Progress Report We have 7 essays that have been reviewed and finalized. We have 9 essays in rough draft or in progress (not including my own). The tone in the essays range from academic to nostalgic, and I’m very excited about all of the ones I’ve seen so far! I Read more
Helen, AKA The Blonde Venus Marlene Dietrich Ned Herbert Marshall Nick Cary Grant Released by Paramount Pictures | Directed By Josef Von Sternberg Proof That It’s Pre-Code There’s a bevy of beautiful women skinny dipping in the opening scene. Most seem to be wearing flesh-colored underwear for a few of Read more
Jekyll / Hyde Fredric March Muriel Rose Hobart Ivy Miriam Hopkins Released by Paramount Pictures | Directed By Rouben Mamoulian Proof That It’s Pre-Code Men need to control their passions, lest they let their dark side run rampant and turn into horrifying monsters who sexually abuse and murder women. Sound Read more
Michael Richard Cromwell Dora Arline Judge Betty Dorothy Wilson Duke Eric Linden Prof. Matthews John Halliday Barbara Aileen Pringle Released by RKO | Directed By Gregory La Cava Proof That It’s Pre-Code There is kissing in this film. Some damn good kissing. A nice car is like a hotel, but Read more
Thou Shalt Not: The Scoop on Sin “Well, I think is that the denial of reality was what the Production Code was all about. When you establish these kinds of moral views, you’re not trying to describe the world as it really is. You’re trying to describe the world as Read more
Wilkie Spencer Tracy Hogan William Boyd Mitchell George Cooper Mary Ann Dvorak The Colonel Billy Bevan Fifi Yola D’Avril Released by United Artists | Directed By A. Edward Sutherland Proof That It’s Pre-Code The best part of being a lifeguard is the women. Sometime you may even get two! Someone Read more
Johnny Dangerously Michael Keaton Lil Marilu Henner Danny Vermin Joe Piscopo Ma Kelly Maureen Stapleton Tommy Kelly Griffin Dunne Jock Dundee Peter Boyle Released by 20th Century Fox | Directed By Amy Heckerling Johnny Dangerously: Once. Once. “Dames are put on this earth to weaken us, drain our energy, and Read more
Pre-Code.Com Site News for September 2014 Pre-Code fans, maniacs, and nerds, if you have Turner Classic Movies, this is your month. The channel is dedicating four full 24-hour days to showing nothing but pre-Code films. On top of that, there are still scattered showings throughout as well. They’ve got tons Read more
Wong Low Get Edward G. Robinson Sun Toya San Loretta Young Harry En Hai Leslie Fenton Released by Warner Brothers | Directed By William A. Wellman Proof That It’s Pre-Code It’s a movie about Chinese-Americans which means, yes, the main cast is caked in yellow face. It also deals with Read more
Rico Edward G. Robinson Joe Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Olga Glenda Farrell Released by Warner Brothers | Directed By Mervyn LeRoy Proof That It’s Pre-Code Homosexual undertones galore. From a few guys checking out Douglas Fairbanks Jr.’s dance moves to Rico’s gushing toady, it’s hard not to read the whole thing Read more