Well, I’m back! Back in my house, at least, in gorgeous, cold Germany. And this year my furnace actually works, which is a splendid change of pace from the prior two years. What does this mean for you? Nothing, except that I can actually feel my fingers as they type.
The pre-Code Essentials book tour was a great success. Great turnouts at showings of movies like Okay, America!, Female, Madam Satan and Night Nurse meant we had fantastic crowds and signed a lot of books. It was actually pretty nice to be back in the States for a little bit– I was buying socks and the man behind the counter at Men’s Warehouse started make small talk with me and I became completely flabbergasted. Not used to anything besides the German frosty glare!
Here are some pics from mine and Kim’s adventures, courtesy of her and her awesome brother Chris.
Thank you again for anyone attending and thank you to anyone who has picked up Pre-Code Essentials so far. It was a labor of love, and all of the kind words have really meant a lot to me throughout the process. And it’s not too late to buy it for holiday gift giving! I mean, I don’t think my six-year-old would like it, but who knows! You might know a different kind of six-year-old!
Once (and forever more), you can order pre-Code Essentials at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org and Larry Edmunds.
TCM is usually pretty light on pre-Codes in December thanks to general holiday spirit not being so much in tune with the not-so-genteel early 1930s, but I will say their line-up is a bit of a surprise this go around. Besides no Lady for a Day (1933) which usually gets play around this time of the year, there’s also a day of Douglas Fairbanks Jr. pre-Codes on December 17th, which is a good little lull to sneak them into. Also Turner Classic Movies have opted for a Marx Brothers New Years Marathon over the more traditional Thin Man one. Shocking! Scandalous! And perhaps just what the doctor ordered to help send out the monstrous year of 2025, though don’t be surprised if that doctor’s name is Quackenbush…
Pre-Codes on TCM in December 2025
All times are EST. Schedule subject to change. See the full TCM schedule for the month here. Movies featured in Pre-Code Essentials have an asterisk next to them.
- 12/2 @ 01:15 – The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)
- 12/4 @ 05:15 – Gabriel Over the White House (1933) *
- 12/6 @ 22:00 – The Scarlet Empress (1934)
- 12/8 @ 20:00 – Grand Hotel (1932) *
- 12/8 @ 22:00 – Skyscraper Souls (1932)
- 12/9 @ 02:45 – Five and Ten (1931)
- 12/9 @ 04:30 – Little Caesar (1930)
- 12/15 @ 11:30 – It’s Tough to Be Famous (1932)
- 12/15 @ 20:00 – 42nd Street (1933)
- 12/15 @ 21:45 – Footlight Parade (1933) *
- 12/15 @ 23:45 – Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933) *
- 12/17 @ 03:15 – The Merry Widow (1934)
- 12/17 @ 07:00 – Captured! (1933)
- 12/17 @ 10:15 – Chances (1931)
- 12/17 @ 11:30 – The Dawn Patrol (1930)
- 12/17 @ 13:30 – I Like Your Nerve (1931)
- 12/20 @ 16:00 – The Thin Man (1934)
- 12/21 @ 06:30 – Hell’s Heroes (1930)
- 12/21 @ 20:00 – Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933) *
- 12/21 @ 22:00 – Call Her Savage (1932) *
- 12/25 @ 09:30 – Little Women (1933)
- 12/30 @ 05:30 – Our Blushing Brides (1930)
- 12/31 @ 14:15 – Animal Crackers (1930)
- 12/31 @ 16:00 – Monkey Business (1931)
- 12/31 @ 17:30 – Horse Feathers (1932)
- 12/31 @ 18:45 – Duck Soup (1933) *
From me and mine, a happy holiday season to you and yours!
