TCM Investigates Pre-Code Hollywood...

If you're a classic film buff like myself, you'll be excited to learn about the upcoming documentary appearing on Turner Classic Movies this coming Monday evening ( March 4th) entitled Thou Shalt Not Sin. Prior to the enforcement of the Hays Code, movie studios tried rather successfully to get away with as much as possible in their productions in order to entice depression era audiences. Think of them as a 1930's combination of "Girls Gone Wild" and "Desperate Housewives" with a touch of "Scarface" in the mix.
I've seen several of the films mentioned in the mix including the odd "Night Nurse" where the young stars Barbara Stanwyck and Joan Blondell spend a good bit of screen time undressing themselves and each other, then flit about giggling and discovering things like skeletons in the sheets...



I've not seen "Three on a Match" - featuring Bette Davis, Joan Blondell ( again) and Ann Dvorak - but after reading this little nugget of a description, I can't wait - "For a change, Joan Blondell doesn't sit on the edge of the bed, in her slip, rolling on a pair of stockings. Bette Davis does. By the way, this is the only picture I have ever seen where Bette Davis shamelessly displays her legs. And a fine set of legs at that. Look for the scene I just described as well as a scene at the beach. In another scene that would never have made it past the Hayes Office, Ann Dvorak comes out of the bedroom rubbing her nose when she realizes her son was kidnapped. Humphrey Bogart glances knowingly at the boys, rubs his nose, and sarcastically winks. A DOPE FIEND! There is a scene where she is passed out on the double bed. There is booze, cigarettes and ashtray on the bed, and a couple of cigars on the nightstand. In another scene she is splayed out on the couch with a drink in her hand, booze bottles all over the apartment when her little boy walks into the room. His face and clothes are filthy and he says he is hungry. She glances over at him, points to a tray of half eaten o'rdoevres, and says "eat that"."
Now, I ask you, where else but a film from the 1930's can you find an addicted, boozy, bimbo offering her hungry child a tray of half eaten party treats for dinner?


Well, besides that...

I'm pretty sure that the hays code keep a strong grip over Hollywood for a good 30 years, at least, until this amazing film came about, one of my all time faves I must admit....

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061184/