Pre-Code Hollywood

E115912

Pre-Code Hollywood refers to the brief era in American cinema between the introduction of sound and the strict enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code in 1934, known for its relatively frank depictions of sex, violence, and social taboos.

All labels observed (9)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf film era
historical period in American cinema
alsoKnownAs pre-Code era
censorshipContext preceded the creation of the Production Code Administration in 1934
characteristic ambiguous moral endings
depictions of social taboos
portrayal of criminal antiheroes
portrayal of drug and alcohol use
portrayal of extramarital affairs
portrayal of prostitution
relatively frank depictions of sex
relatively frank depictions of violence
socially critical themes
strong and sexually independent female characters
use of risqué dialogue and innuendo
country United States of America
surface form: United States
endEvent strict enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code
endPeriod 1934
followedBy strict censorship under the Hays Code
industry Hollywood
surface form: Hollywood film industry
influencedBy changing social attitudes in the late 1920s and early 1930s
economic pressures of the Great Depression
transition from silent films to talkies
legacy influenced later depictions of adult themes in American cinema
subject of extensive film scholarship and retrospectives
medium sound film
namedAfter Hollywood
notableFigure Barbara Stanwyck
Edward G. Robinson
James Cagney
Jean Harlow
Mae West
notableFilm Baby Face
Gold Diggers of 1933
I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang
Little Caesar
Red-Headed Woman
Scarface (1932 film)
She Done Him Wrong
The Public Enemy
Trouble in Paradise
surface form: Trouble in Paradise (1932 film)
oversightBody Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America
oversightOfficial Will H. Hays
precedes Classical Hollywood cinema under strict Production Code enforcement
regulationFramework Motion Picture Production Code
surface form: Hays Code

Motion Picture Production Code
regulationStatus period of lax enforcement of the Production Code
startEvent introduction of synchronized sound in American cinema
startPeriod late 1920s

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (77)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Cleopatra (1934 film) era Pre-Code Hollywood
Mystery of the Wax Museum era Pre-Code Hollywood
this entity surface form: pre-Code Hollywood
Red Dust era Pre-Code Hollywood
this entity surface form: pre-Code Hollywood
The Gay Divorcee era Pre-Code Hollywood
Flying Down to Rio aspectOf Pre-Code Hollywood
this entity surface form: Pre-Code Hollywood cinema
Frankenstein (1931) studioEra Pre-Code Hollywood
subject surface form: Frankenstein (1931 film)
Morning Glory partOf Pre-Code Hollywood
subject surface form: Morning Glory (1933 film)
this entity surface form: Hollywood pre-Code era
It Happened One Night era Pre-Code Hollywood
The Lost Jungle era Pre-Code Hollywood
this entity surface form: pre-Code Hollywood
The Mysterious Mr. Wong era Pre-Code Hollywood
Applause era Pre-Code Hollywood
this entity surface form: pre-Code Hollywood
Daughter of the Dragon hasCensorshipContext Pre-Code Hollywood
this entity surface form: pre-Code Hollywood
Love Me Tonight filmRatingEra Pre-Code Hollywood
this entity surface form: pre-Code Hollywood
Queen Christina productionEra Pre-Code Hollywood
subject surface form: Queen Christina (1933 film)
Island of Lost Souls (1932 film) era Pre-Code Hollywood
this entity surface form: pre-Code Hollywood
Tempest (1928 film) era Pre-Code Hollywood
this entity surface form: pre-Code Hollywood
Bright Eyes (1934 film) era Pre-Code Hollywood
The Battle of the Sexes (1928 film) era Pre-Code Hollywood
this entity surface form: pre-Code Hollywood
The Sign of the Cross era Pre-Code Hollywood
this entity surface form: pre-Code Hollywood
Warren William era Pre-Code Hollywood
this entity surface form: pre-Code Hollywood
Duck Soup distributorEra Pre-Code Hollywood
Flight Commander productionEra Pre-Code Hollywood
this entity surface form: pre-Code Hollywood
Lee Tracy era Pre-Code Hollywood
The Power and the Glory (1933 film) era Pre-Code Hollywood
Grand Hotel filmEra Pre-Code Hollywood
Hot Pepper era Pre-Code Hollywood
this entity surface form: pre-Code Hollywood
The Cat's-Paw era Pre-Code Hollywood
Lady for a Day era Pre-Code Hollywood
Platinum Blonde era Pre-Code Hollywood
The Miracle Woman partOf Pre-Code Hollywood
this entity surface form: pre-Code Hollywood
The Richest Girl in the World era Pre-Code Hollywood
Blessed Event hasFilmRatingEra Pre-Code Hollywood
this entity surface form: pre-Code Hollywood
The Kid from Spain era Pre-Code Hollywood
Death Takes a Holiday era Pre-Code Hollywood
Hallelujah, I’m a Bum era Pre-Code Hollywood
The Shadow of the Eagle era Pre-Code Hollywood
The Hurricane Express isPartOfFilmEra Pre-Code Hollywood
this entity surface form: pre-Code Hollywood
The Galloping Ghost productionEra Pre-Code Hollywood
Wonder Bar partOf Pre-Code Hollywood
this entity surface form: pre-Code Hollywood era
Barbara Willis filmEra Pre-Code Hollywood
this entity surface form: pre-Code Hollywood
Blonde Venus filmEra Pre-Code Hollywood
this entity surface form: pre-Code Hollywood
Morocco (1930 film) partOf Pre-Code Hollywood
this entity surface form: Hollywood pre-Code era
The Spoilers (1930 film) hasProductionEra Pre-Code Hollywood
this entity surface form: pre-Code Hollywood
Hell's Angels (1930 film) era Pre-Code Hollywood
Bombshell (1933 film) hasFilmRatingEra Pre-Code Hollywood
this entity surface form: pre-Code Hollywood
Honor Among Lovers isPartOf Pre-Code Hollywood
this entity surface form: pre-Code Hollywood era
One Night of Love motionPictureRating Pre-Code Hollywood
this entity surface form: Pre-Code Hollywood film
Eve Trowbridge era Pre-Code Hollywood
Flying High partOf Pre-Code Hollywood
this entity surface form: pre-Code Hollywood cinema
Cleopatra era Pre-Code Hollywood
subject surface form: Cleopatra (1934 film)