The Best Movies Earn $$$

The Great Dictator - was released on: 15 October 1940.

The movie had an excellent cast consisting of:

- Charles Chaplin… - played the character of: Adenoid Hynkel (Dictator of Tomania) / A Jewish Barber
- Paulette Goddard… Hannah
- Jack Oakie… Benzini Napaloni (Dictator of Bacteria)
- Reginald Gardiner… Commander Schultz
- Henry Daniell… Garbitsch
- Billy Gilbert… Field Marshal Herring
- Grace Hayle… Madame Napaloni
- Carter DeHaven… Spook (Bacterian ambassador) (as Carter De Haven)
- Maurice Moscovitch… Mr. Jaeckel
- Emma Dunn… Mrs. Jaeckel
- Bernard Gorcey… Mr. Mann
- Paul Weigel… Mr. Agar
- Chester Conklin… Barber’s Customer
- Esther Michelson… Jewish Woman
- Hank Mann… Storm Trooper

Here is a summary of the film’s plot:

During the last days of the First World War, a clumsy soldier saves the life of devoted military pilot Schultz. Unfortunately, their flight from the advancing enemy ends in a severe crash with the clumsy soldier losing his memories. After quite some years in the hospital, the amnesia patient gets released and reopens his old barber shop in the Jewish ghetto. But times have changed in the country of Tomania: Dictator Adenoid Hynkel, who accidentally looks very similar to the barber, has laid his merciless grip on the country, and the Jewish people are discriminated against. One day, the barber gets in trouble and is brought before a commanding officer, who turns out to be his old comrade Schultz. So, the ghetto enjoys protection from then on. Meanwhile, Dictator Hynkel develops big plans, he wants to become Dictator of the whole world and needs a scapegoat for the public. Soon, Schultz is being arrested for being too Jewish-friendly, and all Jews except those who managed to flee are transported into Concentration Camps. Hynkel is planning to march into Osterlich to show off against Napaloni, Dictator of Bacteria, who already has deployed his troops along the other border of the small country. Meanwhile, Schultz and the barber manage to escape, guised in military uniforms. As luck would have it, Schultz and the barber are picked up by Tomanian forces and the barber is mixed up with Hynkel himself. The small barber now gets the once-in-a-lifetime chance to speak to the people of Osterlich and all of Tomania, who listen eagerly on the radio. Written by Julian Reischl {julianreischl@mac.com}

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town - was released on: 16 April 1936.

The movie had an excellent cast consisting of:

- Gary Cooper… - played the character of: Longfellow Deeds / Cinderella Man
- Jean Arthur… - played the character of: Louise ‘Babe’ Bennett / Mary Dawson
- George Bancroft… MacWade aka Mac
- Lionel Stander… Cornelius Cobb
- Douglass Dumbrille… - played the character of: John Cedar
- Raymond Walburn… Walter
- H.B. Warner… - played the character of: Judge May
- Ruth Donnelly… Mabel Dawson
- Walter Catlett… Morrow
- John Wray… Farmer

Here is a summary of the film’s plot:

Longfellow Deeds lives in a small town, leading a small town kind of life - including playing the tuba in the town band. When a relative dies and leaves Deeds a fortune, Longfellow picks up his tuba and moves to the big city where he becomes an instant target for everyone from the greedy opera committee to the sensationist daily newspaper. Deeds outwits them all until Babe Bennett comes along. Babe is a hot-shot reporter who figures the best way to get close to Deeds is to pose as a damsel in distress. When small-town boy meets big-city girl anything can, and does, happen. Written by A.L.Beneteau {albl@inforamp.net}

Scarface - was released on: 9 April 1932.

The movie had an excellent cast consisting of:

- Paul Muni… - played the character of: Antonio ‘Tony’ Camonte
- Ann Dvorak… - played the character of: Francesca ‘Cesca’ Camonte
- Karen Morley… Poppy
- Osgood Perkins… - played the character of: John ‘Johnny’ Lovo
- C. Henry Gordon… - played the character of: Insp. Ben Guarino
- George Raft… Guino Rinaldo
- Vince Barnett… Angelo
- Boris Karloff… Gaffney
- Purnell Pratt… Mr. Garston, publisher
- Tully Marshall… Managing editor
- Inez Palange… Mrs. Camonte
- Edwin Maxwell… Chief of detectives

Here is a summary of the film’s plot:

Big Louis Costillo, last of the old-style gang leaders is slain, and his former bodyguard Tony Camonte is taken into custody. Since Costillo’s body has never been found, the police have to release him, though they strongly suspect Johnny Lovo paid Tony to remove Big Louis. Tony begins taking over the rackets in town with violent enforcement, and he becomes a threat to Johnny and the other bosses unless they work for Tony. Meanwhile, Tony’s sister wants to be more independent, but finds it difficult to escape from her brother’s overprotective grasp. The dissatisfaction of the other bosses and the relentless pursuit of the police push Tony towards a major confrontation. Written by Ed Sutton {esutton@mindspring.com}

Atalante, L’ - was released on: 21 June 1947.

The movie had an excellent cast consisting of:

- Michel Simon… Le père Jules
- Dita Parlo… Juliette
- Jean Dasté… Jean
- Gilles Margaritis… Le camelot
- Louis Lefebvre… Le gosse
- Maurice Gilles… Le chef de bureau
- Raphaël Diligent… Raspoutine, le batelier (as Rafa Diligent)

Here is a summary of the film’s plot:

When Juliette marries Jean, she comes to live on his ship, on board of which are, besides the two of them, only a cabin boy and the strange old second mate Pere Jules. Soon bored by life on the river, she slips off to see the nightlife when they come to Paris. Angered by this, Jean sets off, leaving Juliette behind. Overcome by grief and longing for his wife, Jean falls into a depression and Pere Jules goes and tries to find Juliette. Written by Leon Wolters {wolters@strw.LeidenUniv.nl}

My Man Godfrey - was released on: 17 September 1936.

The movie had an excellent cast consisting of:

- William Powell… Godfrey
- Carole Lombard… Irene Bullock
- Alice Brady… Angelica Bullock
- Gail Patrick… Cornelia Bullock
- Eugene Pallette… Alexander Bullock
- Jean Dixon… Molly
- Alan Mowbray… Tommy Gray
- Mischa Auer… Carlo
- Pat Flaherty… Mike Flaherty
- Robert Light… Faithful George

Here is a summary of the film’s plot:

In the depths of the Depression, a party game brings dizzy socialite Irene Bullock to the city dump where she meets Godfrey, a derelict, and ends by hiring him as family butler. He finds the Bullocks to be the epitome of idle rich, and nutty as the proverbial fruitcake. Soon, the dramatizing Irene is in love with her ‘protege’…who feels strongly that a romance between servant and employer is out of place, regardless of that servant’s mysterious past… Written by Rod Crawford {puffinus@u.washington.edu}

M - was released on: 11 May 1931.

The movie had an excellent cast consisting of:

- Peter Lorre… - played the character of: Hans Beckert
- Ellen Widmann… - played the character of: Frau Beckmann
- Inge Landgut… Elsie Beckmann
- Otto Wernicke… - played the character of: Inspector Karl Lohmann
- Theodor Loos… - played the character of: Inspector Groeber
- Gustaf Gründgens… Schränker
- Friedrich Gnaß… Franz, the burglar
- Fritz Odemar… The cheater
- Paul Kemp… Pickpocket with six watches
- Theo Lingen… Bauernfänger
- Rudolf Blümner… Beckert’s defender
- Georg John… Blind panhandler
- Franz Stein… Minister
- Ernst Stahl-Nachbaur… Police chief
- Gerhard Bienert… Criminal secretary

Here is a summary of the film’s plot:

Someone is murdering children in a German city. The Police search is so intense, it is disturbing the ‘normal’ criminals, and the local hoods decide to help find the murderer as quickly as possible. Written by Colin Tinto {cst@imdb.com}

The Kid - was released on: 6 February 1921.

The movie had an excellent cast consisting of:

- Carl Miller… The Man
- Edna Purviance… Mother
- Jackie Coogan… The Kid (as Jack Coogan)
- Charles Chaplin… - played the character of: A Tramp (as Charlie Chaplin)

Here is a summary of the film’s plot:

The opening title reads: “A comedy with a smile–and perhaps a tear”. As she leaves the charity hospital and passes a church wedding, Edna deposits her new baby with a pleading note in a limousine and goes off to commit suicide. The limo is stolen by thieves who dump the baby by a garbage can. Charlie the Tramp finds the baby and makes a home for him. Five years later Edna has become an opera star but does charity work for slum youngsters in hope of finding her boy. A doctor called by Edna discovers the note with the truth about the Kid and reports it to the authorities who come to take him away from Charlie. Before he arrives at the Orphan Asylum Charlie steals him back and takes him to a flophouse. The proprietor reads of a reward for the Kid and takes him to Edna. Charlie is later awakened by a kind policeman who reunites him with the Kid at Edna’s mansion. Written by Ed Stephan {stephan@cc.wwu.edu}

The Last Command - was released on: 24 September 1928.

The movie had an excellent cast consisting of:

- Emil Jannings… - played the character of: Gen. Dolgorucki / Grand Duke Sergius Alexander
- Evelyn Brent… Natalie Dabrova
- William Powell… Lev Andreyev
- Jack Raymond… Assistant director
- Nicholas Soussanin… The adjutant
- Michael Visaroff… Serge (the valet)
- Fritz Feld… A revolutionist

Here is a summary of the film’s plot:

A decorated, aristocratic Czarist General is reduced to penury after the collapse of Imperial Russia. An old adversary, now a successful director hires the general to re-enact the revolution which deposed him. Written by W. Louis {wlouis@ego.psych.mcgill.ca}

Tonari no Totoro - was released on: 16 April 1988.

The movie had an excellent cast consisting of:

- Noriko Hidaka… - played the character of: Satsuki (voice)
- Chika Sakamoto… Mei (voice)
- Shigesato Itoi… Tatsuo Kusakabe (voice)
- Sumi Shimamoto… Yasuko Kusakabe (voice)
- Tanie Kitabayashi… Kanta no obâsan (voice)
- Hitoshi Takagi… - played the character of: Totoro (voice)
- Yûko Maruyama… Kanta no okâsan (voice)
- Machiko Washio… Teacher (voice)
- Reiko Suzuki… Furoi on’na no hito (voice)
- Masashi Hirose… Kanta no otôsan (voice)
- Toshiyuki Amagasa… Kanta (voice)
- Shigeru Chiba… Kusakari-Otoko (voice)
- Naoki Tatsuta… (voice)
- Tarako… (voice)
- Tomohiro Nishimura… (voice)

Here is a summary of the film’s plot:

Two young girls, Satsuke and her younger sister Mei, move into a house in the country with their father to be closer to their hospitalized mother. Satsuke and Mei discover that the nearby forest is inhabited by magical creatures called Totoros (pronounced toe-toe-ro). They soon befriend these Totoros, and have several magical adventures. Written by Christopher E. Meadows {cmeadows@nyx.cs.du.edu}

Star Wars - was released on: 25 May 1977.

The movie had an excellent cast consisting of:

- Mark Hamill… - played the character of: Luke Skywalker
- Harrison Ford… - played the character of: Han Solo
- Carrie Fisher… - played the character of: Princess Leia Organa
- Peter Cushing… - played the character of: Grand Moff Tarkin
- Alec Guinness… - played the character of: Ben Obi-Wan Kenobi
- Anthony Daniels… - played the character of: C-3PO
- Kenny Baker… - played the character of: R2-D2
- Peter Mayhew… - played the character of: Chewbacca
- David Prowse… - played the character of: Darth Vader
- James Earl Jones… - played the character of: Darth Vader (voice)
- Phil Brown… - played the character of: Uncle Owen
- Shelagh Fraser… - played the character of: Aunt Beru
- Jack Purvis… - played the character of: Chief Jawa
- Alex McCrindle… - played the character of: General Dodonna
- Eddie Byrne… - played the character of: General Willard

Here is a summary of the film’s plot:

Part IV in a George Lucas epic, Star Wars: A New Hope opens with a rebel ship being boarded by the tyrannical Darth Vader. The plot then follows the life of a simple farmboy, Luke Skywalker, as he and his newly met allies (Han Solo, Chewbacca, Ben Kenobi, C-3PO, R2-D2) attempt to rescue a rebel leader, Princess Leia, from the clutches of the Empire. The conclusion is culminated as the Rebels, including Skywalker and flying ace Wedge Antilles make an attack on the Empires most powerful and ominous weapon, the Death Star. Written by P. Wong {pwong@nt.net}