Nora Moran Zita Johann Dick Crawford Paul Cavanagh John Grant Alan Dinehart Edith Crawford Claire Du Brey Father Ryan Henry B. Walthall Paulino John Miljan Released by Majestic Pictures | Directed By Phil Goldstone Proof That It’s Pre-Code Nora is called, “a common cheap hooker,” which is surprisingly blunt for Read more…
Biff Gary Cooper Virginia Fay Wray Amy Frances Fuller Released by Paramount Pictures | Directed by Stephen Roberts One Sunday Afternoon: Regrets, I Have a Few “Ain’t no crime in this world like stealing another man’s woman.” One Sunday Afternoon is about two things that constantly interest me: class conflict Read more…
Myron Brown, M.D. Lew Ayres Ruth Robbins Mae Clarke Betty Merrick Una Merkel Released by Universal | Directed By James Whale Proof That It’s Pre-Code “No man can be expected to live his entire life with one woman!” Both Clarke and Merkel get undressed at different points. Attempted suicide. A Read more…
Marcia Cameron Mae Clarke Bob Henderson James Hall Trixie Barnes Marie Prevost Released by Columbia | Directed By Roy William Neill Proof That It’s Pre-Code “You cheap, common…” Women living with criminals outside of wedlock. Rich people are assholes. The Good Bad Girl: And The Ugly “That’s what I was. 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…
Johnny Quinlan Jack Mulhall Bertha Quinlan Mae Clarke Danny Walsh Ned Sparks Released by RKO | Directed By Leslie Pearce Proof That It’s Pre-Code Our louse in the lead, Johnny, is chasing around ladies other than his wife. The gangster boss Nifty has a network of men carrying high end Read more…
Joe Gimlet Lee Tracy Mary Gimlet / Mary Wright Mae Clarke Ted Wright Otto Kruger Released by MGM | Directed by Edgar Selwyn Proof That It’s Pre-Code “As the lady said to the sailor, nothing’s stopping you.” Drunk Tracy is clearly checking out Clarke’s rear when she insists that he Read more…
George Simon John Barrymore Rexy Gordon Bebe Daniels Doris Kenyon Cora Simon Roy Darwin Melvyn Douglas Harry Becker Vincent Sherman Lillian La Rue Thelma Todd Released by Universal | Directed by William Wyler Proof That It’s Pre-Code Ya’ll like class warfare? Our hero previously rigged a court case with a Read more…
Gunner John Gilbert Bucker Robert Armstrong Mary Mae Clarke Released by MGM | Directed By Todd Browning Proof That It’s Pre-Code Construction workers hanging out on the peaks of skyscrapers are really mostly concerned with peeping. Gunner (Gilbert) recognizes Mary (Clarke) by her rear end. Mary’s a conwoman who shakes Read more…
Jackson Durant Warner Baxter Gertie Waxted Myrna Loy Tony Gazotti Nat Pendleton Jim Crelliman C. Henry Gordon Sue Leonard Martha Sleeper Mimi Mae Clarke Released by MGM | Directed By W.S. Van Dyke Proof That It’s Pre-Code “Mouthpiece” Jackson Durant is more than happy to defend bootleggers and chorus girls– Read more…