Top Ten Favorites - Pre-Code Movies

  "lt's all in that old thumb, see? ... Some people do it like this. Or like this. All wrong. Never get anywhere. The poor things. But that old thumb never fails."

 (It Happened One Night -1934)

 

Hello, my lovely friends!

     There is something incredibly comforting about settling in with a movie that was made nearly a century ago, especially when it comes from that sweet spot in the early 1930s before the Hollywood censors completely took over the sandbox. Pre-Code films just hit different. They have this fast-talking, unapologetic energy that feels entirely modern, even when everyone is dressed in silk gowns and sharp suits. They didn't feel the need to wrap every story up in a neat little moral bow, which makes them perfect for watching when you just want something witty, a little bit wicked, and genuinely fun.

    Looking at a lineup of the absolute best from this era, it is impossible not to start with It Happened One Night. It is the blueprint for every romantic comedy that followed, and the banter between Peter and Ellie on the road still crackles with more energy than almost anything on screens today. Right alongside it sits One Way Passage, which takes a completely different turn into bittersweet romance. There is a beautiful, melancholic warmth to that shipboard love story that stays with you long after the final frame, proving these early movies had just as much heart as they did sharp edges.

    The era was also defined by women who refused to apologize for living life on their own terms, which is why The Divorcee and Bed of Roses are such absolute classics. Norma Shearer and Constance Bennett played characters who faced messy, complicated situations with an incredible amount of style and backbone. They weren’t cardboard cutouts waiting to be saved, they were sharp, resilient, and human. And if you want to see a story about the fierce, complicated bonds between women navigating the world together, Three on a Match packs an unbelievable amount of drama and loyalty into a runtime that flies by in just over an hour.

    Then there is the sheer, unadulterated fun of the comedies and capers. The Thin Man introduces us to Nick and Nora Charles, who basically invented the concept of marriage goals while solving crimes with a cocktail in hand and Asta running circles around them. If you want something even more delightfully chaotic, Design for Living handles a complicated love triangle with the kind of breezy sophistication that only Ernst Lubitsch could pull off, while Jewel Robbery plays out like a delicious, sparkling glass of champagne where the thieves are entirely too charming to root against.

    Even when these movies looked at the harsh realities of the Great Depression, they did it with an unforgettable spark. Employees' Entrance gives a brutal, fascinating look at the high-stakes world of a bustling department store, showing the grit it took to survive the era. On the flip side, Gold Diggers of 1933 takes those same economic anxieties and turns them into a grand, spectacular celebration of resilience, creativity, and showmanship. These films have a timeless rhythm to them, and revisiting them feels less like a history lesson and more like catching up with an old, exceptionally witty friend who always knows exactly what to say to make you laugh.

    At the end of the day, that is really why these Pre-Code gems stay with us. They don't demand perfection from their characters, and they don't look down on us for being human, messy, or just plain tired. Curling up with these films is like sitting around the kitchen table with the women who know you best, where the laughs come easy, the honesty is a given, and you can just breathe. So, grab a warm drink, sink into the couch, and let these fast-talking ladies and charming rogues carry you away for a little while. They’ve been waiting ninety years to make you smile, and honestly, they still do it better than anyone else.

Top Ten Favorites - Pre-Code Movies
1. It Happened One Night (1934)
2. One Way Passage (1932)
3. The Divorcee (1930)
4. The Thin Man (1934) 
5. Design for Living (1932)
6.  Jewel Robbery (1932)
7. Bed of Roses (1933)
8. Three on a Match (1932)
9. Employees' Entrance (1932)
10. Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)

Thanks for dropping in! I’d wish you a good morning, but since I don't know your time zone, let's just go with: Have a spectacular next 24 hours. See you at the next one!