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Mystery

1933

Man Hunt (1933) Review, with Junior Durkin and Charlotte Henry

Junior Junior Durkin Josie Charlotte Henry Abraham Carl Gross Released by RKO | Directed by Irving Cummings Run time: 65 minutes Proof That It’s a Pre-Code Film Racially, there’s some pretty awful stuff here. Junior’s housekeeper’s son, Abraham, is every bad cliche of African-Americans you can picture. Besides constantly being Read more…

By Danny, 8 yearsJuly 17, 2017 ago
1933

The Kennel Murder Case (1933) Review, with William Powell and Mary Astor

Philo Vance William Powell Hilda Lake Mary Astor Det Heath Eugene Pallette DA Markham Robert McWade Raymond Wrede Ralph Morgan Arthur Coe Robert Barrat Released by Warner Bros. | Directed by Michael Curtiz Run time: 72 minutes Proof That It’s a Pre-Code Film A dog is beaten to death (off Read more…

By Danny, 8 yearsJune 16, 2017 ago
1933

The Solitaire Man (1933) Review, with Herbert Marshall and Lionel Atwill

Oliver Lane Herbert Marshall Wallace Lionel Atwill Bascom Ralph Forbes Mrs. Vail May Robson Mrs. Hopkins Mary Boland Helen Elizabeth Allen Released by Metro Goldwyn Mayer | Directed by Jack Conway Run time: 67 minutes Proof That It’s a Pre-Code Film [poking head out of bathroom] “I thought you were Read more…

By Danny, 9 yearsAugust 12, 2016 ago
1932

Alias Mary Smith (1932) Review

Joan AKA Mary Smith Blanche Mehaffey Buddy John Darrow Scoop Raymond Hatton Released by Mayfair Pictures Corporation | Directed by E. Mason Hopper Proof That It’s Pre-Code The A.D.A. is visited by a woman named Mary Smith. His butler was absent because he was, “playing ping pong with the maid next Read more…

By Danny, 10 yearsNovember 2, 2015 ago
Secret of the Blue Room pre-code horror Gloria Stuart
1933

The Secret of the Blue Room (1933) Review, with Lionel Atwill, Gloria Stuart, and Paul Lukas

Irene Gloria Stuart Robert Lionel Atwill Walter Paul Lukas Released by Universal | Directed By Kurt Neumann The Secret of the Blue Room: Am I Blue “I warned them. But they laughed at me. But I tell you that anybody who sleeps in the blue room is never heard of Read more…

By Danny, 10 yearsSeptember 14, 2015 ago
Man With Two Faces 1931 Edward G. Robinson Mae Clarke Mary Astor Ricardo Cortez
1934

The Man with Two Faces (1934) Review, with Edward G. Robinson, Mary Astor, Ricardo Cortez, and Mae Clarke

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…

By Danny, 10 yearsAugust 19, 2015 ago
1934

Murder on the Blackboard (1934) Review, with Edna May Oliver and James Gleason

Released by RKO | Directed By George Archainbaud Murder on the Blackboard: One Note We’re going to do something a little differently this week. Instead of my usual review, instead, here’s the second full chapter from my new eBook, Murder on Celluloid: A Companion to the Hildegarde Withers Film Series. Read more…

By Danny, 10 yearsMay 25, 2015 ago
1932

The Penguin Pool Murder (1932) Review, with Edna May Oliver and James Gleason

Hildegarde Withers Edna May Oliver Inspector Piper James Gleason Gwen Mae Clarke Philip Donald Cook Hemingway Clarence Wilson Barry Robert Armstrong Released by RKO | Directed By George Archainbaud The Penguin Pool Murder: Whirlpool of Intrigue We’re going to do something a little differently this week. Instead of my usual Read more…

By Danny, 10 yearsMay 13, 2015 ago
1930

The Bishop Murder Case (1930) Review, with Basil Rathbone

Philo Vance Basil Rathbone Sigurd Arnesson Roland Young Belle Dillard Leila Hyams Released by MGM | Directed By David Burton and Nick Grime The Bishop Murder Case: Hickory Dickory DULL “And as for you… Fools! Idiots! Children! Baffled by Mother Goose!” In doing my research for The Bishop Murder Case, Read more…

By Danny, 10 yearsJanuary 9, 2015 ago
Fog Over Frisco (1934)
1934

Fog Over Frisco (1934) Review, with Bette Davis and Margaret Lindsey

Arlene Bette Davis Val Margaret Lindsay Tony Donald Woods Spencer Lyle Talbot Izzy Hugh Herbert Chief O’Malley Alan Hale Bradford Arthur Byron Jake Bello Irving Pichel Maynard Douglas Dumbrille Released by Warner Brothers | Directed By William Dieterle Proof That It’s Pre-Code Notably, the night club at the beginning of Read more…

By Danny, 10 yearsDecember 6, 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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