1932
Blondie of the Follies (1932) Review, with Marion Davies, Billie Dove and Robert Montgomery
Marion Davies learns a lesson about love and friendship… well, no, she doesn’t, but she *does* crossdress.
1932
The Menace (1932) Review, with H.B. Warner and Bette Davis
A wrongly convicted man seeks to clear his name through the use of plastic surgery and pure convoluted logic.
1933
Emergency Call (1933) Review, with William Boyd, William Gargan, and Wynne Gibson
Joe William Boyd Steve William Gargan Mabel Wynne Gibson Released by RKO | Directed by Edward L. Cahn Run time: 65 minutes Proof That It’s a Pre-Code Film Mabel’s last name is Weenie, which annoys her to no end. Steve delights in it, saying to her at various points: “I Read more
1933
One Man’s Journey (1933) Review, with Lionel Barrymore, May Robson, and Joel McCrea
Eli Watt Lionel Barrymore Sarah May Robson Jimmy Watt Joel McCrea Letty McGinnis Dorothy Jordan Joan Stockton Frances Dee McGinnis David Landau Released by RKO Pictures | Directed by John S. Robertson Run time: 72 minutes Proof That It’s a Pre-Code Film Pre-marital sex. One Man’s Journey: Never Ending Story Read more
1932
The Famous Ferguson Case (1932) Review, with Joan Blondell and Tom Brown
Bruce Foster Tom Brown Maizie Dickson Joan Blondell Bob Parks Kenneth Thompson Released by Warner Bros. | Directed by Lloyd Bacon Run time: 74 minutes Proof That It’s a Pre-Code Film There’s a murder set off by a pair of adulterers… adultering. “That’s not your business!” “No, that’s monkey business!” Read more
1931
Inspiration (1931) Review, with Greta Garbo, Robert Montgomery and Lewis Stone
Yvonne Greta Garbo Andre Robert Montgomery Delval Lewis Stone Released by Metro Goldwyn Mayer | Directed by Clarence Brown Proof That It’s Pre-Code “There are tricks in every trade.” “You ought to know, dearie. Your trade is the oldest.” “I was just going to ask if you came with a Read more
1932
Hell’s Highway (1932) Review, with Richard Dix and Tom Brown
Duke Ellis Richard Dix Johnny Ellis Tom Brown C. Henry Gordon Skinner Released by RKO | Directed by Rowland Brown Proof That It’s Pre-Code One convict had been married– to three wives at the same time. The cook is a homosexual. One guard’s wife is having an affair– and pays Read more
1932
The Heart of New York (1932) Review
Mendel Marantz George Sidney Bernard Schnaps Charles Dale Sam Shtrudel Joe Smith Released by Warner Brothers | Directed by Mervyn LeRoy Proof That It’s Pre-Code The family’s daughter walks around in her scanties in front of the family’s store window. She threatens to bathe there, too. Off screen: “Well, Betsy, Read more
1932
The Impatient Maiden (1932) Review, with Lew Ayres and Mae Clarke
Myron Brown, M.D. Lew Ayres Ruth Robbins Mae Clarke Betty Merrick Una Merkel Released by Universal | Directed By James Whale Proof That It’s Pre-Code “No man can be expected to live his entire life with one woman!” Both Clarke and Merkel get undressed at different points. Attempted suicide. A Read more
1932
Shopworn (1932), with Barbara Stanwyck
Kitty Lane … Barbara Stanwyck Aunt Dot … Zasu Pitts Fred … Lucien Littlefield David Livingston … Regis Toomey Helen Livingston … Clara Blandick Judge Forbes … Oscar Apfel Proof That It’s Pre-Code Upfront, it’s important to know that the surviving copies of this film are from a 1938 re-edit, Read more