(Waterloo Bridge / Baby Face / Red-Headed Woman)
Reviewed by Gary Geyer
The “forbidden” period from 1930-1934 featured stories with women leads and subject matter that would later be condemned as taboo. (The Hays (censorship) Code came into effect in 1934, the Legion of Decency was established to monitor movies and watchdog groups threatened boycotts of all films.)
These so-called “pre-Code talkies” reflected a more laissez-faire attitude toward risqué subjects like promiscuity, premarital sex, extramarital affairs, and touched on topics such as rape, gay and lesbian liaisons, abortion, feminism, having children out-of-wedlock, drug abuse, infidelity, violence, and sadism. (When out of frustration, Jean Harlow’s husband slaps her, she says, “Hit me again! I like it.”)
Old movie fans shouldn’t miss the opportunity to see these seldom seen classics.
If you purchase this set you should know that two of the discs are mislabeled and there are no “extras” included. Such is life. <<
Gary Geyer is Editor-in-Chief of LetLifeIn.com (Editor@LetLifeIn.com) as well as editor of the People & Entertainment section and the Fun Stuff section. Reach him at Gary@LetLifeIn.com.
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