Top Movies from 1931
Welcome to our curated selection of films released in 1931. This collection captures the cinematic spirit of the year, reflecting the evolving trends, storytelling techniques, and cultural touchstones that defined 1931. Whether you’re revisiting old favorites or discovering hidden gems for the first time, these titles showcase the breadth and depth of cinema produced during this notable year.
The Viking (1931)
0
Originally called White Thunder, American producer Varick Frissell's 1931 film was inspired by his love for the Canadian Arctic Circle. Set in a beautifully black-and-white filmed Newfoundland, it is the story of a rivalry between two seal hunters that plays out on the ice floes during a hunt. Unsatisfied with the first cut, Frissell arranged for the crew to accompany an actual Newfoundland seal hunt on The SS Viking, on which an explosion of dynamite (carried regularly at the time on Arctic ships to combat ice jams) killed many members of the crew, including Frissell. The film was renamed in honor of the dead.
Stranger in Town (1931)
- 0
Crickle is a tenacious small-town grocer who stubbornly resists the efforts of a monopolistic chain-store firm to purchase his establishment. The chain manager retaliates by cutting off Crickles' supply of produce, whereupon his friends and neighbors save his business by supplying him with goods from their own farms.
La Chienne (1931)
- 0
Cashier Maurice Legrand is married to Adele, a terror. By chance, he meets Lucienne, "Lulu", and make her his mistress. He thinks he finally met love, but Lulu is nothing but a streetwalker, in love with Dede, her pimp. She only accepts Legrand to satisfy Dede's needs of money.
Arizona (1931)
- 1
A West Point graduate jilts his girlfriend but runs into her later at an Army outpost.
The Unknown Singer (1931)
- 0
A singer who is believed dead returns with a decidedly different appearance. He has been in Russia and has lost his memory. But his wife still loves him.
The Skin Game (1931)
- 0
An old traditional family and a modern family battle over land in a small English village.
The Terror of Batignolles (1931)
- 0
An expressionist comedy greatly influenced by German Expressionism set in a bohemian enclave of northern Paris, which Clouzot made shortly before he served as assistant director to Anatole Litvak and E.A. Dupont and began scripting French versions of German films at Berlin’s UFA studios.
I'll Be Alone After Midnight (1931)
- 0
A woman's marriage is on the rocks ; to avenge herself, she decides to take a lover for one night .So she buys all his stock from a balloon man and flies them through the Parisian sky ; all her balloons carry a message :"I will be alone after midnight" (hence the title); a lot a suitors comme to the rendezvous : a fisherman, a soldier, a traveler a gentleman cambrioleur (a nod to Arsène Lupin?) and others much to Michel, a young man in love with her's displeasure.
Dragnet Night (1931)
- 0
A sailor, who meets a lovely music hall singer during a police raid, falls in love. In a contest at a fair, he defeats a former boxing champ. The ex-champ trains the sailor to become a boxer. After he wins the French championship, the sailor is swayed by easy money and a sultry coquette. The singer goes on a singing tour, and the sailor falls into decadence. He enters the European championship spiritually empty and in bad condition.
My Cousin From Warsaw (1931)
- 0
Meine Kusine aus Warschau (My Cousin From Warsaw) was based on a stage play by Louis Verneuil. It's a romantic farce, with the heroine posing as her own cousin to carry on two amours at once.
The Spirit of Notre Dame (1931)
- 1
Story of two friends who play football, one of whom is a self-centered quarterback who thinks he's the only man on the team.
City Streets (1931)
- 0
A mobster's daughter leads her boyfriend from the circus into bootlegging.
The Front Page (1931)
- 1
Hildy Johnson is an investigative reporter looking for a bigger paycheck. When an accused murderer escapes from custody, Hildy sees an opportunity for the story of a lifetime. But when he finds the criminal, he learns that the man may not be guilty. With the help of his editor, Hildy attempts to hide the convict, uncover the conspiracy and write the scoop of his career.
Dishonored (1931)
- 0
The Austrian Secret Service sends its most seductive agent to spy on the Russians.
Mary (1931)
- 0
A juror in a murder trial, after voting to convict, has second thoughts and begins to investigate on his own before the execution. German version of "Murder."
100% Service (1931)
- 0
George registers at the Jefferson Hotel; after the desk clerk gives him the runaround, he meets Gracie at the cigar counter.
I Surrender Dear (1931)
- 0
A short musical comedic romance starring Bing Crosby as ... Bing Crosby. This 2 reel short was directed by Mack Sennett.
Berlin-Alexanderplatz: The Story of Franz Biberkopf (1931)
- 0
Franz Biberkopf has served four years in prison. His return to normal life is not successful.