Fritz Lang’s “M” Tops Best Films Of 1930s Poll

A recent poll of film critics has declared Fritz Lang’s “M” as the greatest film of the 1930s.

Just over 100 critics have weighed in on the poll at World of Reel, asked for an unranked list of five films released between 1930 and 1939 that they considered the best of the decade.

“M” came out on top by a whisker, just beating out Charlie Chaplin’s “Modern Times” with 49 votes, “The Wizard of Oz” with 47 votes, and Jean Renoir’s “The Rules of the Game” with 43 votes.

The next nearest, Charlie Chaplin’s “City Lights,” was well behind that with 30. Other notable inclusions were “King Kong” at 7th, “Gone with the Wind” at 8th, “Bride of Frankenstein” at 12th, “All Quiet on the Western Front” at 19th, “The Adventures of Robin Hood” at 21st, “Dracula” at 24th, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” at 25th and “The 39 Steps” at 29th.

Both Howard Hawks and Jean Renoir had three films each in the Top 30, followed by Victor Fleming, Charlie Chaplin and Frank Capra with two each. The likes of Alfred Hitchcock, John Ford, Jean Vigo and William Wyler also made the list.

The era marked Hollywood’s transition to sound, European filmmakers breaking through, major colour advances like Technicolour and Kodachrome, the creation of the Hays Code and the rise of stars like Errol Flynn, Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, Jean Harlow, Mae West and Spencer Tracy.

For the full list, head to World of Reel.