greenfruit commented on…
Wikipedia - Notable Pre-Code Films
Just some extra info — 3 years ago
I couldn’t find any Pre-Code film lists on this website, so I decided to add one. The lack of Pre-Code lists had me thinking that many might be unaware of what this term means so I thought it might be helpful to include a little info. here.
This is from the Wikipedia article :
“Pre-Code films were created before the Motion Picture Production Code or Hays Code – censorship guidelines – took effect on 1 July 1934 in the United States.”
“Films in the late 1920s and early 30s reflected the liberal attitudes of the day and could include sexual innuendos, references to homosexuality, miscegenation, illegal drug use, infidelity, abortion, and profane language (such as the word “damn”) as well as women in their undergarments."
“Popular character roles include tough-talking, assertive women, gangsters, and prostitutes. Of particular note were both the references to sexual promiscuity, drug use, bloody gangster life, and morally ambiguous endings.”
Comments
There are plenty of lists on here of silents, and lists of the 20s and 30s, but maybe there wasn’t one that specifically targeted that talkie, pre-code period, so thanks for creating the list!
(I’m halfway through The Godless Girl right now…)
Thanks!
I’m so sorry it has taken me so long to respond. Anyways, I just wanted to say thanks for the comment. Glad you like the list!
Also: How was The Godless Girl? I haven’t seen it yet. Actually, I have only seen a small number of these films. But I’ve enjoyed just about all the pre-code films I’ve seen so far. I saw a documentary on Turner Classic Movies several years ago called Complicated Women that was about pre-code actresses. It was fascinating and got me really interested in this period. By the way, if you haven’t seen it yet, Baby Face with Barbara Stanwyck is a fantastic pre-code.
Wild Boys was great, as was the newly released, uncensored version of Baby Face — wow!
I missed the showing of Wild Boys of the Road that you mentioned last month, unfortunately. I checked TCM’s website and it says they’re showing it again on Oct. 9 at 1:00 am so I will try to DVR it. It does seem like an interesting film. I also read that it was particularly relevant to today because of our current economic recession.
Glad you enjoyed Baby Face! I loved it too. Barbara Stanwyck is fabulous (as usual). I find it’s always especially fun watching Stanwyck play a ruthless “dame”, whether it’s in pre-code or in film noir. She is a great femme fatale.
Just watched another, less obscure film from this list, Footlight Parade, which has a number of dialog zingers that could only have been pre-code.
As for Wild Boys and its political relevance, I got into an argument with someone on the imdb board for the film over just that very topic (I was arguing that the film is relevant to our current recession in that it makes the implicit case for intervention and compassion in cases of social crisis; my interlocutor was one of today’s many closeted social Darwinists ;0).
greenfruit