Released by RKO | Directed By George Archainbaud Murder on the Blackboard: One Note We’re going to do something a little differently this week. Instead of my usual review, instead, here’s the second full chapter from my new eBook, Murder on Celluloid: A Companion to the Hildegarde Withers Film Series. Read more…
Sylvia Bruce Marion Davies Bill Williams Bing Crosby Lili Yvonne Fifi D’Orsay Conroy Ned Sparks Jill Patsy Kelly Ernest Baker Stuart Erwin Released by MGM | Directed By Raoul Walsh Proof That It’s Pre-Code “What’s the ‘P’ for?” “Pratt.” “I knew it.” Bing makes a joke about having drank absinthe. Read more…
Teresita Lupe Velez Bates Lee Tracy Achilles Eugene Pallette Released by RKO | Directed By Gregory La Cava Proof That It’s Pre-Code An enticement to see an exotic dancer that doesn’t work as well nowadays: “She makes the old grow young and the young grow gay.” “But he ain’t the Read more…
J. Phineas Stevens Lee Tracy Dorothy Mason Madge Evans Dr. Prescott Frank Morgan Floppy Charles Butterworth Kelley David Landau Calhoun John Miljan Released by Metro Goldwyn Mayer | Directed By Jack Conway Proof That It’s Pre-Code “Since you refuse to share my humble dwellings for the evening, there’s only one Read more…
Hildegarde Withers Edna May Oliver Inspector Piper James Gleason Gwen Mae Clarke Philip Donald Cook Hemingway Clarence Wilson Barry Robert Armstrong Released by RKO | Directed By George Archainbaud The Penguin Pool Murder: Whirlpool of Intrigue We’re going to do something a little differently this week. Instead of my usual Read more…
Jo March Katharine Hepburn Amy March Joan Bennett Meg March Frances Dee Beth March Jean Parker Marmee Spring Byington Aunt March Edna May Oliver Laurie Douglass Montgomery Mr. Lawrence Henry Stephenson Professor Bhaer Paul Lukas Released by RKO | Directed By George Cukor Proof That It’s Pre-Code Look, the naughtiest Read more…
Mary Josephine Dunn Jim Edward Earle Pat Ernest Hilliard Released by Continental Talking Pictures | Directed By Phil Rosen Proof That It’s Pre-Code The plot is about a woman running away from her husband. Second Honeymoon: Do Over “She wanted a change in the worst way. And that’s how she’s Read more…
Directed By William C. McGann The Stolen Jools: All-Star Insanity “I’m looking for pearls.” “Why don’t you try the oysters?” The all-star production has a rich history. From the cameo-laden Show People (1928) with a bevy of silent stars sharing a table to more modern iterations like It’s a Mad, Read more…
Mary Rexford Norma Shearer Lord Phillip Rexford Herbert Marshall Tommy Trent Robert Montgomery Released by MGM | Directed By Edmund Goulding Proof That It’s Pre-Code A man agrees to marry a woman even though he knows that she was a party girl who got around. She even gets around with Read more…
Dr. Jack Griffin Claude Rains Flora Gloria Stuart Dr. Arthur Kemp William Harrigan Released by Universal | Directed By James Whale Proof That It’s Pre-Code A naked man instigates a reign of terror throughout Great Britain. He also pushes a baby carriage over. Basically, the invisible man murders a ton Read more…