1930s British Movies

A British musical film directed by Victor Hanbury

While vacationing in St. Moritz, a British couple receive a clue to an imminent assassination attempt, only to learn that their daughter has been kidnapped to keep them quiet.

Richard Hanney has a rude awakening when a glamorous female spy falls into his bed - with a knife in her back. Having a bit of trouble explaining it all to Scotland Yard, he heads for the hills of Scotland to try to clear his name by locating the spy ring known as The 39 Steps.

The problem of slum dwellings in the 1930s.

After the Local council he works for decides to replace its horse-drawn services with motor vehicles, one of the drivers spends his savings to buy the horse. Together they search the countryside looking for work, and meeting an assorted group of characters on the way.

A young couple live under a café in Paris that, unknown to them, is owned by a brutal blackmailer. When he is murdered, they fall under suspicion. However, the husband's father, an amateur detective, believes in their innocence and sets out to find who really killed the blackmailer.

Erich Kästner’s beloved novel has been adapted for film or television six times since its publication in 1929; this 1935 British version was the first in English. Believed lost for decades, it was recently rediscovered by the BFI and has now been restored. The film moves the action from Berlin to London, where Emil goes to stay with his grandmother and cousin. Thereafter, the tale of Emil’s adventures with a gang of streetwise London children faithfully follows the original plot.

On a train headed for England a group of travelers is delayed by an avalanche. Holed up in a hotel in a fictional European country, young Iris befriends elderly Miss Froy. When the train resumes, Iris suffers a bout of unconsciousness and wakes to find the old woman has disappeared. The other passengers ominously deny Miss Froy ever existed, so Iris begins to investigate with another traveler and, as the pair sleuth, romantic sparks fly.

The woman who will become Catherine the Great marries into the Russian royal family when she weds Grand Duke Peter, the nephew of Empress Elizabeth. Although the couple has moments of contentment, Peter's cruel and erratic behavior causes a rift between him and Catherine. Mere months after Peter succeeds his aunt as the ruler of Russia, a revolt is brewing, and Catherine is poised to ascend to the throne as the country's new empress.

Forever England gives John Mills his first leading role as Brown. Born after a brief affair between his mother and a naval officer, he joins the Royal Navy during the First World War. There his bravery and marksmanship keeps a German ship in port so a British ship can sink it. He becomes a hero, but at what cost?

'Producer stages outside broadcast despite jealous critic.' (British Film Catalogue)

A butcher and a draper stand for election to the local council.

Throughout the late 19th-century and early 20th-century, Mr Arthur Chipping rises from a shy, nervous teacher to the beloved, revered headmaster of Brookfield School, with his life and career shaped by his love for his wife and his unwavering dedication to his students.

In early 19th-century Cornwall, young Mary Yellan travels to live with her aunt and uncle at the remote Jamaica Inn, where she discovers the inn is a front for a violent gang of wreckers who lure ships to their doom along the coast. As she becomes entangled in their crimes, Mary must fight to survive and uncover the truth behind the terror that haunts the moors.

No overview available

Bradshaw, an Englishman, is arrested for the New York killing of booze racketeer Buck Cooly. Interrogated by police chief Galvin, Bradshaw claims self-defence, but refuses to name the woman he was with at the speakeasy where Cooly was shot, and who could provide the alibi that would exonerate him from a murder charge. Galvin's continued pursuit of the woman's identity eventually leads to an unwelcome surprise.

'Press lord ruins sailor father of son's fiancée.' (British Film Catalogue)

'Lord poses as workman to win dancer who works as waitress in her mother's tea garden.' (British Film Catalogue)

Shows the workings of Britain's Air Post service.

A gang of criminals plan to steal a valuable Burmese idol from a British museum but are foiled by the curator.

When a man and woman of modest means meet on a Brighton pier they begin a holiday romance. However, when they each act rich to dupe the other, there are unintended consequences,,,

A young poultry farmer is flattered and persuaded into financing a film production. He attempts to interfere in the direction, is swindled and left in the lurch but eventually manages to turn the tables on his former associates.

In this opera-oriented musical, Riccardo Gatti, an Italian young tenor in Venice, meets a young woman who sneaks into the opera house to try and get her fiancé hired as the orchestra's pianist.

Sisters are music-hall performers. One loves the other's fiancé and decides to quit the show, but the other runs into an old flame and new relations develop.

Three victims plot to murder a retired informer.

Two cousins invite their girlfriends on a joy-ride, but car trouble leads to catastrophe!

A medium is murdered and suspicion falls on his niece.

A young couple struggle with their overbearing parents.

Aristocrat Lord Dawlish is told by his girlfriend's father that he must find a job if he wishes to continue seeing her. He finds employment as a dancing partner at a dance club and prospers in his new role, despite facing a jealous rival.

The Three Maxims are trapeze artists Pat (Anna Neagle), Toni (Tuilio Carminati) and Mac (Leslie Banks). After spending most of their careers in the small time, the threesome finally get their big chance in Paris, at which point Mac realizes he's in love with Pat.

The story of a century: a decades-long second World War leaves plague and anarchy, then a rational state rebuilds civilization and attempts space travel.

Adapted from the book By Way of Cape Horn by A.J Villiers, Windjammer is a beautifully-filmed record of the last journey of the Grace Harwar, a full-rigged Windjammer sailing from Australia to England via Cape Horn.

A comedy short directed by W.P. Kellino.

A British comedy film directed by John Rawlins

No overview available

When a young writer is falsely accused of murdering a famous actress, he escapes custody and joins forces with the daughter of a police constable to prove his innocence.

Lily is threatened with divorce by her husband after spending an innocent night with friend Rupert Harvey.

A novelist living in a boarding house imagines a murder that involves his fellow boarders.

A disgraced officer risks his life to help his childhood friends in battle.

Conniving con artist Mrs Oliver targets the family of Mrs Carruthers, seducing her husband and framing her son for the theft of a valuable necklace. With her family facing ruin and disgrace, Mrs Carruthers resorts to increasingly violent measures to protect them.