English 4950: American Film in the 1930s

Spring 2012

SUPPLEMENTARY FILM LIST

The two film reviews that will be required of you this term have a twofold purpose: they will help to supplement the class's range of reference to the era we study, and they will give you practice in writing concisely and thoroughly about film. To that end they should be no more than 500 words long (about one single-spaced page, typed). You should try in this space not only to summarize the film's plot but also to offer some observations about its relevance to our generic or cultural or theoretical concerns in class--and of course you should feel free to offer those observations in class and on the discussion board as well as in your reviews. Since I plan to post each review on the course web site for everyone's reference, I'll need to receive them electronically. It would probably be best for you to email them to me (fgrady@umsl.edu) as attachments, by the dates indicated. All movies listed are available via Netflix and (and most via Blockbuster); films marked by an asterisk I can lend to you if necessary. Movies marked with an @ can be streamed (for a fee, usually $2.99) from Amazon.com.

An indispensable reference site for film is the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com); in addition the Turner Classic Movies website (www.tcm.com) offers a lot of information about the movies of our era.

W Feb 1 Dodge City / Destry Rides Again

@The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) Jeff Candela

*Frontier Marshall (1939)

@The Plainsman (1937) Heather Silver

M Feb 6 Stagecoach / Jesse James

The Big Trail (1930) Danielle Campbell SLCL

Union Pacific (1939) Katey Guile SLCL, STCCL

*The Return of Frank James (1940)

@*The Bronze Buckaroo (1939) Charlie Diehl

M Feb 13 Gone With the Wind

Jezebel (1938) SLCL, STCCL

@*San Francisco (1936) Ashley Atkins

M Feb 20 GWTW/Judge Priest

@Goodbye Mr. Chips (1939) Kelly Askey SLCL, STCCL

*Steamboat Round the Bend (1935)

M Feb 27 Murder Over New York / Mr. Wong, Detective

@*Mr. Moto’s Last Warning (1939)

*Charlie Chan in Egypt (1935) Brianna Clampitt

Nancy Drew, Reporter (1939) Charley Thacker SLCL, STCCL

M March 5 Ninotchka

@*It Happened One Night (1934) Tearene Weaver

*Nothing Sacred (1937) Cameron Burson

@The Thin Man (1934) Kelly Boutross SLCL, STCCL

@Camille (1936) Linsey Estes SLCL, STCCL

M March 12 Dark Victory

The Women (1939) Danielle Campbell SLCL

The Old Maid (1939) SLCL

*Of Human Bondage (1934) Kelly Boutross

*The Letter (1940) Tearene Weaver

M Apr 2 Only Angels Have Wings / Love Finds Andy Hardy

Gunga Din (1939) Jeff Candela SLCL, STCCL

The Awful Truth (1937) Brianna Clampitt SLCL, STCCL

M Apr 7 The Wizard of Oz

@The Little Princess (1939) Katey Guile SLCL, STCCL

@Boy’s Town (1938) Linsey Estes SLCL, STCCL

M Apr 16 Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) Kelly Askey SLCL, STCCL

You Can’t Take It With You (1938) SLCL, STCCL

@*Meet John Doe (1941) Cameron Burson

@*Under Western Stars (1938)

M Apr 23 Young Mr. Lincoln

@The Life of Emile Zola (1937) Heather Silva STCCL

Drums Along the Mohawk (1939) Charlie Diehl SLCL, STCCL

@*Fury (1936)

M Apr 30 The Grapes of Wrath

*Wild Boys of the Road (1933) Ashley Atkins

*Heroes for Sale (1933)

@*My Man Godfrey (1936) Charley Thacker