Detroit Movie Palaces

The Film Programs of the Detroit Film Theatre, Michigan Theater, and Redford Theatre

Your Guide to Classic Movie Theater Filmgoing!

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Explore theater history
in the Looking Back feature!

Bob Hope Appears in Detroit (July 1956)

July Looking Back: 1931 1932 1948 1956 1957 1962 1981 1982

Look What's Coming!

The DFT hits the road for Metropark screenings of the original Godzilla on August 1, 8, and 15.

The Michigan marks the 100th anniversary of World War 1 with BBC films on August 3 and August 4.

Find out why Some Like It Hot at the Redford on August 8 and 9.

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Looking Back

February 1931

Step back in time to see what area movie theaters were presenting in February 1931. Film titles are linked to the Internet Movie Database.

For more information about these theaters, see Cinema Treasures or Water Winter Wonderland.

On Sunday, Feb. 22, the Michigan in Ann Arbor presented "the one and only Greta Garbo" in her latest MGM film, Inspiration, co-starring Robert Montgomery and Andy Hardy's screen dad, Lewis Stone. A year earlier, Garbo starred in her first sound film, Anna Christie, while 1932 would bring one of her greatest triumphs, Grand Hotel.

Visitors to the Redford enjoyed a new film about every two days, including Paid, with Joan Crawford. "It was a new role to her - a tough role, a girl ruined by the law - and her success in it caused comment," wrote film historian David Shipman in The Great Movie Stars: The Golden Years.

The auditorium of the Detroit Institute of Arts hosted a free organ concert on Feb. 13 which was part of a series of Friday evening recitals. Every Saturday morning, the DIA presented a "free motion picture for boys and girls."

Prominent Detroit film premieres included Oscar's best picture of 1930/31, Cimarron, at the RKO Downtown (Adams at Grand Circus Park). Charlie Chaplin's silent City Lights ("A Comedy in Pantomime") opened at the United Artists (Bagley at Grand Circus Park).

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