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First National
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Foundation date 1 january 1917
First National was an association of independent theater owners in the United States that expanded from exhibiting movies to distributing them and eventually to producing them as a movie studio called First National Pictures, Inc. (1917−1936). In 1928, it merged with Warner Bros., but preserved its corporate identity until its dissolution in 1936.
Best films
(1943)
(1938)
(1927)
(1931)
(1931)
(1930)Filmography of First National (436 films)
Production
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Kids (1995)
, 1h31Directed by Larry Clark
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Crime
Themes L'adolescence, Films about children, Medical-themed films, Films about drugs, Films about sexuality, Sports films, La sexualité des mineurs, HIV/AIDS in film, Films about virginity, Skateboard
Actors Leo Fitzpatrick, Justin Pierce, Chloë Sevigny, Rosario Dawson, Jon Abrahams, Harmony Korine
The film opens with 16-year-old Telly (Leo Fitzpatrick) and a 12-year-old girl who are making out on a bed. With no adults around, Telly convinces the girl, who is a virgin, to have sex with him. Afterwards, he meets his friend, Casper (Justin Pierce), and tells him about his sexual experience in graphic terms. They go inside a local store, where Casper shoplifts a bottle of malt liquor as Telly distracts the cashier. Looking for drugs, food and a place to hang out, they head to their friend Paul's (Sajan Bhagat) apartment, though they express dislike of him on the way there. They arrive at Paul's house, talk about sex and smoke marijuana while watching a skate video (Video Days). Casper inhales nitrous oxide out of balloons, which Telly considers dangerous. The scene intercuts with a group of girls, among them Ruby (Rosario Dawson) and Jennie (Chloë Sevigny), talking about sex—each gender contradicting what the other gender says, especially about oral sex.
Casablanca (1943)
, 1h42Directed by Michael Curtiz
Origin USA
Genres Drama, War, Crime, Melodrama, Romance
Themes Films set in Africa, Political films, Films based on plays
Actors Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains, Conrad Veidt, Sydney Greenstreet
Set in December, 1941, American expatriate Rick Blaine is the proprietor of an upscale nightclub and gambling den in Casablanca. "Rick's Café Américain" attracts a varied clientele: Vichy French, Italian, and German officials; refugees desperate to reach the still neutral United States; and those who prey on them. Although Rick professes to be neutral in all matters, it is later revealed he ran guns to Ethiopia during its war with Italy and fought on the Loyalist side against the fascist Nationalists in the Spanish Civil War.
The Dark Tower (1943)
, 1h33Directed by John Harlow, John Fawcett
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Thriller
Themes Circus films
Actors Herbert Lom, Anne Crawford, David Farrar, Ben Lyon, Frederick Burtwell, William Hartnell
Stephen Torg (Lom) seeks work at a struggling traveling circus. While there, a lion escapes; Torg is able to control it with his skill at hypnotism. Phil Danton (Lyon), the head of the circus, is so impressed, he hires the newcomer. Then someone comes up with an idea. Torg hypnotizes Mary (Crawford) so that she can perform a dangerous aerial stunt without props. Her partner and boyfriend, Tom Danton (Farrar) is suspicious, but is overruled by the others.
Murder in the Big House (1942)
, 59minutesDirected by B. Reeves Eason
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Action, Adventure, Crime, Romance
Themes Prison films
Actors Van Johnson, Faye Emerson, George Meeker, Frank Wilcox, Joseph Crehan, Tod Andrews
Upon receiving a message from death row inmate "Dapper Dan" Malloy (Michael Ames), "Scoop" Conner (George Meeker), top investigative reporter for the Morning News, visits him in prison and learns that before he is to die in the electric chair the following day, Malloy intends to incriminate some top officials complicit in corruption and the murder of the district attorney for which Malloy and his criminal associate "Mile-Away" Gordon (Roland Drew) were sentenced. Trying to prevent the exposure, Malloy's lawyer Bill Burgen (Douglas Wood), himself a member of the corrupt clique, falsely comforts Malloy with the claim that the governor will pardon him after first commuting the sentence to life imprisonment during a radio speech.
Shining Victory (1941)
, 1h20Directed by Irving Rapper
Origin USA
Genres Drama
Themes Medical-themed films, Théâtre, Films about psychiatry, Films based on plays
Actors James Stephenson, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Donald Crisp, Barbara O'Neil, Montagu Love, Sig Ruman
A brilliant research psychiatrist, Dr. Paul Venner, is driven out of Budapest by another researcher who has taken false credit for Venner's work. After going to London, Dr. Venner is offered a job in a Scottish sanitarium where he can continue his research on dementia precox, a disease from which his father had suffered.
Murder in the Air (1940)
, 55minutesDirected by Lewis Seiler
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Comedy-drama, Action
Actors Ronald Reagan, John Litel, Lya Lys, James Stephenson, Frank Wilcox, Eddie Foy, Jr.
Sur le cadavre d'un clochard, une ceinture avec 50000 $ est retrouvée.
Ladies Must Live (1940)
, 58minutesDirected by Noel M. Smith
Origin USA
Genres Comedy
Actors Wayne Morris, Rosemary Lane, Lee Patrick, Roscoe Karns, George Reeves, William Hopper
Juarez (1939)
, 2h12Directed by William Dieterle, Irving Rapper
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Biography, Historical, Romance
Themes Political films, Films based on plays
Actors Paul Muni, Bette Davis, Brian Aherne, John Garfield, Claude Rains, Gale Sondergaard
The film focuses on the conflict between Maximilian I, a European political dupe who is installed as the puppet ruler of Mexico by the French, and Benito Juárez, the country's president.
Invisible Stripes (1939)
, 1h21Directed by Lloyd Bacon, Don Alvarado
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Mob film, Crime
Themes Prison films, Gangster films
Actors George Raft, Jane Bryan, William Holden, Humphrey Bogart, Flora Robson, Paul Kelly
Cliff Taylor (George Raft) is an ex-con who wants to go straight, but since being released from prison on parole, he finds it hard to find and hold a job due to his criminal past. Cliff's younger brother Tim (William Holden) is worried because he cannot afford to marry his girlfriend Peggy (Jane Bryan) and increasingly disillusioned about being able to make a position for himself in the world honestly. Afraid that Tim might end up leading a life of crime like himself, Cliff decides to help him find the money to settle down. He tells his family he has found a job as salesman, but in reality he gets back to ex fellow convict Charles Martin (Humphrey Bogart) and they organize a number of robberies. With the money he gets from his criminal activities, Cliff is able to buy a garage for his brother, who is now able to get married. Cliff, in the meantime, decides to quit the gang. However, after a failed robbery, Martin and his pals hide in Tim's garage. The police finds out, and Tim is taken to the police station. Cliff manages to exonerate his brother from the charges, but in exchange Tim has to identify the robbers and testify against them. Before the police can proceed to arrest Martin, Cliff meets him in his house and tells him to escape before being caught. However, Martin's pals, seeing their boss and Cliff together, understand that they are trying to escape and kill them.
We Are Not Alone (1939)
, 1h52Directed by Edmund Goulding
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Crime, Romance
Actors Paul Muni, Jane Bryan, Flora Robson, Una O'Connor, Henry Daniell, Montagu Love
Smashing the Money Ring (1939)
, 57minutesOrigin USA
Genres Drama, Action, Adventure, Crime
Actors Ronald Reagan, Margot Stevenson, Eddie Foy, Jr., Joe King, William B. Davidson, Charles C. Wilson
Angels with Dirty Faces (1938)
, 1h37Directed by Michael Curtiz
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Action, Crime
Themes Films about religion, Films about capital punishment, Gangster films
Actors James Cagney, Pat O'Brien, Humphrey Bogart, Ann Sheridan, George Bancroft, Billy Halop
Rocky Sullivan (James Cagney) and Jerry Connolly (Pat O'Brien) are childhood friends who robbed a railroad car as kids. Rocky saved Jerry's life during the chase by pulling him out of the way of a steam train while running from the guards that saw them. Rocky was then caught by the police, but Jerry—who could run faster—escaped. Rocky, after being sent to reform school, grew up to become a notorious gangster, while Jerry became a religious priest who mentored at-risk youth.
The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
, 1h42Directed by Michael Curtiz, William Keighley
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Swashbuckler, Action, Adventure, Historical, Romance
Themes Political films, Films about royalty
Actors Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone, Claude Rains, Patric Knowles, Eugene Pallette
In 1191, Richard the Lionheart (Ian Hunter), the King of England, is taken captive by Leopold V, Duke of Austria while returning from the Third Crusade. Richard’s treacherous brother Prince John (Claude Rains) usurps the throne and proceeds to oppress the Saxons, raising taxes supposedly to pay Richard's ransom, but in reality to secure his own position.
The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse (1938)
, 1h27Directed by Anatole Litvak
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy, Comedy-drama, Action, Crime
Actors Edward G. Robinson, Claire Trevor, Humphrey Bogart, Donald Crisp, Allen Jenkins, Gale Page
Dr. Clitterhouse is a wealthy society doctor in New York City who decides to research the medical aspects of the behavior of criminals directly by becoming one. He begins a series of daring jewel robberies, measuring his own blood pressure, temperature and pulse before, during and afterwards, but yearns for a larger sample for his study.
Hollywood Hotel (1938)
, 1h49Directed by Busby Berkeley
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Romantic comedy, Musical, Romance
Themes Musical films
Actors Dick Powell, Priscilla Lane, Rosemary Lane, Lola Lane, Ted Healy, Hugh Herbert
Saxophone player and singer Ronnie Bowers (Dick Powell), is on his way to Hollywood, having been signed to a ten-week contract by All Star Pictures. At the airport, his former employer, Benny Goodman, and his band give him a big sendoff, performing "Hooray for Hollywood".