OBSCURE PLEASURES OF THE DEPRESSION ERA

“Obscure” is a risky word, because if you are a Depression-era junkie like myself, you are very familiar with all of these. (And now that Criterion has rescued “Make Way For Tomorrow” from the cobwebs, it probably doesn’t belong here…but I can’t help trying to market that great film).

This is a good list for those looking to dig deeper into the era’s pleasures—and you may really have to dig since some are not easy to find.

All of these shocked me with their staying power. Most are Pre Code. All are entertaining, fascinating, relatively fresh, and safe for the...