Clyde Phillips Holmes Sondra Frances Dee Roberta Sylvia Sidney Released by Paramount Pictures | Directed by Josef von Sternberg Run time: 96 minutes Proof That It’s a Pre-Code Film Our protagonist is a coward and murderer and the movie may be trying to make him sympathetic. Not sure on that Read more
Bonnie Jordan Joan Crawford Rodney Jordan William Bakewell Jake Luva Clark Gable Released by MGM | Directed by Harry Beaumont Run time: 80 minutes Proof That It’s a Pre-Code Film How to tell this one comes from the flapper era– a dull party is made lively again by someone suggesting: Read more
Captain McVey Louis Wolheim Charlie Hugh Herbert Frisco Kitty Mary Astor Released by RKO | Directed by Louis Wolheim Run time: 65 minutes Proof That It’s a Pre-Code Film Hugh Herbert’s goofy sidekick character goes through wives with regularity. “I’d like to wrap that up and take it home myself.” Read more
Spike Warren Hymer Bill Spencer Tracy Goldie Jean Harlow Released by Fox Films | Directed by Benjamin Stoloff Run time: 68 minutes (Viewed print: 60) Proof That It’s a Pre-Code Film Two sailors go to a fashion show where Tracy insists, “The more you clap, the more they take off!” Read more
Rose Maurrant Sylvia Sidney Sam Kaplan William Collier, Jr. Frank Maurrant David Landau Released by Samuel Goldwyn | Directed by King Vidor Run time: 80 minutes Proof That It’s a Pre-Code Film A four letter word for a Jewish person is used multiple times. One that I wouldn’t use in Read more
Elsa Helen Twelvetrees Karl William Bakewell Otto Lew Cody Katie Zasu Pitts Muller C. Henry Gordon Hans Frank Pangborn Released by RKO Pathe | Directed by Harry Joe Brown Run time: 74 minutes Proof That It’s a Pre-Code Film The title implies exactly what you think she’s had experience with. Read more
Jeffrey Farraday Lawrence Tibbett Tony Farraday Esther Ralston Mrs. Farraday Emma Dunn Doc Roland Young Snipe Cliff Edwards Rodman Farraday Purnell Pratt Released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer | Directed by Harry A. Pollard Run time: 76 minutes Proof That It’s a Pre-Code Film “The last place I’d worry about being caught by Read more
Trader Horn Harry Carey Peru Duncan Renaldo Nina – The White Goddess Edwina Booth Released by MGM | Directed by W.S. Van Dyke Run time: 122 minutes Proof That It’s a Pre-Code Film It’s racist as hell. Another film that posits that black women’s breasts aren’t as sinful to see Read more
Oliver Oliver Hardy Stan Stanley Laurel The Tiger Walter Long Released by Hal Roach Studios | Directed by James Parrott Run time: 70 minutes Proof That It’s a Pre-Code Film There’s a long sequence in the middle of the film where Laurel & Hardy have escaped prison and disguise themselves Read more
Mary Irene Dunne Steve Pat O’Brien Jeff John Halliday Elaine Myrna Loy Aubrey Lester Vail The Colonel Matt Moore Released by RKO | Directed by Paul Sloane Run time: 81 minutes Proof That It’s a Pre-Code Film Pat O’Brien’s Steve is sad and gets drunk. A lot. Both of the Read more