A week or so ago Joyce Miller send a posting requesting titles on 30s films featuring southern women as well as information on the decade's top grossing films. On the latter point first, unfortunately there is no uniform, accurate guide to the most popular films of the decade. Each of the various trades (Film Daily, MP Herald, Variety, etc.) published their own lists of varying length most years. Sometimes the titles are complimentary, other times contradictory. It is these lists which have been reprinted literally and uncritically in later books. And of course the figures do not measure the degree of profitability based upon the original budget of the picture. Nor does the mention of a film as a moneymaker necessarily reflect the more (?) accurate bookkeeping of the studio. For instance, several sources list THE LOST PATROL as among the most popular films of 1934, which is contradicted by studio records, per Rick Jewell, author of The RKO Story. Second, if you will excuse my personal bias for the films of Robert Florey, you might check into MOUNTAIN MUSIC, starring Martha Raye. It is a rather bizarre hillbilly musical comedy, bordering on the screwball, set in Arkansas, starring Martha Raye--most notable because it was Paramount's top grossing film for the summer of 1937. It will certainly give you a contrast between what is remembered now and what was popular at the time. Brian Taves, Library of Congress Tavesmail.loc.gov