On This Day in February - Poster and Lobby Cards

 Wings in the Dark - February 1st, 1935.

Gunga Din - February 17th, 1939.

The Woman Accused - February 17th. 1933.

When You're in Love - February 27th, 1937.

The Woman Accused (1933)

   "For the finish, the hero, as done capably by Cary Grant, wields a blacksnake whip on the gangster..."

With Nancy Carroll.

The Woman Accused - Review is taken from 'The Films of Cary Grant' by Donald Deschner (1973):

"Despite two of the silliest exhibitions of melodramatics, the exploitation campaign and Liberty mag tieup behind Woman Accused should aid materially in putting it across to average returns.  To counterbalance the pair of moronic scenes is a wow finish that had the audience cheering. 

Billed as the picture written by ten of the world's greatest authors, it is not conceivable that the literary names concerned could have permitted, let alone have written, the aforementioned offending sequences.  

First sequence that went smello was the deep-dyed villainy of Louis Calhern in an effort to build up a logical reason for the girl, Nancy Carroll, to kill him.  Second was the mock-trial during a "cruise to nowhere" which was carried to silly extremes.  Both can be touched up by judicious cutting.  

Unfortunate that Calhern and John Halliday have been handed such parts, that no amount of good trouping can surmount the amount of ham written into each line.  

For the finish, the hero, as done capably by Cary Grant, wields a blacksnake whip on the gangster, key witness against the girl, giving film fans probably their first real satisfaction at the manner in which a mobster should be handled.  After a perfect buildup as a menace, Jack La Rue brings audience applause when he turns into jelly after the larruping administered by Grant.  

Some novel directorial angles in the "Strange Interlude" treatment of the accused woman's fear and terror, and the atmosphere of the pleasure cruise.  Nancy Carroll's work is well-done and sincere and Norma Mitchell, as her maid, gives a sweet performance.  Latter's work here is of the quality that should win her a good play from the casting directors.  Such people as Irving Pichel, Frank Sheridan, Harry Holman and Donald Stuart are in for short, but capably done, bits." 

- Daily Variety

New Artwork by Rebekah Hawley at Studio36 -
Number 9 - The Woman Accused (Lobby Card Style)

Part Of

For more, see also:

The Woman Accused, On This Day, 17th February 2022

The Woman Accused, On This Day, 17th February 2021

Cary Grant and the Pre-Code Era

Between the widespread adoption of sound, in films, from 1929 to the mid 1930's enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code (Hays Code), a Pre-Code period existed.

Although the Hays Code was adopted in 1930, it wasn't enforced until July 1st, 1934.

Before that date film content was regulated between the Studio Relations Committee(SRC), local law and popular opinion. Needless to say, much of the guidelines were ignored by film makers in Hollywood.

What was the Hays Code?

A Hollywood board was set up, and led by Will Hays and Joseph Breen with other prominent members of the Catholic community.

It put together a list of guidelines for film production based on "The Don'ts and Be Carefuls", with became known as the Hays Code.

These were to be voluntarily applied as a form of censorship to avoid the setting up of a censorship board by the federal government.

It was formulated in 1929, presented in 1930 and rigidly enforced from 1934. It was in force until 1965, finally replaced by an age-based system, that is still used today.

The Code was divided into two parts:

• General Principles 
• Particular Applications

General Principles:

1. Prohibited a movie from "lowering the moral standards of those who see it"
2. Called for depictions of the correct "standards of life"
3. Forbade a movie from showing any sort of ridicule towards the law or "creating sympathy for its violation".

Particular Applications was a list of items which could not be depicted in a movie. Headings on such items included; Crimes against the Law, Sex, Vulgarity, Obscenity, Profanity, Costumes, Dances, Religion, Locations, National Feelings and Repellent Subjects.

Examples of the Hays Code Application:

• The Hays Code required that women, in love scenes, at all time have "at least one foot on the floor".
• People could not be in a horizontal position if they were kissing.
• Betty Boop had to be "cleaned up". Her skirts lengthened to the knee, and necklines of her dress were raised, so as not to cause offence. Winking and shaking hips were deemed to be "suggestive of immorality". The clean up effectively ruined her on-screen career.
• Gone With the Wind producer, David O. Selznick had to convince Hays and Breen, that the line "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn" was not prejudicial to public morals, under the profanity guidelines.

Cary Grant Films:

Cary Grant appeared in 15 films during this unenforced period of 1929 to 1934.

They were (with examples of what would have been code infractions, if they had been enforced):

This Is the Night (1932)

Sinners in the Sun (1932)

Merrily We Go to Hell (1932)

The title alone shows that it is  pre-code. Also contains infidelity and includes a female as and editor of a newspaper!

Devil and the Deep (1932)

Blonde Venus (1932)

Pre-code contents include women skinny dipping in flesh colored underwear, suggestive dialogue, suggested domestic violence, prostitution, songs including "Hot Voodoo" and "You Little So-and-So", and more including Marlene Dietrich's performance.

Hot Saturday (1932)

Suggestive dialogue, suggested potential rape scene, removal of underwear, view of legs and suggestive grabbing of a females chest.

Madame Butterfly (1932)

She Done Him Wrong (1933)

Portrayal of alcohol and a drunken cop, robbery, murder, counterfeiting, violence, white slavery and Mae West...and a discreetly covered picture.

The Woman Accused (1933)

Murder, decadence, innuendo, suggestive dialogue.

The Eagle and the Hawk (1933)

Violence and combat scenes. Suggestive dialogue.

Gambling Ship (1933)

I'm No Angel (1933)

Suggestive dancing and dialogue. Costumes are provocative, multiple spouses and Mae West again!

Alice in Wonderland (1933)

Thirty Day Princess (1934)

Corruption.

Born to Be Bad (1934)

Suggestive images, single motherhood, child abuse, cheating and infidelity.