Pre-Codes Screening at UCLA on April 26th

This spring's big Los Angeles film festivals, the TCM Classic Film Festival and the Noir City Hollywood Festival, may have come to an end, but there's still plenty of classic movies ahead in Southern California theaters!

I'll have more coverage of both TCMFF and Noir City here in the near future, but first, a preview of the interesting pre-Code double bill showing next week at the UCLA Film & Television Archive's Billy Wilder Theater.

On Friday, April 26th, UCLA will be showing 35mm prints of THE SIGN OF THE CROSS (1932) and ONLY YESTERDAY (1933).

THE SIGN OF THE CROSS is a Cecil B. DeMille film starring Claudette Colbert, Fredric March, and Charles Laughton, preserved from DeMille's personal 35mm nitrate print. Margaret Sullavan and John Boles star in the second film, ONLY YESTERDAY.

I've never seen either movie, so it promises to be an interesting and educational evening. THE SIGN OF THE CROSS is considered to be an extreme example of the pre-Code film, from Colbert's milk bath scene and a dance sequence to gruesome arena scenes; honestly, despite my love for Colbert I've avoided the film till now due to the violence, but I feel like if I'm going to see the film, this is the ideal way to see it!

Mark Vieira, author of the new book FORBIDDEN HOLLYWOOD: THE PRECODE ERA (1930-1934), will be signing his book before the screenings.

I was delighted that this beautiful hardcover from Running Press and Turner Classic Movies was included in this year's media bag at the TCM Classic Film Festival. I was unable to attend signings Vieira held during the festival so I look forward to having him sign my copy next week!

Update: My review of THE SIGN OF THE CROSS may be found here, and ONLY YESTERDAY is reviewed here.