One of the captivating traits found in a Pre-Code film is a dark tone, that often reflects a discernible note of danger. I suppose it’s a flair for the dramatics that draws many to the dark side of Pre-Code cinema. There are many such themes of sins and malice found in George Abbott’s The Cheat (1931) . The alluring Tallulah Bankhead is Elsa Carlyle, an extravagant spender who lives beyond … Continue reading Tallulah Bankhead Exposes THE CHEAT (1931)
As we begin our filmography of Bette Davis films, we’ll start with a Pre-Code from 1933, Robert Florey’s EX-LADY. For those of you who have not taken my Pre-Code course or those who simply need a reminder, let’s start with a little refresher of what exactly a “Pre-Code” is. Pre-Code cinema (1929 – 1934) refers to a very specific timeline in film history when the … Continue reading Bette Davis Defies Gender Conventions in EX-LADY (1933)
More than likely, if you are a Cary Grant fan, your first introduction came via films like NORTH BY NORTHWEST or another Hitchcock classic, or perhaps one of his earlier films co-starring Kate Hepburn. Less likely, you probably didn’t receive your first glimpse of Old Hollywood’s legendary leading man via his first feature length film, THIS IS THE NIGHT. As we mentioned in our overview … Continue reading A Cary Grant Pre-Code-THIS IS THE NIGHT
He’s been called many things: an artist, a visionary, a perfectionist, a genius, a legend, even a fascist. But what Busby Berkeley did for musical numbers of the silver screen was simply unforgettable. While Berkeley had a long and successful career that included being a choreographer and a director, today I only want to address the choreography of his musical numbers that highlights his mastery … Continue reading Busby Berkeley Choreography: Geometric Gems
One of the many joys of attending a classic film festival such as the recent TCM Classic Film Festival, sometimes you get a chance to screen a film for the first time. When seeing a decades old film for the very first time, yet on the big screen, it’s like momentarily slipping back in time. I imagined what it may have been for audiences of … Continue reading A PreCode Paralyzed Piranha: Walter Huston in A HOUSE DIVIDED (1931)
Outspoken & Freckled 