Rush … Pat O’Brien Clayton … Dick Powell Peggy … Ginger Rogers Proof That It’s Pre-Code A character we never see is engaged in multiple romantic affairs without her henpecked husband’s consent. A very angry telegram notes, “Western Union won’t let me use the words I want to use.” You Read more
Lt. Bob Denton … John Wayne Evelyn … Laura La Plante Bonnie … June Clyde Proof That It’s Pre-Code In a men’s locker room, you sometimes see men’s hinders lurking in the background. A Mexican prostitute keeps accusing a jerkwad of being a “Poco hombre!” which probably ain’t super risque, Read more
Riviere … John Barrymore Jules Fabian … Clark Gable Simone Fabian … Helen Hayes Pellerin … Robert Montgomery Robineau … Lionel Barrymore Pilot’s Wife … Myrna Loy Proof That It’s Pre-Code Robert Montgomery’s character sure has a thing for prostitutes. “Aren’t you going to change your clothes?” “A gentleman should always Read more
Elmer J. Butts … Buster Keaton Jimmy Potts … Jimmy Durante Schultz … Roscoe Ates Proof That It’s Pre-Code “Oh, my dress is soaking! Now I have to take it off.” followed by a woman taking off her dress. Naturally. Elmer J. Butts hides his money in the animals he Read more
Harmon … Buster Keaton Margie … Anita Page Poggle … Cliff Edwards Proof That It’s Pre-Code “He’s asking if you swear–” “No, but I know all the words!” The Sidewalks of New York: Of Gutters and Goofiness I like the word ‘nadir’. “The point of greatest despair” notes the dictionary. Read more
Elmer Butts … Buster Keaton Elvira Plunkett … Anita Page Larry Mitchell … Robert Montgomery Free and Easy: Stop the Pain “If worse comes to worse, save the last bullet for yourself.” Buster Keaton talks! And he won’t stop! For the love of God, someone make him stop. I decided Read more
Africa Speaks: *Ahem*: Roar, Roar, Roar. There’s a bit in this one “Mystery Science Theater 3000” episode that works perfectly to describe the modern experience of watching Africa Speaks. As the film The Jungle Goddess unspools, it becomes painfully obvious how poorly the stock footage has been edited together with Read more
The Particulars of the Picture Simon Johanssen … Ole Olsen Peter Swanson … Chic Johnson Jack Forbes … William Gaxton Lulu Carroll … Claudia Dell Michael Cummins … John Halliday Violet … Helen Broderick 50 Million Frenchmen: Sometimes Quite Wrong Bad comedies. I hate bad comedies. 50 Million Frenchmen, unfortunately, Read more
Proof That It’s Pre-Code One of our white bread heroes goes into a starlet’s changing room to wait for her, and then accidentally watches her strip down. Accidentally. Yeah. There’s a few shots near the end of the movies portraying the 20’s where we get a couple of quick moments Read more
Proof That It’s Pre-Code Well, you know, there’s a scene where Joan Blondell is having a conversation with her coworkers about how bored she is in her job… and she slowly strips throughout her diatribe. I guess that’s one way to introduce the character… Our main character, a nurse, accidentally Read more