Pre-Code Diva Smackdown
Wednesday, November 15, 2023 at 10:00AM 
Though postwar film noir is de rigueur for Noirvember, the Criterion Channel prepared a nifty bit of counterprogramming with a program dedicated to Pre-Code Divas. Going back before 1934, when the second coming of the Hays Code went into effect, one finds that time when sound was new and moral standards were, if not low, more libertine than they'd become. It was a time for sex comedies and sad stories about fallen women, moralist shockers and amoral delights, starring a cadre of starlets who became synonymous with the era. Some would go on to thrive within the Code, while others fell to obscurity when their vehicles dried up under new norms.
Since we all had so much fun with the last readers' poll, let's do another one. This time, you'll be voting on your favorite Pre-Code Diva. After the jump, discover our contenders and their Criterion-selected titles…
TALLULAH BANKHEAD
On the Channel: The Cheat (1931)
JOAN BLONDELL
On the Channel: Night Nurse (1931), Three on a Match (1932)
LILY DAMITA
On the Channel: This Is the Night (1932)
MARLENE DIETRICH
On the Channel: Dishonored (1931)
IRENE DUNNE
On the Channel: Back Street (1932)
ANN DVORAK
On the Channel: Scarface (1932), Three on a Match (1932)
JEAN HARLOW
On the Channel: Hell's Angels (1930)
MIRIAM HOPKINS
On the Channel: Design for Living (1933)
CAROLE LOMBARD
On the Channel: No Man of Her Own (1932)
DOROTHY MACKAILL
On the Channel: Safe in Hell (1931), No Man of Her Own (1932)
NORMA SHEARER
On the Channel: The Divorcee (1930)
BARBARA STANWYCK
On the Channel: Night Nurse (1931), Baby Face (1933)
MAE WEST
On the Channel: I'm No Angel (1933), She Done Him Wrong (1933)
ANNA MAY WONG
On the Channel: Daughter of the Dragon (1931)
So, dear reader, who gets your vote? Campaign for your favorite in the comments, and may the best diva win.
Reader Comments (6)
I had to vote for Stanwyck as she's up there with Bette as my favorite classic actress. But I really, really wish Tallulah Bankhead made more films. Such a unique presence! The Cheat is a wild ride. Joan Blondell deserves more affection, too; Three on a Match and Night Nurse are such great movies that I've been meaning to rewatch them now that they're on the Channel.
I am really enjoying the Pre-Code Divas series.
BeKindRewind has a great piece on YouTube about Tallulah.
Of course it's me, baby!
Hmm..
Firstly, I'd exclude the performers who did most of their best work post-Hayes Code. So even though Stanwyck, Bankhead, Lombard, Dunne and Harlow did good work pre-code, my favourite of each comes after.
I don't love Deitrich or Shearer. I'm not familiar with Damita, Dvorak or Mackail
So that leaves Mae West, Anna May Wong, Miriam Hopkins, and Joan Blondell. I think the onset of the Code hurt Wong the most (and the racism of time, obviously), but she was such a fascinating presence. Miriam Hopkins acted in two of the best films of the 1930s basically back to back (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Trouble in Paradise). Blondell fuckin' burns the screen in Blondie Johnson... but Mae West was arrested for "corrupting the morals of the youth" and chose to go to prison as opposed to pay a fine for the publicity (per Wikipedia).
I mean, how can you vote for anyone else? West is pre-Code distilled. But I'd watch any of the the other three first.
I saw the Pre-Code Divas program on Criterion the other day and instantly started watching. It truly felt like the criterion gods had gifted me something!
I think a lot of these ladies are great. However, I think Irenne Dunne is the rare actress who was much better with the restrictions of the code. Part of this might be that she matured as an actress over time. In some of her pre-code work, I find her to be a bit flat and having far less fun than everyone else seems to be.
I'd easily vote for Mae West, who was able to shine during the code in a way few others could. Her work was, and character types, were practially impossible post-code, and she really gives us a look at what we might have had.
Shearer!
She's the one! ❤️