Kitty Lorraine Alice Brady Shirley Lorraine Maureen O’Sullivan Warren Foster Franchot Tone Released by MGM | Directed by Charles Brabin Run time: 84 minutes Proof That It’s a Pre-Code Film In one of the most unique scenes of the entire pre-Code era, the titular ‘stage mother’ offers to hook her Read more
Florence Loretta Young Maizee Winnie Lightner Daniel Lyle Talbot Released by Warner Bros. | Directed by George Amy & Busby Berkeley Run time: 64 minutes Proof That It’s a Pre-Code Film It’s about forced prostitution, virginity, and petulant male power grabs. She Had to Say Yes: It’s an Awful, Awful Read more
Lola Loretta Young Ken Norman Foster Agnes Aline MacMahon Released by Warner Bros. | Directed by Thornton Freeland Run time: 67 minutes Proof That It’s a Pre-Code Film A working women succeeds in a man’s world. Men wake up in the morning with one thing on their mind. Week-End Marriage: Read more
Wayne Lowell Sherman Helene Andrews Irene Dunne Agatha Carraway Mae Murray Released by RKO | Directed by Lowell Sherman Run time: 76 minutes Proof That It’s a Pre-Code Film “I’m a firm believer in that a woman’s place is next to her husband.” Noel Francis keeps slipping in and out Read more
John Allen Edward G. Robinson Shirley Day Vivienne Osborne Bud Clark Preston Foster Released by Warner Bros. | Directed by Mervyn LeRoy Run time: 68 minutes Proof That It’s a Pre-Code Film There’s a surprisingly detailed discussion of electrocution death. “I ain’t gonna live with no lily!” When Bud gets Read more
Abby Carole Lombard Rod Gene Raymond Franklin Donald Cook Released by Columbia | Directed by David Burton Run time: 69 minutes Proof That It’s a Pre-Code Film A rich young man is marrying a showgirl. His brother darkly hints, “Do you have to marry her to adore her?” “I think Read more
Norma Bette Davis Butch Pat O’Brien The Captain Lewis Stone Joe Allen Jenkins Belle Glenda Farrell Pete Ruth Donnelly Released by Warner Bros. | Directed by Roy Del Ruth Run time: 72 minutes Proof That It’s a Pre-Code Film Since this is a film dealing with the destitute, it’s fairly Read more
Ann Vickers Irene Dunne Barney Dolphin Walter Huston Lindsey Atwell Conrad Nagel Released by RKO | Directed by John Cromwell Run time: 76 minutes Proof That It’s a Pre-Code Film One suspicious trip to Havana that ends in an out-of-wedlock child’s life ending. One prisoner is told, “We’ll have to Read more
Reeves Mr. George Arliss Jenny Bette Davis Tommy Theodore Newton Benjamin Hardie Albright Pettison Gordon Westcott Hank J. Farrell Macdonald Released by Warner Brothers | Directed By John G. Adolfi Proof That It’s Pre-Code Tommy and Betty prize their ability to buy booze from bootleggers above all else. At first, Read more
Dr. Dick Lundley Conrad Nagel Marianne Madison Sidney Fox Laura Madison Bette Davis Mr. Madison Charles Winninger Valentine Corliss Humphrey Bogart Hedrick Madison David Durand Released by Universal Pictures | Directed by Hobart Henley Proof That It’s Pre-Code The family’s youngest brother pesters his sister about her undergarments: “Why don’t Read more