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1934 Movies

Take a nostalgic look back at the top movies of 1934, celebrating the films, directors and actors that defined the year and left a lasting legacy in the world of entertainment.

1934 Academy Awards

It Happened One Night
Written by: Robert Riskin
Directed by: Frank Capra
Starring: Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert, Walter Connolly, Roscoe Karns, Alan Hale, Sr.
Country: United States of America
Outline: A spoiled heiress runs away from her family and is helped by a man who is actually a reporter in need of a story. Their ensuing adventures lead to unexpected romance.
source: imdb.com
The Gay Divorcee
Written by: George Marion Jr., Dorothy Yost, Edward Kaufman
Directed by: Mark Sandrich
Starring: Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Alice Brady, Edward Everett Horton, Erik Rhodes
Country: United States of America
Outline: Mimi Glossop seeks a divorce from her indifferent husband and meets Guy Holden, who pretends to be a lawyer to help her case. Their growing affection faces complications due to misunderstandings and the interference of a meddling aunt.
source: imdb.com
Treasure Island
Written by: Robert Louis Stevenson, John Lee Mahin, John Howard Lawson
Directed by: Victor Fleming
Starring: Wallace Beery, Jackie Cooper, Lionel Barrymore, Lewis Stone, Nigel Bruce
Country: United States of America
Outline: Young Jim Hawkins discovers a treasure map and embarks on a perilous voyage to find the buried treasure, facing challenges from the cunning pirate Long John Silver. The journey tests his courage and loyalty as he confronts the dangers of the high seas.
source: imdb.com
Forsaking All Others
Written by: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Directed by: W.S. Van Dyke
Starring: Joan Crawford, Clark Gable, Robert Montgomery
Country: United States of America
Outline: In this romantic comedy, three lifelong friends become entangled in a love triangle that spans many years. The film explores themes of love, betrayal, and friendship.
source: en.wikipedia.org
Chained
Written by: John Lee Mahin, Albert Hackett, Frances Goodrich
Directed by: Clarence Brown
Starring: Joan Crawford, Clark Gable, Otto Kruger
Country: United States of America
Outline: A shipping magnate's wife refuses to divorce him, leading his secretary to embark on a South American cruise where she falls in love with a charismatic rancher, complicating her loyalties.
source: en.wikipedia.org
Wheels of Destiny
Written by: Nate Gatzert
Directed by: Alan James
Starring: Ken Maynard, Dorothy Dix, Philo McCullough, Frank Rice, Jay Wilsey, Edward Coxen, Fred Sale Jr., Fred MacKaye
Country: United States of America
Outline: Ken Manning leads a wagon train to California, facing challenges from outlaws and natural obstacles. The journey tests the resilience and unity of the pioneers.
source: imdb.com
The Thin Man
Written by: Dashiell Hammett, Albert Hackett, Frances Goodrich
Directed by: W.S. Van Dyke
Starring: William Powell, Myrna Loy, Maureen O'Sullivan, Nat Pendleton
Country: United States of America
Outline: Former detective Nick Charles and his wealthy wife Nora investigate a murder case, mostly for the fun of it.
source: imdb.com
Twentieth Century
Written by: Ben Hecht, Charles MacArthur
Directed by: Howard Hawks
Starring: John Barrymore, Carole Lombard, Walter Connolly, Edgar Kennedy
Country: United States of America
Outline: A flamboyant Broadway impresario who has fallen on hard times tries to get his former lover, now a Hollywood diva, to return and resurrect his failing career.
source: imdb.com
The Scarlet Empress
Written by: Aldous Huxley, Josef von Sternberg
Directed by: Josef von Sternberg
Starring: Marlene Dietrich, John Lodge, Sam Jaffe, Louise Dresser
Country: United States of America
Outline: Catherine the Great's rise to power in Russia.
source: imdb.com
The Old Fashioned Way
Written by: Ben Hecht, Charles MacArthur
Directed by: William Beaudine
Starring: W.C. Fields, Mary Brian, Edmund Gwenn, Charles Bickford
Country: United States of America
Outline: A theatrical con man and his troupe of players struggle to produce a play in a small town.
source: imdb.com
The Scarlet Pimpernel
Written by: Baroness Emmuska Orczy, Alexander Korda, Montagu Barstow
Directed by: Harold Young
Starring: Leslie Howard, Merle Oberon, Raymond Massey
Country: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Outline: In 1792, during the Reign of Terror, Sir Percy Blakeney, an English aristocrat, leads a secret society to rescue French nobles from execution. His wife, Marguerite, unaware of his double life, becomes entangled when her brother is arrested by the French authorities.
source: imdb.com
The Count of Monte Cristo
Written by: Alexandre Dumas, Rowland V. Lee
Directed by: Rowland V. Lee
Starring: Robert Donat, Elissa Landi, Louis Calhern, Sidney Blackmer
Country: United States of America
Outline: Edmond Dantès is a young merchant sailor who is falsely accused of treason and imprisoned in the Château d'If near Marseille.
source: imdb.com
Cuesta abajo
Written by: Alfredo Le Pera
Directed by: Louis J. Gasnier
Starring: Carlos Gardel, Mona Maris, Vicente Padula
Country: Argentina
Outline: Carlos Acosta, a perpetual student, is torn between his flirtatious wife and his love for Rosa, a barmaid. His travels to Paris and New York City lead him back to his true love.
source: imdb.com
The Captain Hates the Sea
Written by: John Monk Saunders
Directed by: Lewis Milestone
Starring: Clark Gable, Charles Laughton, Edward Arnold, Dorothy Jordan, Lewis Stone
Country: United States of America
Outline: A sea captain's obsession with his ship leads to personal and professional conflicts, affecting his crew and family. The story delves into the complexities of leadership and the human cost of ambition.
source: imdb.com
Little Man, What Now?
Written by: William Anthony McGuire
Directed by: Frank Borzage
Starring: Margaret Sullavan, Douglass Montgomery, Alan Hale, Catharine Doucet, DeWitt Jennings
Country: United States of America
Outline: In 1930s Germany, a young couple struggles against poverty and societal expectations, facing unemployment and personal challenges. Their love and determination are tested as they navigate a harsh economic landscape.
source: rottentomatoes.com
Charlie Chan in London
Written by: Earl Derr Biggers, Philip MacDonald, Stuart Anthony
Directed by: Eugene Forde
Starring: Warner Oland, Drue Leyton, Raymond Milland, Mona Barrie, Alan Mowbray, Murray Kinnell, Douglas Walton, E. E. Clive, George Barraud, Madge Bellamy, David Torrence, John Rogers
Country: United States of America
Outline: Detective Charlie Chan investigates the murder of Captain Hamilton in a wealthy English country home, uncovering a web of suspects including a housekeeper, stableman, and lawyer. As he delves deeper, Chan seeks to expose the true murderer before an innocent man is executed.
source: imdb.com
Babes in Toyland
Written by: Frank Butler, Nick Grinde, Anna Alice Chapin
Directed by: Gus Meins, Charley Rogers
Starring: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Charlotte Henry, Felix Knight, Henry Brandon, Virginia Karns
Country: United States of America
Outline: In Toyland, Stannie Dum and Ollie Dee strive to prevent the eviction of Mother Peep from her shoe residence by the villainous Silas Barnaby, who seeks to marry Little Bo Peep. Their comedic adventures involve thwarting Barnaby's plans and saving Toyland from his malicious intentions.
source: imdb.com
Of Human Bondage
Written by: W. Somerset Maugham, Lester Cohen
Directed by: John Cromwell
Starring: Leslie Howard, Bette Davis, Frank Lawton, Reginald Denny, Alan Mowbray, Edmund Gwenn, Mary Duncan, Reginald Sheffield, Edward Arnold, O.P. Heggie
Country: United States of America
Outline: A young medical student becomes infatuated with a waitress, leading to a tumultuous and destructive relationship that challenges his personal and professional life. The film explores themes of obsession, love, and the human condition.
source: imdb.com
Bright Eyes
Written by: James Gleason, William Conselman, Harry Clork
Directed by: David Butler
Starring: Shirley Temple, Jane Darwell, Jane Withers, Charles Farrell, Edmund Gwenn, Leonid Kinskey, Charles Sellon, Charles Middleton, William Demarest, Charles C. Wilson
Country: United States of America
Outline: An orphaned girl is taken in by a wealthy aviator and his fiancée, leading to a series of comedic and heartwarming events as she adjusts to her new life. The film showcases Shirley Temple's charm and the dynamics of family and friendship.
source: imdb.com