Here are 10 things you should know about Frances Dee, born 112 years ago today. One of the loveliest women ever to appear on the silver screen, she was also a talented actress who excelled in a wide range of genres.
Tag: Joan Blondell
10 Things You Should Know About Paul Guilfoyle
Here are 10 things you should know about Paul Guilfoyle, born 119 years ago today. The character actor enjoyed success on stage and screen before becoming a director to close out his career.
10 Things You Should Know About Joan Blondell
Here are 10 things you should know about Joan Blondell, born 114 years ago today. She’s a favorite here at Cladrite Radio; if her name is in the credits, we’re watching.
10 Things You Should Know About Alan Mowbray
Here are 10 things you should know about Alan Mowbray, born 124 years ago today. The prolific character actor appeared in more than 140 films and 40 TV series over his 39-year career.
Precode Movies 101: TCM Offers a Primer for Beginners
We’ve acknowledged that the precode era is one of our favorite era in movie history. For those that might not know, precode movies are those made after the ascent of sound but before the Hayes code, which greatly restricted the plot, language, and attitudes that Hollywood pictures were allowed to portray, began to be strictly enforced by the Breen office in 1934.
That quaint, wholesome quality you may associate with old movies? The pictures of the 1930s and ’40s that might convince you, if you don’t already know better, that life was simple, pure and uncomplicated back in the good old days? Those came after the code kicked in. Precode movies are another thing altogether.
Some pictures that typify the precode era are playfully bawdy; others are downright gritty, sometimes even a bit shocking today (though rarely very graphic, by our standards). Tomorrow (Tuesday, July 31st), TCM is giving precode neophytes the chance to do some serious catching up, as they’ll be airing precode favorites all day long, from 6am till 8pm. If you’ve ever wondered what the fuss was all about, here’s your chance to educate yourself.
If it’s gritty you’re looking for, we’d recommend Safe in Hell (1931) and Three on a Match (1932); if you’re just looking for a little salty fun, give Jewel Robbery (1932) and Blonde Crazy (1931) a look. But honestly, we recommend loading up your DVR with every one of these entertaining pictures; they all have something to recommend them.
Here’s the line-up (all times Eastern):
6:00 am — Downstairs (1932)
7:30 am — Loose Ankles (1930)
8:45 am — She Had to Say Yes (1933)
10:00 am — Faithless (1932)
11:30 am — Hell’s Highway (1932)
12:45 pm — Safe in Hell (1931)
2:00 pm — Jewel Robbery (1932)
3:15 pm — Three on a Match (1932)
4:30 pm — Footlight Parade (1933)
6:30 pm — Blonde Crazy (1931)