Back in the days before “the Code” forced Hollywood to walk away from its wild side, the silver screen enticed escape-craving Depression Era audiences with salacious slices of life. Hungers and thirsts that would shortly become taboo for a generation and more were on ample display in movie palaces across the country, from amoral and amorous working class anti-heroes and high-living, free-loving dilettantes to hard-drinking newshounds and hard-gambling dogtrackers, no kink or bit of lingerie was not worthy of a wink or a peek. Blonde Crazy sees James Cagney and Joan Blondell melting the screen as a bellhop and chambermaid out to con criminals while enjoying each other. Norma Shearer finishes shredding her good girl image in Strangers May Kiss as a desperate lady on a love trek across the continent. In Hi, Nellie Paul Muni takes a rare turn at comedy as newspaperman demoted to the lovelorn column, finding comfort in a glass. Finally, Dark Hazard stars Edward G. Robinson stars in an altogether different sort of dog movie, as a gambling addict torn between good girl Genevieve Tobin and glamour girl Glenda Farrell who bets it all on one special pooch.
