Hot Off the (Virtual) Press: Issue #4 of The Pre-Code Companion
February 1, 2016
You may recall that I posted about Issue #1 of The Pre-Code Companion back in September. Well, fast forward five months and here we are, at Issue #4 already! My friend Danny from pre-code.com came up with the idea for this bi-monthly journal, edits each issue, and even contributes articles - in fact, he's got two in this volume!
My piece in Issue #1 focused on the censorship battle of 1933's Baby Face, which, conveniently, happened to be the subject of my undergrad thesis. Not gonna lie, the 90 pages of writing and months of archival research that I completed years prior made that particular article a bit easier for me to write, or, more accurately, re-edit.
This time around, I started from scratch with 1933's Midnight Mary, a picture I was barely familiar with but had heard positive things about. As usual, I found it exceedingly fun to dig into the film's Production Code Administration (PCA) file at the Academy's Margaret Herrick Library. I didn't possess the time or resources to delve as deeply into Midnight Mary as I did with Baby Face - Midnight Mary's PCA file also provided less material to begin with - but I still uncovered a few sparkling gems of juicy information I joyfully included in the final product.
Very cool cover design by Danny Reid!
Issue #4 covers three films, two actors, and one director from the Forbidden Hollywood Collection: Volume Three DVD set, with articles penned by yours truly and four other fabulous writers. Here's the rundown:
Loretta Young - Molly Bugamelli
The Purchase Price - Le Magalhães
George Brent - Danny Reid
Frisco Jenny - Danny Reid
William Wellman - Lesley Gaspar
Pick up your copy today on Amazon.com HERE for $2.99! As always, all proceeds go to ASPCA.
If you feel so inclined to take a gander at the first three issues, below are very handy links to purchase, and, you know, support animals in the process:
The Pre-Code Companion, Issue #1: Baby Face, Waterloo Bridge, & Red-Headed Woman
The Pre-Code Companion, Issue #2: Three on a Match, Female, & Other Men's Women
The Pre-Code Companion, Issue #3: The Divorcee, Night Nurse, & A Free Soul
Be sure to stay tuned for upcoming volumes of The Pre-Code Companion. To assist with this, Danny has the next few installments listed on his site here. And yes, you can bet I'm already stoked to hit the library for Jewel Robbery in Issue #6!
P.S.: As always, special thanks to the staff at the Margaret Herrick Library for their assistance in accessing the Midnight Mary PCA file in the library's Special Collections.
thanks for stopping by!
I See a Dark Theater is a website dedicated to classic movie-going—and loving—in the City of Angels. Whether it's coverage on screenings, special presentations, or Q&As around Los Angeles that you're looking for, or commentary on the wonderful and sometimes wacky world of classic cinema, you've come to the right place for a variety of pieces written with zeal, awe, and (occasionally) wit. Enjoy.