Celia Dorothy Mackaill John Smith Basil Rathbone Evelyn Leila Hyams Released by First National/Warner Brothers | Directed by William Seiter Proof That It’s Pre-Code Celia accidentally drops a watch down her dress and has to fish around for it. John enjoys the view. “We’ll have to go without any clothes!” Read more
Kate Kate Smith Lily Sally Blane Hunt Randolph Scott Released by Paramount Pictures | Directed by William A. Seiter Hello, Everybody!: Dammed if You Do “Farming has one advantage– it always pays a man for its toil.” I shouldn’t have a curious eye. I try to avoid spoilers or even Read more
Ted Taylor David Manners Judy Mason Ann Dvorak Peter Sturgis Ken Murray Released by Warner Bros. | Directed by Lloyd Bacon Proof That It’s Pre-Code Saxophone player Ted Taylor thinks he’s getting a good reaction from a stage manager, but the guy’s only checking out a woman in a leotard Read more
Rene Maurice Chevalier Victor Edward Everett Horton Sally Helen Twelvetrees Released by Paramount Pictures | Directed by Norman Taurog Proof That It’s Pre-Code Get this– a Maurice Chevalier character chases after multiple women, ignoring (or just ignorant of) their marital status. There is a very real worry at first that Read more
Bill Poster Ricardo Cortez Peggy Helen Twelvetrees Mildred Jill Esmond Tony Sidney Toler Maloney Robert Armstrong The Operator Zasu Pitts Released by RKO | Directed by William A. Seiter Proof That It’s Pre-Code An old man is running around with a showgirl who calls him ‘popsie wopsie’. Our protagonist smacks 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
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
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