The first issue of The Pre-Code Companion is now available at Amazon. It runs 89 pages and costs $2.99, with all profits being donated to the ASPCA. This issue’s contributors are: Baby Face – Kim Luperi Barbara Stanwyck – Clint Worthington Red Headed Woman – Cliff Aliperti Jean Harlow – Read more
Biff Gary Cooper Virginia Fay Wray Amy Frances Fuller Released by Paramount Pictures | Directed by Stephen Roberts One Sunday Afternoon: Regrets, I Have a Few “Ain’t no crime in this world like stealing another man’s woman.” One Sunday Afternoon is about two things that constantly interest me: class conflict Read more
Pre-Code.Com Site News for September 2015 I hope you all enjoyed Mae Clarke August– I definitely did, even if there were just as many hits as misses. September is a little different speed. No star of the month, but if you listened to the podcast I did with Smug Film Read more
Myron Brown, M.D. Lew Ayres Ruth Robbins Mae Clarke Betty Merrick Una Merkel Released by Universal | Directed By James Whale Proof That It’s Pre-Code “No man can be expected to live his entire life with one woman!” Both Clarke and Merkel get undressed at different points. Attempted suicide. A Read more
Marcia Cameron Mae Clarke Bob Henderson James Hall Trixie Barnes Marie Prevost Released by Columbia | Directed By Roy William Neill Proof That It’s Pre-Code “You cheap, common…” Women living with criminals outside of wedlock. Rich people are assholes. The Good Bad Girl: And The Ugly “That’s what I was. Read more
My month long celebration of Mae Clarke climaxes today with all of the movies I’ve hit the last few weeks popping up on TCM today. Sorry about This Side of Heaven— I just couldn’t find it anywhere. :/ Regardless! The schedule for Clarke’s pre-Codes are below, and you can read Read more
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