Rico Edward G. Robinson Joe Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Olga Glenda Farrell Released by Warner Brothers | Directed By Mervyn LeRoy Proof That It’s Pre-Code Homosexual undertones galore. From a few guys checking out Douglas Fairbanks Jr.’s dance moves to Rico’s gushing toady, it’s hard not to read the whole thing Read more
Niki Maurice Chevalier Franzi Claudette Colbert Anna Miriam Hopkins Released by Paramount Pictures | Directed By Ernst Lubitsch Proof That It’s Pre-Code “We are not afraid to skirmish in the dark…” One of Niki’s friends wants his permission to cheat on his wife. “You’re crazy about a girl and you Read more
Tom Powers James Cagney Gwen Allen Jean Harlow Matt Doyle Edward Woods Mike Powers Donald Cook Ma Powers Beryl Mercer Mamie Joan Blondell Released by Warner Brothers | Directed By William A. Wellman Proof That It’s Pre-Code Our hero is a thug and he’s punished for his actions. But, boy, Read more
Jojo Joe E. Brown Winnie Winnie Lightner Tom Paul Gregory Released by Warner Brothers | Directed By Lloyd Bacon Proof That It’s Pre-Code Everyone is drinkin’ at speakeasies. A lot of the characters have been through a divorce or two. Winnie euphemistically notes about her ex-husband, “As a wrestler he Read more
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
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
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
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
Nick … Edward G. Robinson Jack … James Cagney Marie … Noel Francis Proof That It’s Pre-Code Nick has a bevy of ladies who catch his eye. One earlier in the picture needs $100 for something, but who knows what she needs that cash for. Wink. “I’ll win so much Read more
Breckenridge Lee Richard Barthelmess Marcia Fay Wray Breezy Reegis Toomey Proof That It’s Pre-Code Sweet drinkin’. Sweet, sweet premarital sex. The Finger Points: It Points for Thee “You can’t kill a reporter.” That’s the mantra of The Finger Points, a pre-Code drama that’s one of the earliest of Warner’s ‘ripped Read more