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Drama

1931

Mata Hari (1931) Review, with Greta Garbo and Ramon Navarro

Mata Hari Greta Garbo Alexis Rosanoff Ramon Novarro General Shubin Lionel Barrymore Andriani Lewis Stone DuBois C. Henry Gordon Carlotta Karen Morley Released by MGM | Directed By George Fitzmaurice Proof That It’s Pre-Code The titular Mata Hari is an exotic dancer who doubles as a spy in Paris during Read more…

By Danny, 12 yearsJune 2, 2014 ago
Faithless (1932)
1932

Faithless (1932) Review, with Tallulah Bankhead and Robert Montgomery

Carol Morgan Tallulah Bankhead Bill Wade Robert Montgomery Peter Blainey Hugh Herbert Released by MGM | Directed By Harry Beaumont Proof That It’s Pre-Code The film opens with a montage of newspaper headlines over the years promising that the end of the Depression is at hand. The papers are greeted Read more…

By Danny, 12 yearsMay 30, 2014 ago
Merrily We Go to Hell (1932)
1932

Merrily We Go to Hell (1932) Review, with Fredric March, Sylvia Sidney

Jerry Fredric March Joan Sylvia Sidney Claire Adrienne Allen Buck Skeets Gallagher Vi Esther Howard Mr. Prentice George Irving Released by Paramount Pictures | Directed By Dorothy Arzner Proof That It’s Pre-Code The movie is based on a short story entitled, “I, Jerry, Take Thee, Joan.” This was changed to Read more…

By Danny, 12 yearsMay 12, 2014 ago
The Story of Temple Drake (1933)
1934

The Story of Temple Drake (1933) Review, with Miriam Hopkins

Temple Drake Miriam Hopkins Stephen Benbow William Gargan Trigger Jack La Rue Released by Paramount Pictures | Directed By Stephen Roberts Proof That It’s Pre-Code I’m going to go ahead and just quote Thomas Doherty’s Pre-Code Hollywood on this one: The Story of Temple Drake is a model of pre-Code Read more…

By Danny, 12 yearsMay 9, 2014 ago
1931

The Cheat (1931) Review, with Tallulah Bankhead

Elsa Carlyle Tallulah Bankhead Jeffrey Carlyle Harvey Stephens Hardy Livingstone Irving Pichel Released by Paramount Pictures | Directed By George Abbott Proof That It’s Pre-Code Once again, everyone is amazed by a marriage that involves love. Tallulah Bankhead tries to transform into Wonder Woman but forgot to put her outfit Read more…

By Danny, 12 yearsMay 5, 2014 ago
1934

The House of Rothschild (1934) Review, with George Arliss, Boris Karloff and Loretta Young

Nathan Rothschild George Arliss Count Ledrantz Boris Karloff Julie Rothschild Loretta Young Captain Fitzroy Robert Taylor Duke of Wellington C. Aubrey Smith Hannah Rothschild Florence Arliss Released by 20th Century Fox | Directed By Alfred L. Werker Proof That It’s Pre-Code The Duke of Wellington doesn’t swear, but injects the Read more…

By Danny, 12 yearsApril 14, 2014 ago
1934

All of Me (1934) Review, with Miriam Hopkins and Frederic March

Lydia Darrow Miriam Hopkins Don Ellis Frederic March Honey Rogers George Raft Released by Paramount Pictures | Directed By James Flood Proof That It’s Pre-Code Everyone seems to be pregnant, whether they’re married or not. I really don’t get to write this often, but really: suicide galore. All of Me: Read more…

By Danny, 12 yearsApril 7, 2014 ago
Sadie McKee (1934)
1934

Sadie McKee (1934) Review, with Joan Crawford

Sadie McKee Joan Crawford Michael Alderson Franchot Tone Tommy Wallace Gene Raymond Jack Brennan Edward Arnold Opal Jean Dixon Dolly Merrick Esther Ralston Released by MGM | Directed By Clarence Brown Proof That It’s Pre-Code Sadie and Tommy move into a one room apartment where it’s noted that the landlord Read more…

By Danny, 12 yearsMarch 10, 2014 ago
1931

Sporting Blood (1931) Review, with Clark Gable and Madge Evans

Rid Riddell Clark Gable Jim Rellence Ernest Torrence Ruby Madge Evans Angela Marie Prevost Tip Scanlon Lew Cody Tommy Boy Released by MGM | Directed By Charles Brabin Proof That It’s Pre-Code Heavy narcotics use. Well, by horses, but still. Sporting Blood: A Legacy of Tragedy “Since the beginning of Read more…

By Danny, 12 yearsFebruary 24, 2014 ago
1932

The Washington Masquerade (1932) Review, with Lionel Barrymore

Jeff Keane Lionel Barrymore Consuela Fairbanks Karen Morley Brenner Nils Asther Released by MGM | Directed By Charles Brabin Proof That It’s Pre-Code A man’s marriage? A SHAM. The government? A SHAM. Eh, there are probably more shammy things here too. Oh, and the Senator tells his daughter playfully, “You’re Read more…

By Danny, 12 yearsFebruary 17, 2014 ago

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Pre-Code.Com celebrates Hollywood films made from 1930 to 34, when the talkies were new and censorship was lax. Learn more about the era here, or browse our many reviews.

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