Happy New Year, everyone! Fun fact: when I started this website, I set all of my templates to publish on January 1st, 2020, because that was like 7 years in the future, that was never going to happen. Anyway, I have to fix that or you’ll all be really confused here in a few hours.

For those of you who caught it, I livetweeted a Smarty/Gold Diggers of 1933 for TCM as part of their Joan Blondell Star of the Month tribute. It was a lot of fun, so thanks to anyone who stuck through!

I hope everyone had some wonderful holidays. I’m taking a few days off next week and plugging away at my Maisie book, as well as juggling all of the other things I’ve been wanting to do, such as washing my carpets. I have dogs and children, it’s currently horrific.

January has a number of good standards playing on TCM, including kicking off the decade with the 20s-tastic The Public Enemy. There’s also a ton of shorts that I didn’t list from the Vitaphone-era playing, so be sure to check those out too.

A friendly reminder: if you want to support my site, you can become a Patron over at Patreon. Last month I sent everyone who’d entered their address a Christmas card, and I’ll have a new giveaway later this year. Cheers!

Pre-Code Movies on TCM in January

Please note:

  • All times listed here are Eastern Standard. This schedule is subject to change (like if someone dies or the world ends– you know how it is).
  • Plot descriptions and casts lists below come from TCM. See the full listings for the month here.
Date & Time Film

1st
10:00 PM

The Public Enemy (1931)

An Irish-American street punk tries to make it big in the world of organized crime.

Dir:  William A. Wellman Cast:  James Cagney , Jean Harlow , Edward Woods .

BW- 84 mins, CC,

5th
8:00 AM

Sally (1930)

A waitress dreams of becoming a Broadway star.

Dir:  John Francis Dillon Cast:  Marilyn Miller , Alexander Gray , Joe E. Brown .

C- 102 mins, CC,

6th
9:15 PM

Red Dust (1932)

A plantation overseer in Indochina is torn between a married woman and a lady of the evening.

Dir:  Victor Fleming Cast:  Clark Gable , Jean Harlow , Gene Raymond .

BW- 83 mins, CC,

8th
1:45 PM

Before Dawn (1933)

Detectives compete to solve the murders at a mysterious mansion.

Dir:  Irving Pichel Cast:  Stuart Erwin , Dorothy Wilson , Warner Oland .

BW- 61 mins, CC,

9th
12:15 AM

Scarface (1932)

A murderous thug shoots his way to the top of the mobs while trying to protect his sister from the criminal life.

Dir:  Howard Hawks Cast:  Paul Muni , Ann Dvorak , Karen Morley .

BW- 94 mins, CC,

9th
4:00 AM

The Doorway to Hell (1930)

Despite his efforts to go straight, a young gangster keeps falling back into crime.

Dir:  Archie Mayo Cast:  Lew Ayres , Charles Judels , Dorothy Mathews .

BW- 78 mins, CC,

9th
11:45 AM

The Phantom of Crestwood (1933)

Five men have to prove their innocence when a blackmailer is murdered.

Dir:  J. Walter Ruben Cast:  Ricardo Cortez , Karen Morley , Anita Louise .

BW- 76 mins, CC,

9th
1:15 PM

Millie (1931)

A prostitute turns to murder to protect her teenage daughters honor.

Dir:  John Francis Dillon Cast:  Helen Twelvetrees , Lilyan Tashman , Robert Ames .

BW- 84 mins, CC,

9th
2:45 PM

Everything’s Rosie (1931)

A carnival con artist tries to mend his ways when his adopted daughter gets engaged.

Dir:  Clyde Bruckman Cast:  Robert Woolsey , Anita Louise , John Darrow .

BW- 67 mins, CC,

10th
7:15 AM

The Lost Squadron (1932)

Veteran flyers from World War I find work as movie stuntmen.

Dir:  George Archainbaud Cast:  Richard Dix , Mary Astor , Robert Armstrong .

BW- 79 mins, CC,

12th
6:00 AM

Huddle (1932)

A steelworker’s son becomes a college football hero.

Dir:  Sam Wood Cast:  Ramon Novarro , Madge Evans , Una Merkel .

BW- 103 mins,

13th
7:45 AM

Show Girl in Hollywood (1930)

A Broadway songbird goes to Hollywood in search of screen stardom.

Dir:  Mervyn LeRoy Cast:  Alice White , Jack Mulhall , Blanche Sweet .

BW- 78 mins, CC,

13th
10:45 AM

Make Me A Star (1932)

A grocery clerk goes to Hollywood in search of fame and fortune.

Dir:  William Beaudine Cast:  Joan Blondell , Stuart Erwin , ZaSu Pitts .

BW- 86 mins, CC,

13th
12:15 PM

What Price Hollywood? (1932)

A drunken director whose career is fading helps a waitress become a Hollywood star.

Dir:  George Cukor Cast:  Constance Bennett , Lowell Sherman , Neil Hamilton .

BW- 88 mins, CC,

15th
7:45 AM

Rasputin and the Empress (1932)

True story of the mad monk who plotted to rule Russia.

Dir:  Richard Boleslavsky Cast:  John Barrymore , Ethel Barrymore , Lionel Barrymore .

BW- 121 mins, CC,

15th
8:00 PM

The Wet Parade (1932)

A crusading politician fights the evils of both drink and prohibition.

Dir:  Victor Fleming Cast:  Dorothy Jordan , Lewis Stone , Neil Hamilton .

BW- 118 mins, CC,

16th
4:00 AM

The Secret Six (1931)

A secret society funds the investigation of a bootlegging gang.

Dir:  George Hill Cast:  Wallace Beery , Lewis Stone , John Mack Brown .

BW- 84 mins, CC,

16th
9:45 AM

Is My Face Red? (1932)

A gossip columnist witnesses a gangland killing.

Dir:  William Seiter Cast:  Helen Twelvetrees , Ricardo Cortez , Jill Esmond .

BW- 66 mins, CC,

16th
12:15 PM

Blessed Event (1932)

An unscrupulous gossip columnist lands himself in hot water.

Dir:  Roy Del Ruth Cast:  Lee Tracy , Mary Brian , Allen Jenkins .

BW- 80 mins, CC,

17th
6:00 AM

I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)

A World War I veteran faces inhuman conditions when he’s sentenced to hard labor.

Dir:  Mervyn Le Roy Cast:  Paul Muni , Glenda Farrell , Helen Vinson .

BW- 93 mins, CC,

17th
7:45 AM

The World Changes (1933)

When a farmer strikes it rich in business, success goes to his head.

Dir:  Mervyn Le Roy Cast:  Paul Muni , Aline MacMahon , Mary Astor .

BW- 90 mins,

17th
9:30 AM

Hi, Nellie! (1934)

A crusading newspaper editor keeps digging into corruption, even when he’s forced to write advice to the lovelorn.

Dir:  Mervyn LeRoy Cast:  Paul Muni , Glenda Farrell , Ned Sparks .

BW- 75 mins, CC,

19th
4:00 PM

The Thin Man (1934)

A husband-and-wife detective team takes on the search for a missing inventor and almost get killed for their efforts.

Dir:  W. S. Van Dyke Cast:  William Powell , Myrna Loy , Maureen O’Sullivan .

BW- 91 mins, CC,

23rd
1:30 PM

The Painted Desert (1931)

A cowboy and his girlfriend try to settle a feud between their fathers.

Dir:  Howard Higgin Cast:  Bill Boyd , Helen Twelvetrees , William Farnum .

BW- 75 mins,

23rd
8:00 PM

Imitation of Life (1934)

A widow and her housekeeper go into business together but almost lose their daughters.

Dir:  John M. Stahl Cast:  Claudette Colbert , Warren William , Rochelle Hudson .

BW- 111 mins, CC,

26th
6:00 AM

The White Sister (1933)

A noblewoman becomes a nun when she thinks her lover is killed during the war.

Dir:  Victor Fleming Cast:  Helen Hayes , Clark Gable , Lewis Stone .

BW- 105 mins, CC,

26th
7:45 AM

Tarzan And His Mate (1934)

The jungle king fights to protect his wife from a greedy ivory hunter.

Dir:  Cedric Gibbons Cast:  Johnny Weissmuller , Maureen O’Sullivan , Neil Hamilton .

BW- 104 mins, CC,

29th
9:00 AM

I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)

A World War I veteran faces inhuman conditions when he’s sentenced to hard labor.

Dir:  Mervyn Le Roy Cast:  Paul Muni , Glenda Farrell , Helen Vinson .

BW- 93 mins, CC,

Questions? Comments? Or do you just want to bug me? Leave a comment below!

Categories: TCM Schedules

Danny

Danny is a writer who lives with his lovely wife, adorable children, and geriatric yet yappy dog. He blogs at pre-code.com, a website dedicated to Hollywood films from 1930 to 1934, and can be found on Twitter @PreCodeDotCom.

1 Comment

madeboost · January 27, 2020 at 6:36 am

What a lovely blog you have here… I love the details you brought especially the way you brought them out. Do you mind if i quote a few of your words on my blog? We are in the exact same niche. You can read palm credit loan on my site. Please reply me or let me know when you make a decision. Once again, Lovely Contents.

Comments are closed.