The Best Movies of 1931

Ranker Film
Updated September 24, 2019 4.1K votes 128 voters

List of the best movies of 1931, with movie trailers when available. These top movies of 1931 are listed by popularity, so the movies with the most votes are at the top. This list consists of all different movie genres, but each film was released in 1931. You can filter this list of films that came out in 1931 for various bits of information, such as who directed the movie and what genre it is. Think the best 1931 movie isn't as high as it should be? Vote up your favorite so it will rise to the top.

Movies include everything from Dracula to Frankenstein.

This list answers the questions, "What are the best movies from 1931?" and "What are the most popular movies of 1931?"

1931 was a great year for movies, since a lot of classic films were released in 1931. This is a crowd sourced list that has been voted on by many people, so these top films of 1931 aren't just one persons opinion.
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  • Dracula
    1

    Dracula

    Bela Lugosi, Edward Van Sloan, Dwight Frye
    47 votes
    • Released: 1931
    • Directed by: Tod Browning
    The dashing, mysterious Count Dracula (Bela Lugosi), after hypnotizing a British soldier, Renfield (Dwight Frye), into his mindless slave, travels to London and takes up residence in an old castle. ...more

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  • Frankenstein
    2

    Frankenstein

    Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, John Boles
    47 votes
    • Released: 1931
    • Directed by: James Whale
    This iconic horror film follows the obsessed scientist Dr. Henry Frankenstein as he attempts to create life by assembling a creature from body parts of the deceased. Aided by his loyal misshapen ...more

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  • The Road to Singapore
    3

    The Road to Singapore

    William Powell, nm0129894, Doris Kenyon
    30 votes
    • Released: 1931
    • Directed by: Alfred E. Green
    The Road to Singapore is a 1931 [Pre-Code] romantic drama film starring William Powell and Doris Kenyon, who play two thirds of a romantic triangle, along with Louis Calhern.
  • The Ugly Duckling
    4

    The Ugly Duckling

    Florence Gill
    15 votes
    • Released: 1931
    • Directed by: Wilfred Jackson
    The Ugly Duckling is an animated black-and-white cartoon released by Walt Disney in 1931 as part of the Silly Symphonies series. This cartoon was later remade into a color version released in 1939.
  • Susan Lenox (Her Fall and Rise)
    5

    Susan Lenox (Her Fall and Rise)

    Clark Gable, Greta Garbo, Alan Hale
    18 votes
    • Released: 1931
    • Directed by: Robert Z. Leonard
    Susan Lenox (Her Fall and Rise) is a 1931 film starring Greta Garbo and Clark Gable, based on the novel by David Graham Phillips. The film was made by MGM and was directed and produced by Robert Z. ...more
  • The Public Enemy
    6

    The Public Enemy

    James Cagney, Jean Harlow, Mae Clarke
    43 votes
    • Released: 1931
    • Directed by: William A. Wellman
    Two young Chicago hoodlums, Tom Powers (James Cagney) and Matt Doyle (Eddie Woods), rise up from their poverty-stricken slum life to become petty thieves, bootleggers and cold-blooded killers. But ...more

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