Dr. Henry Frankenstein Colin Clive Elizabeth Mae Clarke The Monster Boris Karloff Released by Universal Pictures | Directed By James Whale Proof That It’s Pre-Code A man directly likens himself to God. (Accidental) cold-blooded child murder. Frankenstein: The Sins of the Father “Dangerous? Poor, old Waldman. Have you never wanted Read more…
Damon Wells Edward G. Robinson Jessica Mary Astor Weston Ricardo Cortez Daphne Mae Clarke Stanley Vance Louis Calhern Curtis David Landau Released by Warner Brothers | Directed by Archie Mayo Proof That It’s Pre-Code Our film’s villain is a murderous briber who uses hypnotism and spousal abuse to rob people Read more…
As I’ve been reading more biographies as I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to appreciate how not just the way that the writing style affects the portrayal of the subjects, but how the attitude that the author brings to the proceedings is paramount as well. For example, Christina Rice’s unbridled enthusiasm Read more…
Johnny Quinlan Jack Mulhall Bertha Quinlan Mae Clarke Danny Walsh Ned Sparks Released by RKO | Directed By Leslie Pearce Proof That It’s Pre-Code Our louse in the lead, Johnny, is chasing around ladies other than his wife. The gangster boss Nifty has a network of men carrying high end Read more…
Joe Gimlet Lee Tracy Mary Gimlet / Mary Wright Mae Clarke Ted Wright Otto Kruger Released by MGM | Directed by Edgar Selwyn Proof That It’s Pre-Code “As the lady said to the sailor, nothing’s stopping you.” Drunk Tracy is clearly checking out Clarke’s rear when she insists that he Read more…
George Simon John Barrymore Rexy Gordon Bebe Daniels Doris Kenyon Cora Simon Roy Darwin Melvyn Douglas Harry Becker Vincent Sherman Lillian La Rue Thelma Todd Released by Universal | Directed by William Wyler Proof That It’s Pre-Code Ya’ll like class warfare? Our hero previously rigged a court case with a Read more…
Hildy Johnson Pat O’Brien Walter Burns Adolphe Menjou Peggy Grant Mary Brian Bensinger Edward Everett Horton Earl Williams George E. Stone Molly Mae Clarke Released by United Artists | Directed By Lewis Milestone Proof That It’s Pre-Code Digging through his desk, Bensinger finds a discarded woman’s slip. Plenty of dark Read more…
Sylvia Day Mae Clarke Joseph B. Smith Ralph Bellamy Jeanie Vance Marie Prevost Released by Columbia Pictures | Directed By Edward F. Cline Proof That It’s Pre-Code Sylvia (Clarke) and Tony (Hale Hamilton) run a con that involves a fake pick pocketing and extortion from dopey department stores. Tony becomes Read more…
Gunner John Gilbert Bucker Robert Armstrong Mary Mae Clarke Released by MGM | Directed By Todd Browning Proof That It’s Pre-Code Construction workers hanging out on the peaks of skyscrapers are really mostly concerned with peeping. Gunner (Gilbert) recognizes Mary (Clarke) by her rear end. Mary’s a conwoman who shakes Read more…
I love pre-Code Hollywood. I hope you’ve picked up on that. I love writing about it… but I also love reading what other people write about it. Since doing a blogathon earlier this year didn’t fully cure me of the itch and I’m always looking for good ways to create Read more…