Released by Paramount Pictures A Bundle of Blues: A Walk in the Sun “I’m weary all the time.” Why are there no great black stars of the pre-Code era? While I’ve doted upon Clarence Muse a few times (and by god it’s great to see him when he shows up) Read more
Grandpa Store Lionel Barrymore Louise Store Miriam Hopkins Guy Franchot Tone Released by MGM | Directed By King Vidor Proof That It’s Pre-Code Louise has a strong arm from “lifting highballs.” “Tell the story about the Turk and his harem. That should give you an idea…” A woman is separated Read more
Thatcher Colt Adolphe Menjou Sebastian Donald Cook La Tour Greta Nissen Miss Kelly Ruthelma Stevens Jim Dugan Harry Holman Flandrin Dwight Frye Released by Columbia | Directed By Roy William Neill Proof That It’s Pre-Code A married circus performer is having an affair and everyone wants in on it. A Read more
George Dwight Roger Pryor Sally Upton Mary Brian Nick Pappacropolis Leo Carrillo Released by Universal | Directed By Karl Freund Proof That It’s Pre-Code Nude silhouettes for those of you who love those. The gangsters aren’t such bad guys, even if they gamble often or make wager with women regarding Read more
Ruby Jean Harlow Eddie Clark Gable Gypsy Dorothy Burgess Lily Mae Theresa Harris Bertha Muriel Kirkland Al Stuart Erwin Released by MGM | Directed By Sam Wood Proof That It’s Pre-Code Our introduction to Ruby (Harlow) involves Eddie (Gable) running into her apartment and Read more
Suzanne Lillian Harvey Tony Gene Raymond Baron Herring Leslie Banks Released by Fox Film | Directed By Rowland V. Lee Proof That It’s Pre-Code “If you were my wife, I’d have the privilege of beating you!” Lillian Harvey’s legs are often on full display, among other bits. The plot. The Read more
Tira Mae West Jack Clayton Cary Grant Slick Wiley Ralf Harolde Benny Pinkowitz Gregory Ratoff Big Bill Barton Edward Arnold Kirk Lawrence Kent Taylor Released by Paramount Pictures | Directed By Wesley Ruggles Proof That It’s Pre-Code It’s a film about Tira, “The woman who discovered you didn’t need to Read more
Helen Bette Davis Don Gene Raymond Nick Monroe Owsley Hugo Frank McHugh Iris Claire Dodd Peggy Kay Strozzi Released by Warner Brothers | Directed By Robert Florey Proof That It’s Pre-Code A woman decides to flout modern morality and sleep with a man she loves before marriage. However, he begs Read more
Dan Quigley James Cagney Myra Mae Clarke Lois Underwood Margaret Lindsay Released by Warner Brothers | Directed By Roy Del Ruth Proof That It’s Pre-Code “I’m not a madam!” “Well… I wouldn’t know about that.” The main character is a conman who goes from card swindling, running a casino, grand Read more
Joe Miller Ben Lyon Julie Kirk Claudette Colbert Eli Kirk Ernest Torrence One Punch McCoy Hobart Cavanaugh Ortegus Maurice Black John Phelps Purnell Pratt Released by Reliance Pictures/Edward Small Productions | Directed By James Cruze Proof That It’s Pre-Code Seagulls keep ruining reporter Joe Miller’s Read more