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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, February 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 February 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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