A review plus background information about Paramount pre-Code The Story of Temple Drake (1933), adapted from Sanctuary by William Faulkner. Book and adaptation are compared and contrasted. Casting and path to screen are covered, including George Raft’s refusal to appear in the film. Biographical information about stars Miriam Hopkins and Jack La Rue. Lengthy article, over 5,500 words, first appeared in Classic Movie Monthly #5.
The Vice Squad (1931) Starring Paul Lukas, Kay Francis, Judith Wood
Ripped from the headlines: New York’s Vice Squad scandal in Paramount pre-Code The Vice Squad (1931), starring Paul Lukas in a part inspired by Chile Acuna, with Kay Francis and Judith Wood. Directed by John Cromwell.
City Streets (1931) Starring Gary Cooper and Sylvia Sidney
A look at the most stylized of the 1931 gangster movies, Rouben Mamoulian’s City Streets (1931) from Paramount, starring Gary Cooper and Sylvia Sidney.
Night Flight (1933) with John and Lionel Barrymore, Gable and More
An all-star cast may be advertised but Night Flight (1933) is mostly Barrymore, John with a dash of Lionel. Not much for Clark Gable and the rest with the exception of Robert Montgomery.