Angel Grant Withers Mrs. Delano Lucille La Verne Mitch Warren Hymer Jennie Evalyn Knapp Harry James Cagney Myrtle Joan Blondell Released by Warner Brothers | Directed By John G. Adolfi Proof That It’s Pre-Code The dancing ladies are happy to show their stuff. Mitch runs a speakeasy and gambling joint. Read more…
Bradshaw Paul Muni Gerry Glenda Farrell Shammy Ned Sparks Released by Warner Brothers | Directed By Mervyn LeRoy Proof That It’s Pre-Code “You can take that contract AND–“ Uh, there are gangsters? Hi, Nellie!: Heartache at the Fourth Estate “You’re the editor.” “You’re telling me?” I love Paul Muni. When Read more…
Egbert Higginbothom Bob Woolsey Tommy Tunner Bert Wheeler Peggy Dorothy Lee Released by RKO | Directed By William A. Seiter Proof That It’s Pre-Code “While they’re up on their toes, we’re out flat on our–” “Tommy!” “– heels!” “The manager came backstage and said he didn’t allow profanity in his Read more…
Margie Nichols Dorothy Mackaill Myrtle Nichols Joan Blondell Allen Crane Walter Byron Eddie Adams Conrad Nagel Harry Gleason Joe Donahue Walter Nichols H.B. Warner Released by Warner Brothers | Directed By John Francis Dillon Proof That It’s Pre-Code “They padlock a speakeasy one day and the next day the same Read more…
Helen, AKA The Blonde Venus Marlene Dietrich Ned Herbert Marshall Nick Cary Grant Released by Paramount Pictures | Directed By Josef Von Sternberg Proof That It’s Pre-Code There’s a bevy of beautiful women skinny dipping in the opening scene. Most seem to be wearing flesh-colored underwear for a few of Read more…
Tom Cardigan John Barrymore June Perry Helen Twelvetrees Vanny Powers William Boyd Released by RKO | Directed By George Archainbaud Proof That It’s Pre-Code Our lead character has a fridge full of alcohol. And a table full. Several table fulls. The dude likes to drink. He may Read more…
Harold Horne Harold Lloyd Barbara Barbara Kent Charcoal, the Janitor Willie Best Released by Paramount Pictures | Directed By Clyde Bruckman Proof That It’s Pre-Code Someone gets called a ‘pansy’. There’s a ritzy ‘Emperor’s Club’ where everyone enjoys getting sloshed. Feet First: And Safety… Oh, Well, You Know “That’s not Read more…
Jojo Joe E. Brown Winnie Winnie Lightner Tom Paul Gregory Released by Warner Brothers | Directed By Lloyd Bacon Proof That It’s Pre-Code Everyone is drinkin’ at speakeasies. A lot of the characters have been through a divorce or two. Winnie euphemistically notes about her ex-husband, “As a wrestler he Read more…
Jerry Fredric March Joan Sylvia Sidney Claire Adrienne Allen Buck Skeets Gallagher Vi Esther Howard Mr. Prentice George Irving Released by Paramount Pictures | Directed By Dorothy Arzner Proof That It’s Pre-Code The movie is based on a short story entitled, “I, Jerry, Take Thee, Joan.” This was changed to Read more…
Temple Drake Miriam Hopkins Stephen Benbow William Gargan Trigger Jack La Rue Released by Paramount Pictures | Directed By Stephen Roberts Proof That It’s Pre-Code I’m going to go ahead and just quote Thomas Doherty’s Pre-Code Hollywood on this one: The Story of Temple Drake is a model of pre-Code Read more…