Category: Pre-Code Retro
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Pre-Code Retro – The Phynx (1970) Review
Released by Warner Bros. | Directed by Lee H. Katzin The Phynx: It’s Got Moxie “Gentlemen, the United States government is pleased to announce an orgy.” For those not in the know, The Phynx is a legend to people who love bad movies. Barely released in 1970 after a management change at Warner Bros., it…
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Pre-Code Retro – Two Faced Woman (1942) Review, with Greta Garbo and Melvyn Douglas
Karin Greta Garbo Larry Melvyn Douglas Griselda Constance Bennett Released by MGM | Directed by George Cukor Two-Faced Woman: The Two Farces of Eve “You’ve made me lose my poise; for that I shall never forgive you.” Two Faced Woman is kind of a disaster. Wresting mediocrity from the jaws of great artists, it’s a…
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Pre-Code Retro – 10,000 Black Men Named George (2002) Review, with Andre Braugher, Charles S. Dutton and Mario Van Peebles
A. Philip Randolph Andre Baugher Ashley Totten Mario Van Peebles Milton Webster Charles S. Dutton Released by Showtime and Paramount | Directed by Robert Townsend 10,000 Black Men Named George: Standing for Dignity “Nobody got anything in this country unless they took it. Hell, I admire the white man. He wanted Manhattan Island and he…
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Pre-Code Retro – Idiot’s Delight (1939) Review, with Norma Shearer and Clark Gable
Harry Van Clark Gable Irene Norma Shearer Released by MGM | Directed By Clarence Brown Idiot’s Delight: The Gathering Storm “Evidentially, Mr. Van, that you are not fully aware of the present international situation!” “I’m aware the international situation is always regrettable. What’s wrong now?” A lot of other entries you’ll read in the CMBA…
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Pre-Code Retro – Playmates (1941) Review, with John Barrymore
Kay Keyser Kay Keyser John Barrymore John Barrymore Carmen Del Toro Lupe Velez Released by RKO | Directed By David Butler Playmates: The Undiscovered Country “Have you ever tried rubbing alcohol?” “Not since prohibition.” It wasn’t until about ten minutes into Playmates that I realized that I was watching John Barrymore’s last…
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Pre-Code Retro – Thou Shalt Not: Sex, Sin and Censorship in Pre-Code Hollywood (2008) Review
Thou Shalt Not: The Scoop on Sin “Well, I think is that the denial of reality was what the Production Code was all about. When you establish these kinds of moral views, you’re not trying to describe the world as it really is. You’re trying to describe the world as someone thinks it ought to…
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Pre-Code Retro – Johnny Dangerously (1984) Review, with Michael Keaton
Johnny Dangerously Michael Keaton Lil Marilu Henner Danny Vermin Joe Piscopo Ma Kelly Maureen Stapleton Tommy Kelly Griffin Dunne Jock Dundee Peter Boyle Released by 20th Century Fox | Directed By Amy Heckerling Johnny Dangerously: Once. Once. “Dames are put on this earth to weaken us, drain our energy, and laugh at us when they…
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Pre-Code Retro – The Boy Friend (1971) Review, with Twiggy
“Pre-Code Retro” is my semi-regular examination of post-1934 media that is heavily influenced by or is significantly related to pre-Code Hollywood cinema. Polly Browne Twiggy Tony Brockhurst Christopher Gable Percy Parkhill Byran Pringle De Thrill Vladek Sheybal Tommy Tommy Tune Maisie Anotonia Ellis Released by MGM | Directed By Ken Russell The Boy Friend: Three…
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Pre-Code Retro – Fedora (1978) Review with William Holden, Part of the Billy Wilder Blogathon
Dutch William Holden Antonia Fedora Marthe Keller Fedora The Countess Hildegard Knef Doctor Vando Jose Ferrer Miss Balfour Frances Sternhagen Himself Michael York Released by Allied Artists | Directed By Billy Wilder Fedora: The Times, They Are A-Changin’ “Monroe, Harlow… they were the lucky ones.” By 1978, Billy Wilder was a dinosaur. Coming of age…
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Pre-Code Retro – “Sign of the Zodiac” Review (1961)
Pre-Code Retro is my examination of post-1934 media that is heavily influenced by or significantly related to pre-Code cinema. Madge Barbara Stanwyck Helene Joan Blondell Jacques Dan Duryea Aired on NBC | Directed By Jacques Tourneur Sign of the Zodiac: The Future is Grim What is it about having your fortune told? Why is it…