Pre-Code Hollywood

Hellzapoppin' (1941) Olsen and Johnson, a pair of stage comedians, try to turn their play into a movie and bring together a young couple in love, while breaking the fourth wall every step of the way. Zany comedy that pioneered many concepts used in many Hollywood classics (funnily enough, many Hollywood producers would try to pretend they invented things that were actually ideas pioneered in this movie). Incidentally, the lindy-hop dance performance (the scene with the black workers dancing acrobatically together) set the standard for professional lindy-hop dancers, and is still used to teach professional dancers today.

Citizen Kane (1941) Following the death of publishing tycoon Charles Foster Kane, reporters scramble to uncover the meaning of his final utterance: 'Rosebud.' Considered by many to be the greatest movie of all time, it is definitely worth a watch even if our standards of movie greatness have moved a bit since then.

'IT' (1927) A salesgirl pursues a handsome playboy. This silent classic catapulted Clara Bow into superstardom despite being an outsider in the circles of Hollywood royalty.

Fate Is the Hunter (1964) An airline executive refuses to believe that pilot error, by his friend, caused a fatal crash and persists in looking for another reason.

Foreign Correspondent (1940) On the eve of World War II, a young American reporter tries to expose enemy agents in London. Alfred Hitchcock was on form when he made this - suspense suspense suspense !

The Dawn Patrol (1938) Excellent wartime drama - British flying aces in World War I contend with the harsh realities of war. This is a remake of the 1930 pre-code movie of the same name (that I don't actually have), but the drama and impact are still there.

The Glass Key (1942) A crooked politician finds himself being accused of murder by a gangster from whom he refused help during a re-election campaign. - Alan Ladd - Veronica Lake

Beat The Devil (1953) Noir spoof/comedy... hard to categorise but it's definitely tongue in cheek. A quartet of international crooks are stranded in Italy while their steamer is being repaired. With them is an English couple. The 6 are headed for Africa, presumably to sell vacuum cleaners, but all is not as it seems.

His Kind of Woman (1951) A deported gangster's plan to re-enter the USA involves skulduggery at a Mexican resort, and gambler Dan Milner is caught in the middle.

Sirocco (1951) A cynical American expatriate gets involved in smuggling and gun-running for the rebels during the 1925 Syrian insurgency against French occupation.

The Captive City (1952) A small town newspaperman's investigation into a local bookie operation turns up a web of organized crime.

Desert Fury (1947) Film Noir... in Tecnicolor! The daughter of a Nevada casino owner gets involved with a racketeer, despite everyone's efforts to separate them.

The Lady Refuses (1931) A wealthy London nobleman hires a pretty but poor young girl to distract his playboy son from marrying a gold-digger. Complications ensue when the girl and the father begin to fall for each other, and things get even more complicated when the son declares his love for her, too.

Mogambo (1953) On a Kenyan safari, white hunter Victor Marswell has a love triangle with seductive American socialite Eloise Kelly and anthropologist Donald Nordley's cheating wife Linda.

Phantom of the Opera (1943) An acid-scarred composer rises from the Paris sewers to boost his favorite opera understudy's career. Not made into the horror story the author intended, but a watchable drama version instead (with many plot points removed - I think the idea was more to wow the audience with amazing technicolor).

One Hour With You (1932) An unhappily married couple try to come between a happy married couple. Not sure how to describe this - witty dialogue with some musical numbers spread throughout the movie, so a musical drama perhaps?

The Tijuana Story (1957) In Tijuana, a brave Mexican newspaper editor tries to expose the mob and the local official corruption at his own risk. Not the most riveting drama, but a common theme for the time.

To find the best pre-code stuff, start at the top of the channel for one of the best pre-code collections you'll ever find... https://t.me/c/1407752458/22 (I'll keep posting old classics in this channel, but I think I've already posted all the good pre-code stuff already.)

The Challenge (1960) a.k.a. It Takes A Thief A gang leader dumps her criminal boyfriend when he is convicted of robbery, but he recovers the stolen loot once he's released. In retaliation, the gang kidnaps his son and demands the money as ransom.

The Female Animal (1958) An aging film star and her alcoholic daughter compete for a handsome extra.