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Crime Pays

1931

Gentleman’s Fate (1931) Review, with John Gilbert and Louis Wolheim

Jack Thomas John Gilbert Frank Louis Wolheim Marjorie Leila Hyams Ruth Anita Page Mabel Marie Prevost Florio John Miljan Released by MGM | Directed by Mervyn LeRoy Run time: 90 minutes Proof That It’s a Pre-Code Film A bootlegger tells his skeptical brother, who’s sniffing a bottle, “That stuff ain’t Read more…

By Danny, 9 yearsJune 26, 2017 ago
1934

Viva Villa! (1934) Review, with Wallace Beery, Leo Carrillo and Fay Wray

Pancho Villa Wallace Beery Rodolfo Leo Carrillo Teresa Fay Wray Jonny Sykes Stuart Erwin General Pascal Joseph Schildkraut Francisco Madero Henry B. Walthall Released by MGM | Directed by Jack Conway Run time: 115 minutes Proof That It’s a Pre-Code Film People are murdered pretty indiscriminately– this is a revolution, Read more…

By Danny, 9 yearsJune 25, 2017 ago
1934

Back Page (1934) Review, with Peggy Shannon

Jerry Peggy Shannon Brice Russell Hopton Bill Sterling Holloway Released by Pyramid   | Directed by Anton Lorenze Run time: 65 minutes Proof That It’s a Pre-Code Film “I’ve got something red hot– all about that evangelist having a baby!” Her big scoop is a ‘love nest suicide’. Our heroine Read more…

By Danny, 9 yearsMarch 27, 2017 ago
1933

Bureau of Missing Persons (1933) Review, with Bette Davis and Pat O’Brien

Norma Bette Davis Butch Pat O’Brien The Captain Lewis Stone Joe Allen Jenkins Belle Glenda Farrell Pete Ruth Donnelly Released by Warner Bros. | Directed by Roy Del Ruth Run time: 72 minutes Proof That It’s a Pre-Code Film Since this is a film dealing with the destitute, it’s fairly Read more…

By Danny, 9 yearsMarch 13, 2017 ago
1934

Success at Any Price (1934) Review, with Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Genevieve Tobin

Joe Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Agnes Genevieve Tobin Sarah Colleen Moore Mr. Fisher Edward Everett Horton Mr. Merritt Frank Morgan Mr. Hatfield Henry Kolker Released by RKO | Directed by J. Walter Ruben Run time: 74 minutes Proof That It’s a Pre-Code-ish Film All that a college degree gets you is, Read more…

By Danny, 9 yearsDecember 19, 2016 ago
1933

Broadway Thru a Keyhole (1933) Review, with Constance Cummings, Paul Kelly, and Russ Columbo

Joan Constance Cummings Frank Paul Kelly Clark Russ Columbo Sybil Smith Blossom Seeley Hugh O’Connell Chuck Haskins Tex Kaley Texas Guinan Released by 20th Century Pictures | Directed by Lowell Sherman Run time: 91 minutes Proof That It’s a Pre-Code Film One character, Sybil, is a former burlesque queen, and Read more…

By Danny, 9 yearsNovember 14, 2016 ago
1932

The Phantom President (1932) Review, with George M. Cohan, Claudette Colbert, and Jimmy Durante

T.K. Blair / Doc Varney George M. Cohan Curly Cooney Jimmy Durante Felicia Hammond Claudette Colbert Released by Paramount | Directed by Norman Taurog Run time: 78 minutes Proof That It’s a Pre-Code Film Cohan puts on blackface for a number. Yay. Sidney Toler puts on yellow face once more. Read more…

By Danny, 9 yearsNovember 7, 2016 ago
1933

Headline Shooter (1933) Review, with William Gargan and Frances Dee

Bill William Gargan Jane Frances Dee Hal Ralph Bellamy Mike Wallace Ford Hermie Gregory Ratoff Ricci Jack La Rue Released by RKO | Directed by Run time: 61 minutes Proof That It’s a Pre-Code Film Opens with a shot of a man’s hat on a bedpost and a woman telling Read more…

By Danny, 10 yearsOctober 17, 2016 ago
1930

Captain Thunder (1930) Review, with Victor Varconi and Fay Wray

El Capitan Thunder Victor Varconi Ynez Fay Wray Juan Don Alvarado Released by Warner Bros./First National | Directed by Alan Crosland Run time: 65 minutes Proof That It’s a Pre-Code Film Thunder is a lady’s man, and all the senoritas are totally into that. “Big boy!” “Little girl! Aren’t you Read more…

By Danny, 10 yearsSeptember 26, 2016 ago
1931

The Lawyer’s Secret (1931) Review, with Clive Brook, Charles Rogers, Richard Arlen, Fay Wray and Jean Arthur

Drake Norris Clive Brook Joe Richard Arlen Laurie Charles ‘Buddy’ Rogers Kay Fay Wray Beatrice Jean Arthur Tom Lawrence LaMarr Released by Paramount Pictures | Directed by Max Marcin & Louis J. Gasnier Run time: 62 minutes The Lawyer’s Secret: Stiff Stuff “They can’t convict me. They can’t convict an Read more…

By Danny, 10 yearsSeptember 23, 2016 ago

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Pre-Code.Com celebrates Hollywood films made from 1930 to 34, when the talkies were new and censorship was lax. Learn more about the era here, or browse our many reviews.

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