Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)

[8] Gary Cooper (Friendly Persuasion, Ball of Fire) stars as Longfellow Deeds, a small-town idealist who inherits twenty million dollars and moves to New York City, where he becomes increasingly frustrated with the myriad people who try to take advantage…
You Can’t Take It With You (1938)

You Can’t Take It With You (1938)

[7] James Stewart plays the son of a Wall Street tycoon whose father (Edward Arnold) is trying to force an eccentric family out of their home so he can pursue a major real estate development deal. Things get more complicated…
The Bitter Tea of General Yen (1932)

The Bitter Tea of General Yen (1932)

[4] Barbara Stanwyck plays an engaged Christian missionary who is separated from her husband-to-be during the Chinese civil war in Shanghai. She is rescued by General Yen (Danish actor Nils Asther with 'squinty eyes' makeup), who takes her to his…
Ladies of Leisure (1930)

Ladies of Leisure (1930)

[8] Behold the glory of Barbara Stanwyck. One of classic Hollywood's sassiest broads makes a big splash in this early talkie that's leagues ahead of other early 30s flicks in terms of story, craftsmanship, and performance. Babs plays a "party…
It Happened One Night (1934)

It Happened One Night (1934)

[9] Somewhere along the way, Hollywood forgot how to make good romantic comedies. Because there are plenty of them to be found in the '30s and '40s, with Frank Capra's It Happened One Night being chief among them. Claudette Colbert…