Classic Film Recommendations: 1930 to 1949

I have been asking by a few people in last month or so if I could recommend some classic films for them to watch or add to their collections.

Now I cannot say that I have seen every single classic film ever made but I can say is that it is most defiantly one of my personal goals. One day I would like to sit back and say I have seen every single film made from the Silent Era to the 1960's. Okay maybe not EVERY, but at least every American Film from that time frame. LOL

I think this goal is possible for me to achieve and writing up my "Weekend Cinema Spotlight" every week does introduce me to films I have not seen-which is very exciting to me!

So I will recommend some films to you-some you can find on Netflix, Youtube, Amazon, or TCM. Some are very hard to find but they are still very much worth watching.

1930's

Platinum Blonde (1931) Jean Harlow
The Public Enemy (1931) James Cagney
Dracula (1931) Bela Lugosi
Frankenstein (1931) Boris Karloff
Freaks (1932) By Tod Browning
Bombshell (1933) Jean Harlow
King Kong (1933) Fay Ray
Baby Face (1933) Barbara Stanwyck
Babes in Toyland (March of the Wooden Soldiers) (1934) Laurel and Hardy
My Man Godfrey (1936) Carole Lombard
The Devil-Doll (1936) Lionel Barrymore
Little Lord Fauntleroy (1936) Freddie Bartholomew
Camille (1936) Greta Grabo
Heidi (1937) Shirley Temple
Topper (1937) Cary Grant
A Christmas Carol (1938) Reginald Owen
Boys Town (1938) Spencer Tracy
The Little Princess (1939) Shirley Temple
Gone with the Wind (1939) Clarke Gable
The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939) Fred Astaire
The Women (1939) Norma Shearer
Beau Geste (1939) Gary Cooper
The Wizard of Oz (1939) Judy Garland

1940's

Rebecca (1940) Laurence Olivier

The Thief of Bagdad (1940) Sabu

Ball of Fire (1941) Gary Cooper
The Lady Eve (1941) Henry Fonda
Casablanca (1942) Humphrey Bogart
Mrs. Miniver (1942) Greer Garson
Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) James Cagney
Woman of the Year (1942) Spencer Tracy
The Uninvited (1944) Ray Milland
Between Two Worlds (1944) John Garfield
The Bells of St. Mary's (1945) Bing Crosby
Dead of Night (1945) Michael Redgrave
The Enchanted Cottage (1945) Robert Young
Mildred Pierce (1945) Joan Crawford
Rhapsody in Blue (1945) Robert Alda
The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946) Lana Turner
The Spiral Staircase (1946) Dorothy McGuire
It's a Wonderful Life (1946) James Stewart
Three Wise Fools (1946) Lionel Barrymore
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947) Gene Tierney
Miracle on 34th Street (1947) Maureen O'Hara
Life with Father (1947) William Powell
Samson and Delilah (1949) Victor Mature
I Was A Male War Bride (1949) Cary Grant


I was both surprised and disappointed after making my list of films that I have seen. I am sure I missed some, some that I probably saw when I was younger but do not recall the name of it. I am disappointed that I haven't seen more, but going through the List of years in film from Wikipedia has encouraged me to keep going and finding more amazing classic films to watch!

Part II of this list will be posted tomorrow. It will cover the years 1950 to 1969. I didn't make a list of the movies before 1930 or movies after 1969 but if you would like me to recommend some I am sure I can. I only added movies to the lists that I have actually seen-I enjoyed them all but of course some are more of a favorite than others.

I hope this inspires and encourages you to to watch more classic films!

Happy Watching!!!

xox