Duke Ellis Richard Dix Johnny Ellis Tom Brown C. Henry Gordon Skinner Released by RKO | Directed by Rowland Brown Proof That It’s Pre-Code One convict had been married– to three wives at the same time. The cook is a homosexual. One guard’s wife is having an affair– and pays Read more
Professor Topaze John Barrymore Coco Myrna Loy Philippe de La Tour-La Tour Reginald Mason Released by RKO | Directed by Harry d’Abbadie d’Arrast Proof That It’s Pre-Code Honesty, integrity, truth… it’s all bunk. Coco is the kept woman of a rich man. There’s no bones made about her role as Read more
Frankie Helen Twelvetrees Johnnie Ricardo Cortez Dan Phillips Holmes Annie Marjorie Rambeau Sport Frank Pangborn Nelly Thelma Todd Released by Pathe (RKO) | Directed by Tay Garnett Proof That It’s Pre-Code Look, you can’t say it, but this movie is filled to the brim with prostitutes. Oh, and murder. And Read more
Flo Helen Twelvetrees Babe Robert Armstrong McTeague Charles Bickford Released by Fox Pathe | Directed by Ryan Murphy Proof That It’s Pre-Code Drinking and speakeasies. Everyone is after Flo’s virtue. Or if they haven’t got it, they don’t believe she still has it. Not the nicest portrayal of South American Read more
Cutler Pat O’Brien Barbara Ann Dvorak Millicent Claire Dodd Released by Warner Bros./First National | Directed by Robert Florey Proof That It’s Pre-Code-ish Our main character, “Spot Cash” Cutler, pretty much pushes and prods rubes out of their money by way of selling them junk that’s been falsely made to Read more
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
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
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
Coach Gore Pat O’Brien Claire Ann Dvorak Buck Weaver Lyle Talbot Phil Sargeant Dick Powell Barnett Hugh Herbert Dr. Sargeant Arthur Byron Released by Warner Brothers | Directed By William A. Wellman Proof That It’s Pre-Code Buck Weaver keeps a picture of a scantily clad woman in his dorm room. 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