Pre-Code films — films made prior to the enforcement of Hollywood’s self-censoring “Production Code” — are a constant source of wonder and delight for those who love them. And one of the most surprising aspects of these uncensored films is the great social and sexual license granted to the female characters (and accepted by audiences). The loss of these kinds of free-living characters — and the not-coincidental loss of the female writers who gained frequent work on these films — was a tragedy for Hollywood and helped to solidify a culture-wide backlash into sexual and gender conformity. Come with us while we revisit this Hollywood Valhalla for a few weeks with the likes of Mae West, Miriam Hopkins, and the rest.
