Marvin Blake Richard Barthelmess Betty Wright Dorothy Jordan Madge Bette Davis Released by Warner Brothers | Directed by Michael Curtiz Proof That It’s Pre-Code “That girl ain’t got a bit of a soul, she ain’t. But she sure got a body. Some body.” A fade out hints that Madge slipped Read more
Carol Genevieve Tobin John Adolphe Menjou Charlotte Mary Astor Eric Edward Everett Horton Janet Patricia Ellis McTavish Hugh Herbert Released by Warner Brothers | Directed by William Keighley Proof That It’s Pre-Code Married man John spends his afternoons “playing polo” over at friend Charlotte’s house. Realizing she has to win Read more
Dan Louis Wolheim Larry Robert Armstrong Mary Jean Arthur Released by RKO | Directed by George B. Seitz Danger Lights: Training Day “Look here. This means sidetracking everything along the way. The Olympian, the Pioneer… the whole timetable! Why, this will cost a fortune. And all for one man.” “For Read more
Cheri-Bibi John Gilbert Cecile Leila Hyams Costaud Lewis Stone Released by MGM | Directed by John S. Robertson The Phantom of Paris: Now You See Him… “I saw Bibi fall into the abyss with my own eyes. No one could survive that fall.” The Phantom of Paris is one of Read more
Mendel Marantz George Sidney Bernard Schnaps Charles Dale Sam Shtrudel Joe Smith Released by Warner Brothers | Directed by Mervyn LeRoy Proof That It’s Pre-Code The family’s daughter walks around in her scanties in front of the family’s store window. She threatens to bathe there, too. Off screen: “Well, Betsy, Read more
Bugs Alhern Edward G. Robinson Al Daniels Russell Hopton Polly Cass Helen Vinson Ruth Wayburn Mary Astor Donald Cass Berton Churchill Edith Merriam Shirley Grey Released by Warner Brothers | Directed by Roy Del Ruth Proof That It’s Pre-Code Robinson’s Bugs Ahern is known as a mad gangster who murders Read more
Lou Clara Bow Chris Miller Richard Cromwell Nifty Miller Preston Foster Released by Fox Film | Directed By Frank Lloyd Proof That It’s Pre-Code Set in a carnival with a wide variety of freaks, crooks, and dancers. “Well, I’ll be–“ Clara Bow plays a belly dancer, with the outfits and Read more
Paul Frank Morgan Maria Nancy Carroll Walter Paul Lukas Hilda Jean Dixon Schultz Charlie Grapewin Lucy Gloria Stuart Released by Paramount | Directed By James Whale Proof That It’s Pre-Code A premeditated murder is committed, and surely it’s okay to do that sometimes, right? One of the reporters seems a Read more
Eddie / Oedipus Eddie Cantor Josephus David Manners Princess Sylvia Gloria Stewart Emperor Valerius Edward Arnold Olga Ruth Etting Empress Agrippa Verree Teasdale Released by United Artists | Directed By Frank Tuttle Proof That It’s Pre-Code “The empress Agrippa, the one I was sleeping with, was his wife.” The chief Read more
Carol Joan Blondell Lawrence Warren William Trixie Aline MacMahon Polly Ruby Keeler Brad Dick Powell Peabody Guy Kibbee Barney Ned Sparks Fay Ginger Rogers Singer Etta Moten Released by Warner Brothers | Directed by Mervyn LeRoy Proof That It’s Pre-Code One of the musical numbers is called “Pettin’ in the Read more