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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)
(1927)Filmography of First National (436 films)
Production
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Who Killed John Savage? (1938)
, 1h9Directed by Maurice Elvey
Origin United-kingdom
Actors Barry MacKay, Edward Chapman
Simply Terrific (1938)
, 1h12Directed by Roy William Neill
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Comedy
Actors Claude Hulbert, Reginald Purdell, Patricia Medina, Aubrey Mallalieu, Glen Alyn, Frederick Burtwell
It's Love I'm After (1937)
, 1h30Directed by Harry Joe Brown, Hal B. Wallis, Archie Mayo
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Romance
Actors Leslie Howard, Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Patric Knowles, Eric Blore, George Barbier
Basil Underwood and Joyce Arden are an egotistical acting team known for their romantic scenes on stage and fiery temperaments off. Although they deeply love each other, their frequent spats over the years have kept them from tying the knot.
Mayfair Melody (1937)
, 1h23Directed by Arthur B. Woods
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Comedy, Musical, Romance
Themes Musical films
Actors Chili Bouchier, Bruce Lester, Glen Alyn, Aubrey Mallalieu, Vivienne Chatterton
Stolen Holiday (1937)
, 1h20Directed by Michael Curtiz
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Melodrama, Romance
Actors Kay Francis, Claude Rains, Ian Hunter, Alison Skipworth, Alexander D'Arcy, Betty Lawford
In 1931 Paris, Nicole Picot (Kay Francis), a model for a fashionable dress shop, is hired by nearly-penniless Stefan Orloff (Claude Rains) to help persuade a financier to fund his ambitious plans. By 1934, Stefan has established an investment bank; in gratitude, he provides the capital that Nicole needs to set up her own business and become a successful dress designer (though she insists on paying him back).
Hearts Divided (1936)
, 1h10Directed by Frank Borzage
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Biography, Historical, Musical, Romance
Themes Films about music and musicians, Théâtre, Musical films, Films based on plays
Actors Marion Davies, Dick Powell, Charles Ruggles, Claude Rains, Edward Everett Horton, Arthur Treacher
En 1803, Napoléon Bonaparte est en train de négocier avec les États-Unis la vente de la Louisiane. Il envoie son frère Jérôme en Amérique comme ambassadeur. Arrivant incognito aux courses de Baltimore, Jérôme rencontre Betsy Patterson, la fille de Charles Patterson, un des négociateurs. Toujours déguisé, il postule pour l'emploi de précepteur de français auprès d'elle, et ils tombent amoureux l'un de l'autre. Jérôme, toutefois, est limogé car il défend Napoléon trop vigoureusement.
The Case of the Velvet Claws (1936)
, 1h3Directed by William Clemens
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Crime
Actors Warren William, Claire Dodd, Wini Shaw, Wild Bill Elliott, Addison Richards, Joe King
The Story of Louis Pasteur (1936)
, 1h27Directed by William Dieterle, Irving Rapper
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Biography, Historical
Themes Medical-themed films
Actors Paul Muni, Josephine Hutchinson, Anita Louise, Donald Woods, Fritz Leiber, Akim Tamiroff
In nineteenth century chemist Louis Pasteur (Paul Muni) believes that diseases are caused by unseen microbes. His radical theory is dismissed by most doctors, particularly his most vocal critic, Dr. Charbonnet (Fritz Leiber, Sr.). Nonetheless, Pasteur carries on, with the assistance of a small group of loyal researchers, and finds a cure for anthrax. He also campaigns to have doctors wash their hands and sterilize their instruments before operating.
Crime Unlimited (1936)
Directed by Ralph Ince
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Crime
Actors Esmond Knight, Lilli Palmer, Cecil Parker, George Merritt, Sara Allgood, Raymond Lovell
The Merrick gang pull off a diamond robbery and murder a police officer investigating their crimes. A paper with the cryptic writing "AD 1935" is found on the murdered officer's body. Outsmarted by the gang, the police assistant commissioner and Inspector Cardby decide to have Pete Borden, a new recruit who the gang would not know, go undercover and join the gang.
Bullets or Ballots (1936)
, 1h22Directed by Edward G. Robinson, William Keighley
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Noir, Crime
Themes Gangster films
Actors Edward G. Robinson, Joan Blondell, Barton MacLane, Humphrey Bogart, Frank McHugh, Henry O'Neill
Detective Johnny Blake (Edward G. Robinson) is a New York City cop who has made his reputation by cracking down on racketeers. When Blake gets kicked off the force, a powerful crime boss named Al Kruger (Barton MacLane) hires him in an attempt to gain fresh ideas about sidestepping the law and expanding his criminal empire. Blake soon gains Kruger's trust and rises through the ranks of the criminal organization, much to the distaste of Bugs Fenner (Humphrey Bogart), who believes Blake to be a police informer.
China Clipper (1936)
, 1h25Directed by Ray Enright
Origin USA
Genres Drama, War
Themes Transport films, Aviation films
Actors Pat O'Brien, Ross Alexander, Beverly Roberts, Humphrey Bogart, Henry B. Walthall, Marie Wilson
In the mid-1930s, Dave Logan (Pat O'Brien) is obsessed and struggling to build and fly a new ocean-going flying boat airline with the prospects of reaching China from San Francisco. His wife, Jean (Beverly Roberts) and his boss, Jim Horn (Joseph Crehan), try to discourage him but he enlists war buddies "Dad" Brunn (Henry B. Walthall), to design his aircraft and pilot Tom Collins (Ross Alexander) to start an airline between Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
Educated Evans (1936)
, 1h26Directed by William Beaudine
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Comedy
Themes Films about animals, Sports films, Films about horses, Horse sports in film
Actors Hal Walters, Max Miller, Nancy O'Neil, George Merritt, Frederick Burtwell
Cockney racing tipster Evans (Miller) is asked by a nouveau riche and socially aspirant couple to train a racehorse they have bought. The couple know nothing about horse racing, but believe that ownership of a successful racehorse will be their entrée into the high society racing set. Evans does not own a stable, so the horse has to live with him and his two lodgers in an urban mews. He has to keep constantly on his toes, as circumstances continually threaten to reveal to the horse's owners the ramshackle conditions in which the animal is kept.
The Brown Wallet (1936)
, 1h8Directed by Michael Powell
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Thriller, Crime
Actors Patric Knowles, Nancy O'Neil, Eliot Makeham, Charles Hawtrey
Publisher John Gillespie (Patric Knowles) faces a financial crisis after his business partner skips town with all the firm's assets. Facing ruin, he reluctantly approaches a wealthy aunt for assistance but is met with a stony-faced refusal. Returning home in a taxi, he finds a wallet containing £2,000 left behind by a previous passenger. He takes the wallet, but rather than confiding in his wife he rents a room in which he secretes the money, telling her he needs the room for business purposes.
The Walking Dead (1936)
, 1h6Directed by Michael Curtiz
Genres Science fiction, Horror, Crime, Politic
Themes Prison films, Films about capital punishment
Actors Boris Karloff, Ricardo Cortez, Edmund Gwenn, Marguerite Churchill, Barton MacLane, Warren Hull
John Ellman (Boris Karloff) has been framed for murder by a gang of racketeers. He is unfairly tried and despite the fact that his innocence has been proven, he is sent to the electric chair and executed. Dr. Evan Beaumont (Edmund Gwenn) retrieves his dead body and revives it, as part of his experiments to reanimate a dead body and discover what happens to the soul after death.
The Case of the Black Cat (1936)
, 1h6Directed by Alan Crosland, William C. McGann
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Crime
Actors Ricardo Cortez, June Travis, Jane Bryan, Craig Reynolds, Gordon Elliott, Harry Davenport
Mason is summoned to the Laxter mansion in the dead of night to write granddaughter Wilma out of invalid Peter Laxter's will, to keep her from marrying suspected fortune hunter Doug. Peter dies in a mysterious fire and Laxter's two grandsons, Sam Laxter and Frank Oafley, inherit his estate on the condition old caretaker Schuster and his cat Clinker are kept on. When cat-hating Sam threatens Clinker, Perry steps in and learns Laxter's death was suspicious and the family fortune and diamonds are missing.