History's Best Selling Movies of 1929

Make way for the hits of 1929! This remarkable era stood as a testament to the golden era of American industry and the march of first-rate movies. Crowd-pleasers such as The Desert Song shared the spotlight with mega-bestsellers The Broadway Melody and On with the Show!. Brought to you by top-notch makers from industry leaders like Roy Del Ruth and Harry Beaumont, these trailblazing products swept main street from coast to coast as genuine top-flight hits and earned a permanent place in cultural lore. Check out the complete rank-ordered ledger below to relive the finest releases of the year.

1. The Desert Song

   Released in 1929 by Roy Del Ruth, Warner Bros.

   The premiere of "The Desert Song" on January 13, 1929, was a pivotal moment in cinema history, marking one of the earliest full-length Technicolor films to incorporate synchronized sound. This groundbreaking Warner Bros. production not only captivated audiences with its vibrant visuals and musical numbers but also proved to be a significant commercial success, grossing an estimated $1,549,000 at a time when talkies were just beginning to dominate the industry. Its debut firmly established the potential of combining color and sound, setting a new standard for musical adaptations and showcasing the nascent technological marvels that would soon transform filmmaking forever.

2. The Broadway Melody

   Released in 1929 by Harry Beaumont, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

   On February 1, 1929, a new era in filmmaking truly began with the Los Angeles premiere of 'The Broadway Melody'. This groundbreaking musical not only captured the spirit of the Roaring Twenties but also etched its name into cinematic history as the first sound film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. Its debut marked a pivotal moment for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, establishing the studio as a formidable player in the burgeoning talkie revolution. The film's commercial success, raking in an impressive $2,808,000 at the box office worldwide, confirmed the audience's eager embrace of synchronized sound and musical numbers, signaling a dramatic shift from silent cinema and laying the cornerstone for the golden age of Hollywood musicals.

3. On with the Show!

   Released in 1929 by Alan Crosland, Warner Bros. Pictures

   On with the Show! burst onto the screen on May 28th, 1929, marking a spectacular leap forward in cinematic history. This premiere wasn't just another movie opening; it heralded the arrival of the first all-color, all-talking feature film, a technological marvel that captivated audiences and critics alike. Its groundbreaking use of Technicolor, combined with synchronized sound, positioned it as a monumental event in the nascent era of "talkies." Despite the technical challenges inherent in its production, the film successfully leveraged its innovations to achieve a significant box office gross of $1,741,000, underscoring the public's insatiable appetite for the new, immersive cinematic experience it offered. This release date truly signifies a pivotal moment in the evolution of Hollywood.

4. The Hollywood Revue of 1929

   Released in 1929 by Charles Reisner, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

   On June 20, 1929, 'The Hollywood Revue of 1929' burst onto the silver screen, premiering at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. This release marked a pivotal moment in cinema history, serving as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's ambitious entry into the burgeoning world of sound films. Heralded as an 'all-talking, all-singing, all-dancing' spectacle, its launch was a major event, drawing audiences eager to experience the novelty of sound and early Technicolor. The film's impressive domestic box office gross of $1.527 million affirmed its status as a commercial triumph and a key player in the sound revolution.

5. Show Boat

   Released in 1929 by Harry A. Pollard, Universal Pictures

   The curtain rose on the first cinematic adaptation of Edna Ferber's epic novel, "Show Boat," on July 29, 1929. This groundbreaking film, released by Universal Pictures, marked a pivotal moment in Hollywood's transition from silent movies to "talkies." While primarily a silent feature, it captivated audiences with selective sound sequences, offering a glimpse into the future of motion pictures. Its launch was a significant cultural event, bringing a beloved American story to the silver screen in a format that blended the old and the new, setting the stage for its impressive box office performance and establishing its place as a pioneering achievement in early sound cinema. This premiere date is special as it introduced the visual spectacle of the Cotton Blossom to a national audience.

6. Gold Diggers of Broadway

   Released in 1929 by Roy Del Ruth, Warner Bros.

   The cinematic landscape was irrevocably altered on August 26, 1929, with the premiere of 'Gold Diggers of Broadway'. This momentous date marked the debut of one of Hollywood's earliest all-color, all-talking sound musicals, a technical marvel that captivated audiences and solidified the future of the motion picture industry. Released by Warner Bros. during a period of rapid technological transformation in filmmaking, this film was an immediate sensation, boasting a remarkable box office gross for its time. Its launch was not just a film premiere; it was a loud, colorful declaration that the silent era was over, positioning 'Gold Diggers of Broadway' as a pivotal cultural event that ushered in a new age of cinematic spectacle and entertainment.

7. The Cock-Eyed World

   Released in 1929 by Raoul Walsh, Fox Film Corporation

   On October 20, 1929, 'The Cock-Eyed World' burst onto cinema screens, marking a significant moment in early sound film. This raucous comedy-drama served as a much-anticipated sequel to Raoul Walsh's silent smash 'What Price Glory?' (1926), bringing back the beloved, brawling Marines, Sergeants Flagg and Quirt, for another round of global adventures. Released by Fox Film Corporation just as the world was navigating the transition from silent films to talkies, its premiere was a cultural event, promising audiences the familiar charm of its characters alongside the thrilling novelty of synchronized sound. The film's robust box office performance cemented its place as a commercial triumph and a key early example of Hollywood's successful adoption of sound technology.

8. Rio Rita

   Released in 1929 by Luther Reed, RKO Radio Pictures

   October 28, 1929, marked a pivotal moment for RKO Radio Pictures and the burgeoning sound film era with the premiere of 'Rio Rita.' This lavish musical operetta wasn't just another movie; it was a financial lifeline and a technological triumph for the newly formed studio. Released just days before the infamous stock market crash, 'Rio Rita' defied the looming economic turmoil to become a massive box office hit, reportedly RKO's biggest earner of the year. Its success solidified the studio's future and demonstrated the immense appeal of the 'talkie' musical, making this premiere date a significant bookmark in Hollywood history.

9. Sunny Side Up

   Released in 1929 by David Butler, Fox Film Corporation

   On November 22, 1929, the cinematic world was introduced to 'Sunny Side Up,' a groundbreaking early sound musical that captivated audiences with its vibrant songs and the charming chemistry of its stars, Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell. Released by Fox Film Corporation, this date marks the film's significant world theatrical premiere, launching it into a landscape rapidly transitioning from silent films to talkies. It became one of the most successful movies of its year, earning an impressive $2.2 million at the box office and solidifying the musical genre as a powerful new force in Hollywood. Its arrival signaled a triumph for sound cinema and offered a much-needed dose of optimism during the nascent stages of the Great Depression, making this premiere a notable moment in film history.