Foreign Language Version is a term for a film from the early talkie era (1929-1931) that was especially prepared for foreign markets. In the early days of sound films, it was common for Hollywood studios to produce foreign-language versions of their films using the same sets, costumes and so on. While many of these versions no longer exist, the Spanish-language version of Drácula is a notable exception.
The first foreign language versions began to be produced in 1929 and largely replaced the International Sound Version method for all major releases. The most common languages used for these productions were Spanish, French and German. Although quite a large number of these films were produced very few survive today. Some notable exceptions are the foreign language versions of Laurel & Hardy shorts, Charley Chase shorts, the Spanish version of "Charlie Chan Carries On" 1931, the Spanish version of "Pardon Us" 1931, Buster Keaton's Spanish version of "Free And Easy" 1930 (entitled "Estrellados"), the German version of Greta Garbo's "Anna Christie" 1931, the German and French versions of "The Big House" 1930, and the Spanish version of "The Lady Who Dared" 1931 ("La Dama Atrevida"), etc.
In 1931, dubbing and subtitling became perfected and this, along with the Great Depression, led to the demise of the foreign language version. It continued to be utilized for special deluxe pictures, such as the French version of "The Merry Widow" 1934 and the French version of "Folies Bergere" 1935, until the mid-1930s and then quietly disappeared.
List of Foreign Language Versions
| Original Film | Year/Studio | Foreign Versions |
|---|---|---|
| Berth Marks | 1929 MGM | Noche de duendes 1931 Spanish version Feu mon oncle 1930 French version Spuk um Mitternacht 1931 German version |
| Halfway to Heaven | 1929 Paramount | Sombras del circo 1931 Spanish version À mi-chemin du ciel 1931 French version Der Sprung ins Nichts 1932 German version Halvvägs till himlen 1932 Sweedish version |
| The Letter | 1929 Paramount | La carta 1931 Spanish version La lettre 1930 French version Weib im Dschungel 1931 German version La donna bianca 1931 Italian version |
| Madame X | 1929 MGM | La mujer X 1931 Spanish version |
| Nothing But the Truth | 1929 Paramount | La pura verdad 1931 Spanish version Rien que la vérité 1930 French version Die nackte Wahrheit 1932 German version |
| The Sacred Flame | 1929 Warner Bros. | La llama sagrada 1931 Spanish version Die heilige Flamme 1931 German version |
| The Trial of Mary Dugan | 1929 MGM | El proceso de Mary Dugan 1931 Spanish version Le procès de Mary Dugan 1930 French version Mordprozeß Mary Dugan 1931 German version |
| The Bad Man | 1930 First National | El hombre malo 1930 Spanish version Lopez, le bandit 1930 French version |
| The Big House | 1930 MGM | El presidio 1930 Spanish version Révolte dans la prison 1931 French version Menschen hinter Gittern 1931 German version |
| The Boudoir Diplomat | 1930 Universal | Don Juan diplomático 1931 Spanish version Boudoir diplomatique 1931 French version Liebe auf Befehl 1931 German version |
| The Devil's Holiday | 1930 Paramount | La fiesta del diablo 1931 Spanish version Les vacances du diable 1931 French version Sonntag des Lebens 1931 German version La vacanza del diavolo 1931 Italian version En kvinnas morgondag 1931 Sweedish version |
| Dollar Dizzy | 1930 MGM | El príncipe del dólar 1931 Spanish version Chercheuses d'or 1930 French version |
| Fast Work | 1930 MGM | Locuras de amor 1931 Spanish version |
| Going Wild | 1930 First National | L'aviateur 1931 French version |
| Her Wedding Night | 1930 Paramount | Su noche de bodas 1931 Spanish version Marions-nous 1931 French version Ich heirate meinen Mann 1931 German version |
| Honey | 1930 Paramount | Salga de la cocina 1930 Spanish version Chérie 1931 French version Jede Frau hat etwas 1931 German version Kärlek måste vi ha 1931 Sweedish version |
| Kismet | 1930 First National | Kismet 1931 German version |
| The Laurel and Hardy Murder Case | 1930 MGM | Noche de duendes 1930 Spanish version Feu mon oncle 1930 French version Spuk um Mitternacht 1930 German version |
| Laughter | 1930 Paramount | Lo mejor es reir 1931 Spanish version Rive gauche 1931 French version Die Männer um Lucie 1931 German version A Mulher Que Ri 1931 Portuguese version |
| Manslaughter | 1930 Paramount | La incorregible 1930 Spanish version Le réquisitoire 1931 French version Leichtsinnige Jugend 1931 German version Lika inför lagen 1931 Sweedish version |
| Men of the North | 1930 MGM | Monsieur Le Fox 1931 Spanish version Monsieur Le Fox 1931 French version Monsieur Le Fox 1931 German version Luigi La Volpe 1931 Italian version |
| Min and Bill | 1930 MGM | La fruta amarga 1930 Spanish version |
| Moby Dick | 1930 Warner Bros. | Dämon des Meeres 1931 German version |
| On Your Back | 1930 Fox | Esclavas de la moda 1930 Spanish version |
| One Mad Kiss | 1930 Fox | El precio de un beso 1930 Spanish version |
| Scotland Yard | 1930 Fox | El impostor 1930 Spanish version Révolte dans la prison 1931 French version Menschen hinter Gittern 1931 German version |
| Show Girl In Hollywood | 1930 First National | Le masque d'Hollywood 1930 French version |
| Those Who Dance | 1930 Warner Bros. | Los que danzan 1930 Spanish version Contre-enquête 1931 French version Der Tanz geht weiter 1931 German version |
| Way For A Sailor | 1930 MGM | En cada puerto un amor 1930 Spanish version |
| The Way of All Men | 1930 First National | Die Maske fällt 1931 German version |
| Arabian Nights | 1931 Universal | El Tenorio del harem 1931 Spanish version |
| Bad Girl | 1931 Fox | Marido y mujer 1931 Spanish version |
| Be Big! | 1931 MGM | Los Calaveras 1931 Spanish version |
| Body and Soul | 1931 Fox | Cuerpo y alma 1931 Spanish version |
| Charlie Chan Carries On | 1931 Fox | Eran Trece 1931 Spanish version |
| Chickens Come Home | 1931 MGM | Politiquerías 1931 Spanish version |
| The Criminal Code | 1931 Columbia | El código penal 1931 Spanish version |
| Don't Bet on Women | 1931 Fox | Conoces a tu mujer? 1931 Spanish version |
| Dracula | 1931 Universal | Drácula 1931 Spanish version |
| The Good Bad Girl | 1931 Columbia | El pasado acusa 1931 Spanish version |
| The Lady Who Dared | 1931 First National | La dama atrevida 1931 Spanish version |
| Their Mad Moment | 1931 Fox | Mi último amor 1931 Spanish version |
| Laughing Gravy | 1931 MGM | Los Calaveras 1931 Spanish version |
| Local Boy Makes Good | 1931 First National | L'athlète incomplet 1932 French version |
| The Man Who Came Back | 1931 Fox | Del infierno al cielo 1931 Spanish version |
| Men in Her Life | 1931 Fox | Hombres en mi vida 1931 Spanish version |
| Pardon Us | 1931 MGM | De bote en bote 1931 Spanish version Sous les verrous 1931 French version Hinter Schloss und Riegel 1931 German version Muraglie 1931 Italian version |
| The Phantom of Paris | 1931 MGM | Cheri-Bibi 1931 Spanish version |
| Resurrection | 1931 Universal | Resurrección 1931 Spanish version |
| Rough Seas | 1931 MGM | Monerías 1931 Spanish version |
| Stamboul | 1931 Paramount | El hombre que asesinó 1932 Spanish version L'homme qui assassina 1931 French version Der Mann, der den Mord beging 1931 German version |
| Ten Cents A Dance | 1931 Columbia | Carne de cabaret 1931 Spanish version |
| Thundering Tenors | 1931 MGM | El alma de la fiesta 1931 Spanish version |
| Bachelor Mother | 1932 Goldsmith | Tres Amores 1934 Spanish version |
| It's Great to be Alive | 1933 Fox | El último varon sobre la Tierra 1933 Spanish version |
| Pleasure Cruise | 1933 Fox | No dejes la puerta abierta 1933 Spanish version |
| Revenge at Monte Carlo | 1933 Mayfair | Dos noches 1933 Spanish version |
| Pursued | 1934 Fox | Nada más que una mujer 1934 Spanish version |