Your Favourite Performances from 1930 to present are...

[Bogie56]

Here are Danny Perry’s Alternate Oscar choices for 1930-1931 and 1931-1932.  Winners in bold.  Perry does not do supporting roles.  I have put ‘X’s’ beside the non 1931 films.

 

1930-1931 Best Actor

Edward G. Robinson, Little Caesar*

James Cagney, The Public Enemy

Charles Chaplin, City Lights

Fredric March, The Royal Family of Broadway  X (30)

Adolphe Menjou, The Front Page

 

1930-1931 Best Actress

Marlene Dietrich, Morocco*  X (30)

Joan Crawford, Dance, Fools, Dance

Marie Dressler, Min and Bill  X (30)

Sylvia Sidney, An American Tragedy

 

 

1931-1932 Best Actor

Paul Muni, Scarface: The Shame of a Nation*  X (32)

Wallace Beery, The Champ

Colin Clive, Frankenstein

Boris Karloff, Frankenstein

Fredric March, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Edward G. Robinson, Five Star Final

 

1931-1932 Best Actress

Joan Crawford, Grand Hotel*  X (32)

Constance Bennett, What Price Hollywood?  X (32)

Marlene Dietrich, Shanghai Express  X (32)

Marie Dressler, Emma  X (32)

Ann Dvorak, Scarface: The Shame of a Nation  X (32)

Norma Shearer, Private Lives

Barbara Stanwyck, The Miracle Woman

 

And here are Michael Gerbert’s Golden Armchair choices for 1931:

 

Best Actor

Edward G. Robinson, Little Caesar*

 

Best Actress

Barbara Stanwyck, The Miracle Woman*

[Bogie56]

Just a head's up for some rather good 1931 and 1932 performances coming up soon on TCM...

 

Monday, February 22

 

9:30 a.m.  The Sin of Madelon Claudet (1931)

 

12:30 p.m.  Grand Hotel (1932)

[GregoryPeckfan]

Just a head's up for some rather good 1931 and 1932 performances coming up soon on TCM...

 

Monday, February 22

 

9:30 a.m.  The Sin of Madelon Claudet (1931)

 

12:30 p.m.  Grand Hotel (1932)

I have never seen The Sin of Madelon Claudet.

 

Grand Hotel and I are old friends.

[TomJH]

I've never seen Madelon Claudet, thus Ms Hayes didn't make it on my list of acting performances for 1931. Not being a huge fan of the illustrious lady, I've never been in a particular hurry to see this film. I undoubtedly will one day, though.

[Bogie56]

I've never seen Madelon Claudet, thus Ms Hayes didn't make it on my list of acting performances for 1931. Not being a huge fan of the illustrious lady, I've never been in a particular hurry to see this film. I undoubtedly will one day, though.

 

Marie Prevost is quite good in support.

[LawrenceA]

I've never seen Madelon Claudet, thus Ms Hayes didn't make it on my list of acting performances for 1931. Not being a huge fan of the illustrious lady, I've never been in a particular hurry to see this film. I undoubtedly will one day, though.

It's good. It's one of those "what a woman will suffer for her loved ones" type weepies that were so popular in the 30s. She's very good in it, and it was another case of Hollywood seducing Broadway's best and brightest to appear in movies, adding legitimacy and polished acting in the new sound era.

[TomJH]

It's good. It's one of those "what a woman will suffer for her loved ones" type weepies that were so popular in the 30s. She's very good in it, and it was another case of Hollywood seducing Broadway's best and brightest to appear in movies, adding legitimacy and polished acting in the new sound era.

 

In all honesty, that kind of weepie is a bit of a turnoff to me. But I will give it a try. Thanks for the recommendation.

[TomJH]

Marie Prevost is quite good in support.

 

Nice looking lady. But what a tragic end she had.

[Bogie56]

Nice looking lady. But what a tragic end she had.

 

Marie Prevost.  I didn't know much about her and just looked at her bio on the imdb.  Born in Sarnia, Ontario.  There's another one TCM could celebrate on Canada Day.  It's only one day a year after all.

[LawrenceA]

Marie Prevost.  I didn't know much about her and just looked at her bio on the imdb.  Born in Sarnia, Ontario.  There's another one TCM could celebrate on Canada Day.  It's only one day a year after all.

Isn't EVERY day Canada Day...in your heart?

[LawrenceA]

In all honesty, that kind of weepie is a bit of a turnoff to me. But I will give it a try. Thanks for the recommendation.

Like a lot of early sound pics, it's creaky, and I view it more as a historical artifact than as a straightforward piece of drama. Speaking of creaky early sound movies, have you guys seen COQUETTE? I watched it again fairly recently, and still feel that it features one of the worst performances in any studio film I've ever seen. Not from Pickford, but from romantic lead Johnny Mack Brown. As handsome as he may be, he has all of the charisma of a bag of soggy bread.

[GregoryPeckfan]

I've never seen Madelon Claudet, thus Ms Hayes didn't make it on my list of acting performances for 1931. Not being a huge fan of the illustrious lady, I've never been in a particular hurry to see this film. I undoubtedly will one day, though.HE

I saw Helen Hayes in an Airport movie,  and I've seen her in an Agatha Christie, ad in a flying ace movie with both Lionel and John Barrymore and where she played the wife of Clark Gable in an early performance of his.

 

But so far for me she is a famous name whose greatest performances I have never seen.

[TomJH]

Like a lot of early sound pics, it's creaky, and I view it more as a historical artifact than as a straightforward piece of drama. Speaking of creaky early sound movies, have you guys seen COQUETTE? I watched it again fairly recently, and still feel that it features one of the worst performances in any studio film I've ever seen. Not from Pickford, but from romantic lead Johnny Mack Brown. As handsome as he may be, he has all of the charisma of a bag of soggy bread.

 

I have seen that film. I thought Pickford quite hopeless, to be honest, in one of the worst performances I've ever seen from her. I'm not a Pickford fan (even though she was a Canadian) but I found her to be engaging in her silents with a flair for rambunctious humour and quite the tomboy, at times. She's excellent in films like Tess of the Storm Country, Little Lord Fauntleroy and Sparrows, the latter a film with a certain horror content. It's not fair to judge Pickford solely by her few talkies, when she was clearly not at her best.

 

Yeh, Johnny Mack Brown was pretty wooden in Coquette, wasn't he?

[GregoryPeckfan]

In all honesty, that kind of weepie is a bit of a turnoff to me. But I will give it a try. Thanks for the recommendation.

Well, if you don't like weepie movies, beware of Kay Francis movies.....

[TomJH]

I saw Helen Hayes in an Airport movie,  and I've seen her in an Agatha Christie, ad in a flying ace movie with both Lionel and John Barrymore and where she played the wife of Clark Gable in an early performance of his.

 

But so far for me she is a famous name whose greatest performances I have never seen.

 

That film was Night Flight, unavailable for viewing for decades until released on DVD a few years ago. It was one of MGM's three big all star productions of that time, along with Grand Hotel and Dinner at Eight. Interestingly, the Barrymore brothers are the only ones to appear in all three films.

 

Louis B. Mayer didn't care for rebellious, unreliable John, who would soon be placed in a sanitarium. But Lionel was always one of L.B.'s pet favourites at the studio. While John would be quickly released by MGM, Lionel would be there pretty much to his death, I believe.

[GregoryPeckfan]

Like a lot of early sound pics, it's creaky, and I view it more as a historical artifact than as a straightforward piece of drama. Speaking of creaky early sound movies, have you guys seen COQUETTE? I watched it again fairly recently, and still feel that it features one of the worst performances in any studio film I've ever seen. Not from Pickford, but from romantic lead Johnny Mack Brown. As handsome as he may be, he has all of the charisma of a bag of soggy bread.

I've seen COQUETTE, yes.

 

It is certainly an oddity.  I love Pickford, but I agree the romantic lead was a weird choice of casting.  I found him boring.  She had much more success with movies opposite other leading me like Clark Gable and Robert Montgomery.

[GregoryPeckfan]

I have seen that film. I thought Pickford quite hopeless, to be honest, in one of the worst performances I've ever seen from her. I'm not a Pickford fan (even though she was a Canadian) but I found her to be engaging in her silents with a flair for rambunctious humour and quite the tomboy, at times. She's excellent in films like Tess of the Storm Country, Little Lord Fauntleroy and Sparrows, the latter a film with a certain horror content. It's not fair to judge Pickford solely by her few talkies, when she was clearly not at her best.

 

Yeh, Johnny Mack Brown was pretty wooden in Coquette, wasn't he?

Yes, we Canadians do not necessarily like all Canadian performers.  I love Mary Pickford myself, but there are few current day Canadian singers I cannot stand.....

[TomJH]

Well, if you don't like weepie movies, beware of Kay Francis movies.....

 

I haven't even seen Stella Dallas, with Stanwyck, because of the kind of film it is.

[GregoryPeckfan]

That film was Night Flight, unavailable for viewing for decades until released on DVD a few years ago. It was one of MGM's three big all star productions of that time, along with Grand Hotel and Dinner at Eight. Interestingly, the Barrymore brothers are the only ones to appear in all three films.

 

Louis B. Mayer didn't care for rebellious, unreliable John, who would soon be placed in a sanitarium. But Lionel was always one of L.B.'s pet favourites at the studio. While John would be quickly released by MGM, Lionel would be there pretty much to his death, I believe.

I knew someone would come up with the title for me.  Yes, Night Flight.

 

I have a hard time watching John's later movies after he became ill.  It is hard to watch a talent wasted like his.  I saw the biopic based upon Diana Barrymore where John was portrayed by Errol Flynn, another talent who died young.

 

When John Barrymore was healthy, his movies were excellent.  That's why I wish the night of his films in April didn't focus so much on the Buldog Drummand series so much.  I'd like them to focus on the early 30s and some silent films for him.

 

...................................................................................................................................................................................................

 

As for L.B.M. I have to take him with a grain of salt.  After all, he was the one who along with her mother allowed Judy Garland to have 5 doctors to keep her working, none of whom apparently knew about the others.

[kingrat]

I've seen very few Mary Pickford films, but she is delightful in MY BEST GIRL. If you like, say, Marion Davies in SHOW PEOPLE, you'll probably enjoy this one, too.

[GregoryPeckfan]

I haven't even seen Stella Dallas, with Stanwyck, because of the kind of film it is.

I have not seen this movie yet either.  I've been avoiding it.

 

 I'm fine with weepy movies if it is during the daytime and not before I try to sleep.  I cannot watch anything sentimental with anyone in it who is old enough to die of old age, however, regardless  of the time of day.

[GregoryPeckfan]

I've seen very few Mary Pickford films, but she is delightful in MY BEST GIRL. If you like, say, Marion Davies in SHOW PEOPLE, you'll probably enjoy this one, too.

Thanks for the recommendation.

 

Due to lack of access, I have seen few Mary Pickford movies myself.

 

I am much more familiar with her second (?) husband Douglas Fairbanks, Sr.  His movies are easier to find.

[LawrenceA]

I haven't even seen Stella Dallas, with Stanwyck, because of the kind of film it is.

 

I've always considered Stella Dallas to be the #1 example of a "woman's weepie" picture. It's good for what it is, if you know what I mean.

[jamesjazzguitar]

I have not seen this movie yet either.  I've been avoiding it.

 

 I'm fine with weepy movies if it is during the daytime and not before I try to sleep.  I cannot watch anything sentimental with anyone in it who is old enough to die of old age, however, regardless  of the time of day.

 

So you're fine with weepy movies like Bette Davis in Dark Victory,  since she dies while still in her prime! 

[GregoryPeckfan]

So you're fine with weepy movies like Bette Davis in Dark Victory,  since she dies while still in her prime! 

Ironically enough, yes.

 

My taste in movies can be a little weird to the average person.