director: james whale.

There are numerous movies in the Frankenstein series , but the best of them might well be 1935’s The Bride of Frankenstein , which can also count itself among the greatest sequels in cinema history . It picks up from where things were left off in 1931’s Frankenstein , predominantly being about Frankenstein’s monster seeking revenge against his creator, and also requesting that Dr. Frankenstein builds him a female mate.

The Bride of Frankenstein delivers when it comes to being an old-school blend of horror and science fiction, sure, but it’s also a surprisingly emotional film about wanting to be loved, feeling lonely, and the ways that passionate feelings can tear one apart . That it also does all this while adding in a subtle amount of meta humor/commentary that feels exceptionally ahead of its time only makes it more impressive and deserving of its classic status.

The Bride of Frankenstein

16 'the testament of dr. mabuse' (1933), director: fritz lang.

The legendary Fritz Lang fled Germany in the 1930s , predominantly because of Adolf Hitle r and the Nazi Party’s rise to power, but he managed to make a couple of masterpieces early in the decade before resuming his filmmaking career in Hollywood. One of these was The Testament of Dr. Mabuse , which is a sequel of sorts to 1922’s Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler , a crime epic about the cat-and-mouse game between a powerful criminal and a determined detective.

1933’s The Testament of Dr. Mabuse is arguably even better than that 1922 film, now benefiting from having sound without falling back on dialogue as a way to over-explain things; it’s still a bold film visually, and one that uses images to tell much of its story . It’s an eerie blend of crime, horror, and thriller genres, and still feels unpredictable and exciting to watch, as well as clearly being an influential work for the mystery and thriller genres as a whole.

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15 'I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang' (1932)

Director: mervyn leroy.

Movies about fugitives never really go out of style; just ask Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones , who both gave great performances in 1993’s The Fugitive , released more than 60 years after the similarly great I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang . The premise of this 1932 film is nice and simple, as the descriptive title would imply, focusing on one man’s perilous journey to survive the world after escaping from a particularly brutal form of imprisonment .

It's easy to see how I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang proved influential, because it’s all about a man being on the run for a crime he didn’t commit; the sort of premise Alfred Hitchcock explored a great many times during his career, too, many of them being of the same decade – or later – than this film. I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang really holds up, and is still able to thrill and provoke thought more than 90 years on from its initial release.

14 'Stagecoach' (1939)

Director: john ford.

It might be hard to believe, but John Wayne wasn’t a huge star for many of the early years of his career, with a few lead roles, but more often supporting or even uncredited extra roles popping up in his filmography during the late 1920s and much of the 1930s. As such, Stagecoach was a particularly significant film within his body of work , as it arguably made him a true star, and in the decades following, he remained an iconic figure within the American film industry.

Stagecoach is also up there as one of John Ford’s greatest works as a director , and indeed, both Johns would work together plenty more times – tending to find great success – post- Stagecoach , too. This 1939 Western has plenty of adventure and broad drama , following a group of people making a perilous journey on the titular stagecoach. It’s an essential film, and also one where it’s easy to see its influence on the Westerns that followed in its wake.

13 'The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum' (1939)

Director: kenji mizoguchi.

The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum is an early classic of Japanese cinema, telling a patiently paced and quite heavy story that plays out during the late 1800s. Narratively, it follows two people from different classes in Japanese society who fall in love, despite such a thing being taboo, and the struggles they face trying to make it in the world on their own while doing something many disapprove of.

It's one of those movies that deals with a subject that isn’t particularly relevant anymore, or at least not as plainly; it’s still resonant because divisions within society due to class still exist, and such things can still make bonds between otherwise similar human beings difficult. That’s all to say that The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum isn’t exactly a fun film, but it’s beautifully shot and very well-acted , overall feeling ahead of its time from a technical perspective for sure.

12 'Trouble in Paradise' (1932)

Director: ernst lubitsch.

Trouble in Paradise is a fast-paced and funny romance/crime movie , narratively beginning by showing how two thieves – a man and a woman – who are both partners-in-crime and ordinary partners operate. Things get complicated, however, when a particularly high-stakes job leads to the man falling in love with the woman he was supposed to be targeting for the job in question, leading to a love triangle and an overall messy situation.

It was one of numerous iconic films written and directed by Ernst Lubitsch , and up there as one of his very best, thanks to the creative way it handles a seemingly simple plot and its frequent use of humor. Trouble in Paradise also might be an ideal movie to show anyone who believes films from the 1930s can’t measure up to more modern-day comedies , because this one still feels fresh and frequently hilarious.

11 'Mr. Smith Goes to Washington' (1939)

Director: frank capra.

As might have become clear from aforementioned examples (and some films yet to be mentioned), 1939 was a particularly strong year in film history, both within the American film industry and for international cinema as a whole. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is one of many great movies released during this legendary year for cinema, and follows what happens when a genuinely kind yet naïve man gets appointed to the United States Senate.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is, unsurprisingly, a movie largely about politics, but it tackles this subject in a way that feels easy to understand as well as gently humorous, making it an effective character drama and satirical film simultaneously . Its message about standing up to corruption, even if difficult, does still ring true and has the capacity to inspire, and that the film also has a great James Stewart performance at its center certainly doesn’t hurt, either.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

10 'only angels have wings' (1939).

Only Angels Have Wings is yet another compelling 1939 release, this one being noteworthy for the way it combines a drama/adventure premise with a surprisingly effective romance-heavy story . It stars Cary Grant (in one of his best non-comedic roles ) and Jean Arthur , centering on how the former deals with suddenly being reunited with an ex-lover, while the latter’s character is a traveler who seems to be developing feelings for Grant’s character.

It's a movie that has engaging characters and a simple story that becomes compelling, largely because of the charisma of the actors and the way their characters interact. At its core, Only Angels Have Wings is admittedly simple from a narrative perspective , but it all works well and combines its various elements into something that’s supremely entertaining and very easy to watch and enjoy, even today.

Only Angels Have Wings

9 'the wizard of oz' (1939), director: victor fleming.

The Wizard of Oz is The Wizard of Oz . It’s about as iconic as movies from the Golden Age of Hollywood get, and to this day, it’s still a definitive live-action fantasy movie to which many others inevitably get compared. It takes place in the fantastical land of Oz, following Dorothy and a bunch of unlikely companions as she sets off on a quest of self-discovery, with the end goal hopefully being a return to the real world.

Not just a fantasy movie, The Wizard of Oz is also an iconic family movie (with a few admittedly creepy moments) and a musical, filled with songs you won’t be able to forget , even if you want to. It may not hold up as much as some other classics from the 1930s, but for its influence and by recognizing how impressive it would’ve seemed for its time, it’s still worth considering as an absolute classic of American cinema.

The Wizard of Oz

8 'all quiet on the western front' (1930), director: lewis milestone.

For a couple of brief decades, World War I was The Great War ; a conflict on such a scale that led to immense devastation, so much so that the likes of it seemed as though it would never be equaled or topped. Of course, World War II would prove even worse and more destructive, but effective World War I movies serve as reminders that just because said war wasn’t as huge, that doesn’t mean it was any easier for the people involved in it.

All Quiet on the Western Front is one of the best of the best when it comes to intense and gripping World War I movies, telling a powerful anti-war story about how several young soldiers have their lives ruined by participating in such a brutal conflict. It’s not as stomach-churning or visceral as later war movies, but for 1930, this version of All Quiet on the Western Front is surprisingly violent and undeniably sad , making it a deserving early winner of the Best Picture Oscar (the third film overall to win the prize).

7 'Grand Illusion' (1937)

Director: jean renoir.

As World War II loomed towards the end of the 1930s, 1937 saw the release of a classic war movie that would have to rank as one of the best to center around the First World War. That movie was Grand Illusion , and it follows prisoners from different backgrounds who are forced to work together if they want to stand a chance at escaping from their increasingly high-security prisoner-of-war camps.

Directed by famed French filmmaker Jean Renoir , Grand Illusion is a film that time has been mightily kind to, because it’s still possible for it to have the same impact on current-day audiences it likely had back in 1937. It’s a definitive “prison escape” movie and also a surprisingly thought-provoking film about class and divisions within society, retaining its relevance because of how successfully it covers an ambitious number of ideas and themes.

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6 'The Rules of the Game' (1939)

Two years on from Grand Illusion , Jean Renoir made a film that was arguably even better with 1939’s The Rules of the Game , which has some similar thematic content while feeling quite different tonally. Here, the look at class comes about due to the film taking place on a country estate over a weekend, with a sometimes funny, sometimes bleak look at the differences in lifestyles between the wealthy spending leisure time there and their servants required to keep it all running.

The Rules of the Game has held up incredibly well over the years, and is also notable for being a personal favorite of writer/director Paul Schrader . Plenty of the observations about social inequality remain regrettably relevant to this date, and it’s even possible to see The Rules of the Game’s influence on more modern dramedies/social satires with similar thematic content, like Parasite and Knives Out .

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Escape from Germany

1939, Hitler's army was closing borders, and eighty-five American missionaries were in Germany serving their church. The escape of these missionaries from Nazi Germany is one of the most dra... Read all 1939, Hitler's army was closing borders, and eighty-five American missionaries were in Germany serving their church. The escape of these missionaries from Nazi Germany is one of the most dramatic events to occur in modern church history. 1939, Hitler's army was closing borders, and eighty-five American missionaries were in Germany serving their church. The escape of these missionaries from Nazi Germany is one of the most dramatic events to occur in modern church history.

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Paul Wuthrich in Escape from Germany (2024)

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Trivia Fred Duehlmeier's son (Doug), daughter-in-law (Susan), and grandson (Scott) were all extras in the film.

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Runtime 1 hour 37 minutes

Raffles (1939) Directed by Sam Wood

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Movie Review: Raffles (1939)

A review of the 1939 crime drama starring David Niven and Olivia de Havilland.

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