The Top 250 Movies of 1931

1

City Lights https://www.flickchart.com/movie/CA103CCA4C 1931, 87 min.

Charles Chaplin  •   Starring: Charles Chaplin, Virginia Cherrill, Florence Lee

Comedy Drama  •  Comedy  •  Drama

3

Frankenstein https://www.flickchart.com/movie/7F7F6FBD21 1931, 71 min.

James Whale  •   Starring: Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, John Boles

Based-on-19th-Century-Literature  •  Gothic Film  •  Horror

5

The Public Enemy https://www.flickchart.com/movie/0C94F368E8 1931, 83 min.

William A. Wellman  •   Starring: James Cagney, Jean Harlow, Edward Woods

Action  •  Crime Drama  •  Crime

7

The Maltese Falcon https://www.flickchart.com/movie/8485AD55CF 1931, 80 min.

Roy Del Ruth  •   Starring: Bebe Daniels, Una Merkel, Dwight Frye

Based-on-20th-Century-Literature  •  Detective Film  •  Mystery

9

Drácula https://www.flickchart.com/movie/9BE6456945 1931, 104 min.

George Melford  •   Starring: Barry Norton, Lupita Tovar, Eduardo Arozamena

Based-on-19th-Century-Literature  •  Costume Horror  •  Foreign Language Film

11

Tabu: A Story of the South Seas https://www.flickchart.com/movie/173A37B1D0 1931, 84 min.

F.W. Murnau  •   Starring: Matahi, Anne Chevalier, Bill Bambridge

Adventure Drama  •  Adventure  •  Docudrama

13

Liberty for Us https://www.flickchart.com/movie/82BE171947 1931, 104 min.

René Clair  •   Starring: Henri Marchand, Raymond Cordy, Rolla France

Comedy  •  Fantasy  •  Foreign Language Film

15

La Chienne https://www.flickchart.com/movie/06037520D1 1931, 91 min.

Jean Renoir  •   Starring: Michel Simon, Janie Marese, Georges Flamant

Drama  •  Foreign Language Film

17

Night Nurse https://www.flickchart.com/movie/33AF2F2F2D 1931, 72 min.

William A. Wellman  •   Starring: Barbara Stanwyck, Clark Gable, Joan Blondell

Crime Drama  •  Crime Thriller  •  Crime

19

Platinum Blonde https://www.flickchart.com/movie/D01E23EDA9 1931, 89 min.

Frank Capra  •   Starring: Loretta Young, Robert Williams, Jean Harlow

Comedy  •  Pre-Code Hollywood  •  Romance

21

The Front Page https://www.flickchart.com/movie/41E13EE4B0 1931, 101 min.

Lewis Milestone  •   Starring: Adolphe Menjou, Pat O'Brien, Edward Everett Horton

Based-on-Theatre  •  Comedy  •  Media Satire

23

Tokyo Chorus https://www.flickchart.com/movie/087AF59BCE 1931, 91 min.

Yasujirô Ozu  •   Starring: Tatsuo Saito, Tokihiko Okada, Emiko Yagumo

Comedy Drama  •  Drama  •  Foreign Language Film

25

Waterloo Bridge https://www.flickchart.com/movie/B74D008672 1931, 81 min.

James Whale  •   Starring: Mae Clarke, Douglass Montgomery, Doris Lloyd

Drama  •  Melodrama  •  Pre-Code Hollywood

27

The Miracle Woman https://www.flickchart.com/movie/42D528CB2B 1931, 90 min.

Frank Capra  •   Starring: Barbara Stanwyck, David Manners, Sam Hardy

Drama  •  Religious Drama

29

Marius https://www.flickchart.com/movie/05F94F7BF7 1931, 130 min.

Alexander Korda  •   Starring: Raimu, Pierre Fresnay, Orane Demazis

Drama  •  Foreign Language Film  •  Melodrama

31

Possessed https://www.flickchart.com/movie/E86ED4A8B9 1931, 76 min.

Clarence Brown  •   Starring: Joan Crawford, Clark Gable, Wallace Ford

Drama  •  Melodrama  •  Pre-Code Hollywood

33

The Ugly Duckling https://www.flickchart.com/movie/0CEA18ADB2 1931, 7 min.

Wilfred Jackson  •   Starring: Florence Gill

Animation  •  Coming-of-Age  •  Fairy Tales and Legends

35

Cimarron https://www.flickchart.com/movie/E3C91CB1B9 1931, 123 min.

Wesley Ruggles  •   Starring: William Collier, Jr., Irene Dunne, Richard Dix

Drama  •  Ensemble Film  •  Epic

37

The Sin of Madelon Claudet https://www.flickchart.com/movie/66A45F742F 1931, 75 min.

Edgar Selwyn  •   Starring: Helen Hayes, Lewis Stone, Neil Hamilton

Drama  •  Melodrama

39

Private Lives https://www.flickchart.com/movie/5AF7A305B4 1931, 84 min.

Sidney Franklin  •   Starring: Norma Shearer, Robert Montgomery, Reginald Denny

Comedy  •  Comedy of Manners  •  Romance

41

Limite https://www.flickchart.com/movie/E7DAEBFDA7 1931, 114 min.

Mario Peixoto  •   Starring: Olga Breno, Tatiana Rey, Raul Schnoor

Avant-garde / Experimental  •  Foreign Language Film  •  Silent Film

43

Street Scene https://www.flickchart.com/movie/010B77F7EE 1931, 80 min.

King Vidor  •   Starring: Sylvia Sidney, Beulah Bondi, Walter Miller

Based-on-Theatre  •  Drama  •  Ensemble Film

45

One Good Turn https://www.flickchart.com/movie/F5A852CC5B 1931, 20 min.

James W. Horne  •   Starring: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Mary Carr

Comedy  •  Short Film  •  Slapstick

47

Koshiben gambare https://www.flickchart.com/movie/71712BD8CA 1931, 38 min.

Mikio Naruse  •   Starring: Shizue Akiyama, Seiichi Kato, Tomoko Naniwa

Comedy Drama  •  Domestic Comedy  •  Drama

49

Svengali https://www.flickchart.com/movie/EFC8096295 1931, 81 min.

Archie Mayo  •   Starring: John Barrymore, Marian Marsh, Donald Crisp

Based-on-19th-Century-Literature  •  Drama  •  Horror

51

Arrowsmith https://www.flickchart.com/movie/ABE767E9C3 1931, 108 min.

John Ford  •   Starring: Ronald Colman, Helen Hayes, Richard Bennett

Drama  •  Medical Drama  •  Melodrama

53

Ten Cents a Dance https://www.flickchart.com/movie/3DC44FD064 1931, 75 min.

Lionel Barrymore  •   Starring: Barbara Stanwyck, Ricardo Cortez, Monroe Owsley

Drama  •  Melodrama  •  Pre-Code Hollywood

55

An American Tragedy https://www.flickchart.com/movie/28B62129D3 1931, 96 min.

Josef von Sternberg  •   Starring: Phillips Holmes, Sylvia Sidney, Frances Dee

Crime Drama  •  Crime Thriller  •  Crime

57

Jack and the Beanstalk https://www.flickchart.com/movie/E298A78876 1931, 7 min.

Dave Fleischer

Animation  •  Cartoon  •  Comedy

59

The Criminal Code https://www.flickchart.com/movie/F921644EC1 1931, 97 min.

Howard Hawks  •   Starring: Walter Huston, Boris Karloff, Phillips Holmes

Crime  •  Crime Drama  •  Drama

61

One More Time https://www.flickchart.com/movie/403D6DEA35 1931, 7 min.

Rudolf Ising

Animated Musical  •  Animation  •  Cartoon

63

The Skin Game https://www.flickchart.com/movie/372332A538 1931, 77 min.

Alfred Hitchcock  •   Starring: C.V. France, Helen Haye, Jill Esmond

Drama  •  Social Problem Film

65

Dance, Fools, Dance https://www.flickchart.com/movie/C75FD5B907 1931, 80 min.

Harry Beaumont  •   Starring: Joan Crawford, Lester Vail, Cliff Edwards

Crime  •  Crime Drama  •  Drama

67

Birds of a Feather https://www.flickchart.com/movie/95397AE494 1931, 8 min.

Burt Gillett

Animation  •  Cartoon  •  Comedy

69

The Clock Store https://www.flickchart.com/movie/A9B0DA7AA7 1931, 7 min.

Wilfred Jackson

Animation  •  Cartoon  •  Comedy

71

Dumb Patrol https://www.flickchart.com/movie/485CA79874 1931, 7 min.

Hugh Harman, Rudolf Ising  •   Starring: Johnny Murray, Rochelle Hudson

Animated Musical  •  Animation  •  Cartoon

73

Beau Hunks https://www.flickchart.com/movie/7491C2C5EA 1931, 37 min.

James. W Horne  •   Starring: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy

Comedy  •  Short Film

75

Bimbo's Express https://www.flickchart.com/movie/D2BA2FA5EA 1931, 7 min.

Dave Fleischer

Animation  •  Cartoon  •  Comedy

77

Susan Lenox (Her Fall and Rise) https://www.flickchart.com/movie/8C68C19B61 1931, 76 min.

Robert Z. Leonard  •   Starring: Greta Garbo, Clark Gable, Jean Hersholt

Drama  •  Melodrama

79

Minding the Baby https://www.flickchart.com/movie/313060961F 1931, 7 min.

Dave Fleischer

Animation  •  Cartoon  •  Comedy

81

Mickey Cuts Up https://www.flickchart.com/movie/46F6F38DC9 1931, 7 min.

Burt Gillett

Animation  •  Cartoon  •  Comedy

83

Parlor, Bedroom and Bath https://www.flickchart.com/movie/BD7D633ABF 1931, 73 min.

Edward Sedgwick  •   Starring: Buster Keaton, Charlotte Greenwood, Reginald Denny

Based-on-Theatre  •  Comedy  •  Comedy of Manners

85

Come Clean https://www.flickchart.com/movie/AF6651FEF8 1931, 21 min.

James W. Horne  •   Starring: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Mae Busch

Comedy  •  Short Film  •  Slapstick

87

Ain't Nature Grand! https://www.flickchart.com/movie/D661696DBB 1931, 7 min.

Hugh Harman, Rudolf Ising  •   Starring: Carman Maxwell

Animation  •  Cartoon  •  Comedy

89

Silly Scandals https://www.flickchart.com/movie/84B0AA4876 1931, 6 min.

Dave Fleischer

Animation  •  Cartoon  •  Comedy

91

Girls About Town https://www.flickchart.com/movie/994126A46F 1931, 80 min.

George Cukor  •   Starring: Kay Francis, Joel McCrea, Lilyan Tashman

Comedy  •  Pre-Code Hollywood  •  Romance

93

Hell Divers https://www.flickchart.com/movie/752B757C29 1931, 109 min.

George W. Hill  •   Starring: Clark Gable, Conrad Nagel, Marie Prevost

Action  •  Adventure  •  War

95

Mickey's Orphans https://www.flickchart.com/movie/58655E50A2 1931, 7 min.

Burt Gillett

Animation  •  Cartoon  •  Comedy

97

The Lady and the Beard https://www.flickchart.com/movie/278F8C8432 1931, 75 min.

Yasujirô Ozu  •   Starring: Tokihiko Okada, Hiroko Kawasaki, Chôko Iida

Foreign Language Film  •  Romance  •  Silent Film

99

The China Plate https://www.flickchart.com/movie/90BFFEE5E4 1931, 7 min.

Wilfred Jackson

Animation  •  Cartoon  •  Musical

101

Tonight or Never https://www.flickchart.com/movie/868FE8ABD7 1931, 80 min.

Mervyn LeRoy  •   Starring: Gloria Swanson, Melvyn Douglas, Alison Skipworth

Based-on-Theatre  •  Comedy  •  Romance

103

A Connecticut Yankee https://www.flickchart.com/movie/D5CE873C57 1931, 95 min.

David Butler  •   Starring: Will Rogers, Myrna Loy, Maureen O'Sullivan

Based-on-19th-Century-Literature  •  Comedy  •  Fantasy

105

The Barnyard Broadcast https://www.flickchart.com/movie/A639ACD04F 1931, 8 min.

Burt Gillett

Animation  •  Cartoon  •  Comedy

107

Sidewalks of New York https://www.flickchart.com/movie/E5B855F219 1931, 74 min.

Zion Myers, Jules White  •   Starring: Buster Keaton, Anita Page, Cliff Edwards

Comedy  •  Slapstick  •  Urban Comedy

109

Sit Tight https://www.flickchart.com/movie/EC53337C35 1931, 76 min.

Lloyd Bacon  •   Starring: Winnie Lightner, Joe E. Brown, Paul Gregory

Comedy

111

The Speckled Band https://www.flickchart.com/movie/16829FB4A4 1931, 66 min.

Jack Raymond  •   Starring: Raymond Massey, Athole Stewart, Lyn Harding

Based-on-19th-Century-Literature  •  Detective Film  •  Mystery

113

Mask-A-Raid https://www.flickchart.com/movie/082BA0635C 1931, 7 min.

Dave Fleischer

Animation  •  Cartoon  •  Comedy

115

Man of the World https://www.flickchart.com/movie/696A0B93F2 1931, 74 min.

Richard Wallace  •   Starring: William Powell, Carole Lombard, Wynne Gibson

Con Artist / Hustler  •  Crime  •  Crime Drama

117

Two Stars in the Milky Way https://www.flickchart.com/movie/C8D75F65F5 1931, 100 min.

Tomsie Sze  •   Starring: Yeh Chuen Chuen, V.K. Chung, Kao Chien Fei

Drama  •  Foreign Language Film  •  Silent Film

119

Portrait of a Young Man in Three Movements https://www.flickchart.com/movie/58B3E85089 1931, 54 min.

Henwar Rodakiewicz

Avant-garde / Experimental  •  Documentary  •  Silent Film

121

The Easiest Way https://www.flickchart.com/movie/4EBEAA5853 1931, 73 min.

Jack Conway  •   Starring: Constance Bennett, Adolphe Menjou, Robert Montgomery

Based-on-Theatre  •  Drama  •  Pre-Code Hollywood

123

Wild and Woolly https://www.flickchart.com/movie/F8843BB472 1931, 9 min.

Charles Dorian  •   Starring: Pete Smith

Documentary  •  Short Film

125

East Lynne https://www.flickchart.com/movie/B51E84C099 1931, 102 min.

Frank Lloyd  •   Starring: Ann Harding, Clive Brook, Conrad Nagel

Based-on-19th-Century-Literature  •  Drama  •  Melodrama

127

Daybreak https://www.flickchart.com/movie/31B41996AF 1931, 85 min.

Jacques Feyder  •   Starring: Ramon Novarro, Jean Hersholt, C. Aubrey Smith

Drama  •  Melodrama

129

Ambassador Bill https://www.flickchart.com/movie/B54FA82CD8 1931, 69 min.

Sam Taylor  •   Starring: Will Rogers, Marguerite Churchill, Greta Nissen

Comedy  •  Comedy of Manners  •  Satire

131

Shipmates https://www.flickchart.com/movie/7B9B16BE56 1931, 72 min.

Harry A. Pollard  •   Starring: Robert Montgomery, Ernest Torrence, Dorothy Jordan

Adventure  •  Adventure Drama  •  Drama

133

I Like Your Nerve https://www.flickchart.com/movie/064C9EB3B2 1931, 70 min.

William C. McGann  •   Starring: Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Loretta Young, Henry Kolker

Comedy  •  Romance  •  Romantic Comedy

135

The Mystery Trooper https://www.flickchart.com/movie/1B36D70155 1931, 195 min.

Stuart Paton  •   Starring: Robert Frazer, Blanche Mehaffey, Buzz Barton

Action  •  Adventure  •  Serial

137

Other Men's Women https://www.flickchart.com/movie/DE36EC5E8D 1931, 71 min.

William A. Wellman  •   Starring: Grant Withers, Mary Astor, Regis Toomey

Drama  •  Pre-Code Hollywood  •  Romance

139

City Streets https://www.flickchart.com/movie/D6687C754F 1931, 83 min.

Rouben Mamoulian  •   Starring: Gary Cooper, Sylvia Sidney, Paul Lukas

Crime Drama  •  Crime  •  Drama

141

My Baby Cares For Me https://www.flickchart.com/movie/338D68AE72 1931, 6 min.

Dave Fleischer

Animation  •  Cartoon  •  Comedy

143

The Bum Bandit https://www.flickchart.com/movie/1100B63996 1931, 6 min.

Dave Fleischer

Animation  •  Cartoon  •  Comedy

145

The Bachelor Father https://www.flickchart.com/movie/A4BFEB43C6 1931, 90 min.

Robert Z. Leonard  •   Starring: Marion Davies, Ralph Forbes, C. Aubrey Smith

Based-on-Theatre  •  Comedy Drama  •  Drama

147

The Delivery Boy https://www.flickchart.com/movie/8CA92E572B 1931, 8 min.

Burt Gillett

Animation  •  Cartoon  •  Comedy

149

Under Eighteen https://www.flickchart.com/movie/1119BDF760 1931, 80 min.

Archie Mayo  •   Starring: Marian Marsh, Anita Page, Regis Toomey

Drama  •  Pre-Code Hollywood  •  Romance

151

Bosko the Doughboy https://www.flickchart.com/movie/F3150AE6DC 1931, 7 min.

Hugh Harman  •   Starring: Carman Maxwell

Animated Musical  •  Animation  •  Cartoon

153

Smile, Darn Ya, Smile! https://www.flickchart.com/movie/D97926B55E 1931, 7 min.

Rudolf Ising  •   Starring: Rudolf Ising

Animation  •  Cartoon  •  Comedy

155

The Phantom of Paris https://www.flickchart.com/movie/B787C74C37 1931, 74 min.

John S. Robertson  •   Starring: John Gilbert, Leila Hyams, Lewis Stone

Drama  •  Mystery

157

Big Man from the North https://www.flickchart.com/movie/4EE886AF9F 1931, 7 min.

Hugh Harman, Rudolph Ising  •   Starring: Johnny Murray, Rochelle Hudson

Animation  •  Cartoon  •  Comedy

159

The Neighbor's Wife and Mine https://www.flickchart.com/movie/657891BA82 1931, 64 min.

Heinosuke Gosho  •   Starring: Atsushi Watanabe, Kinuyo Tanaka, Mitsuko Ichimura

Comedy  •  Foreign Language Film

161

Little Pest https://www.flickchart.com/movie/A082C58BB2 1931, 6 min.

Dick Huemer

Animation  •  Cartoon  •  Short Film

163

Enthusiasm https://www.flickchart.com/movie/9255A8EEB9 1931, 67 min.

Dziga Vertov

Documentary

165

Bosko's Soda Fountain https://www.flickchart.com/movie/C9FEF1C087 1931, 7 min.

Rudolf Ising  •   Starring: Johnny Murray, Rochelle Hudson

Animated Musical  •  Animation  •  Cartoon

167

Bosko Shipwrecked! https://www.flickchart.com/movie/D5A840CE46 1931, 7 min.

Hugh Harman  •   Starring: Carman Maxwell

Animated Musical  •  Animation  •  Cartoon

169

The Lady Refuses https://www.flickchart.com/movie/F5E2E8DFCD 1931, 72 min.

George Archainbaud  •   Starring: Betty Compson, John Darrow, Gilbert Emery

Drama  •  Melodrama  •  Pre-Code Hollywood

171

Helping Grandma https://www.flickchart.com/movie/4C17BD251C 1931, 20 min.

Robert F. McGowan  •   Starring: Matthew 'Stymie' Beard, Norman 'Chubby' Chaney, Jackie Cooper

Comedy  •  Family-Oriented Comedy  •  Family

173

Palmy Days https://www.flickchart.com/movie/41082EEB94 1931, 77 min.

A. Edward Sutherland  •   Starring: Charlotte Greenwood, Barbara Weeks, Spencer Charters

Comedy  •  Musical Comedy  •  Musical

175

The Road to Singapore https://www.flickchart.com/movie/0ECA6FF820 1931, 69 min.

Alfred E. Green  •   Starring: William Powell, Doris Kenyon, Marian Marsh

Drama  •  Romance  •  Romantic Drama

177

The Secret Six https://www.flickchart.com/movie/248A912D96 1931, 83 min.

George W. Hill  •   Starring: Wallace Beery, Lewis Stone, Johnny Mack Brown

Crime  •  Mystery

179

Five and Ten https://www.flickchart.com/movie/6AD845720E 1931, 89 min.

Robert Z. Leonard  •   Starring: Marion Davies, Leslie Howard, Richard Bennett

Comedy Drama  •  Romance  •  Romantic Drama

181

Scandal Sheet https://www.flickchart.com/movie/EEEC110503 1931, 77 min.

John Cromwell  •   Starring: George Bancroft, Kay Francis, Clive Brook

Crime Drama  •  Crime  •  Drama

183

Soul of the Slums https://www.flickchart.com/movie/A255E02FA0 1931, 64 min.

Frank R. Strayer  •   Starring: William Collier Jr., Blanche Mehaffey, James Bradbury Jr.

Crime  •  Crime Drama  •  Drama

185

Sporting Blood https://www.flickchart.com/movie/66B2B8380C 1931, 82 min.

Charles Brabin  •   Starring: Clark Gable, Ernest Torrence, Madge Evans

Crime  •  Crime Drama  •  Drama

187

Yodeling Yokels https://www.flickchart.com/movie/F89E613F7A 1931, 7 min.

Hugh Harman, Rudolf Ising  •   Starring: Johnny Murray, Rochelle Hudson

Animation  •  Cartoon  •  Comedy

189

Bachelor Apartment https://www.flickchart.com/movie/8A1260A315 1931, 76 min.

Lowell Sherman  •   Starring: Lowell Sherman, Irene Dunne, Mae Murray

Comedy  •  Pre-Code Hollywood

191

The Squeeker https://www.flickchart.com/movie/63618D73B9 1931, 64 min.

Carl Lamac, Martin Fric  •   Starring: Lissy Arna, Karl Ludwig Diehl, Fritz Rasp

Crime  •  Crime Thriller  •  Foreign Language Film

193

Suicide Fleet https://www.flickchart.com/movie/1C238B4AD8 1931, 87 min.

Albert S. Rogell  •   Starring: William Boyd, Robert Armstrong, James Gleason

Comedy  •  Pre-Code Hollywood  •  War

195

Corsair https://www.flickchart.com/movie/C80F3C3758 1931, 75 min.