Una Merkel

1934

The Merry Widow (1934) Review, with Maurice Cheavalier and Jeanette MacDonald

Danilo Maurice Chevalier Sonia Jeanette MacDonald Ambassador Edward Everett Horton King George Barbier Queen Una Merkel Orderly Sterling Holloway Released by Metro Goldwyn Mayer | Directed by Ernst Lubitsch Proof That It’s Pre-Code-ish How sexually carefree and attractive is the Chevalier character this go around? At a mod Parisian brothel, Read more…

By Danny, 8 yearsApril 18, 2016 ago

1933

42nd Street (1933) Review, with Ruby Keeler, Warner Baxter, Bebe Daniels and Dick Powell

Peggy Sawyer Ruby Keeler Dorothy Brock Bebe Daniels Julian Marsh Warner Baxter Billy Lawler Dick Powell Abner Dillon Guy Kibbee Pat Denning George Brent Loraine “Lolly” Fleming Una Merkel “Anytime” Annie Lowell Ginger Rogers Thomas Barry Ned Sparks Mac Elroy Allen Jenkins Andy Lee George E. Stone The Blonde Toby Read more…

By Danny, 8 yearsMarch 25, 2016 ago

1931

Don’t Bet on Women (1931) Review, with Jeanette MacDonald, Edmund Lowe and Una Merkel

Roger Fallon Edmund Lowe Jeanne Drake Jeanette MacDonald Herbert Drake Roland Young Tallulah Hope Una Merkel Chipley Duff J.M. Kerrigan Butterfield Henry Kolker Released by Fox Films | Directed by William K. Howard Proof That It’s Pre-Code “I’m going to be married.” “… again?!” Our protagonist has already had one Read more…

By Danny, 8 yearsMarch 14, 2016 ago

Impatient Maiden James Whale Mae Clarke Lew Ayres Pre-Code

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…

By Danny, 8 yearsAugust 26, 2015 ago

1931

Private Lives (1931) Review

Proof That It’s Pre-Code Getting a little ahead of myself, but the movie is about two couples on their honeymoon, so there’s that. And it leads to some naughty moments, including Norma Shearer showing off: The next twist of the plot is that one member of each couple were married Read more…

By Danny, 11 yearsDecember 14, 2012 ago

1932

Man Wanted (1932) Review

Proof That It’s Pre-Code

When you watch Pre-Code films, it’s sometimes hard to realize just how disenfranchised women were during this time period. That’s because movies in that era went out of their way to give us strong female roles who did things like run a car company, function as a doctor, or, in this film’s case, be the lead editor on a magazine. And, the best part is, in this one our heroine not punished for being devoted to her job, and she’s damned good at it.

Of course, the heroine’s husband is a louse who engages in extramarital sex, but that’ll happen.

Big old goof Andy Devine claims that there hasn’t been any marriage in his family for three generations. Wait, didn’t he claim that back in Doctor Bull too?

The Particulars of the Picture


Lois Ames… Kay Francis	Tommy Sherman… David Manners	Ruth Holman… Una Merkel

Andy Doyle… Andy Devine	Freddie Ames… Kenneth Thompson	Directed by William Dieterle