Complicated Women

Complicated Women(2003)

"Before Hollywood had boundaries, they weren't afraid to push the limits."

6.7/10
11 votes
56 minMay 6, 2003

Overview

Looks at the stereotype-breaking films of the period from 1929, when movies entered the sound era, until 1934 when the Hays Code virtually neutered film content. No longer portrayed as virgins or vamps, the liberated female of the pre-code films had dimensions. Good girls had lovers and babies and held down jobs, while the bad girls were cast in a sympathetic light. And they did it all without apology.

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Top Cast

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Jane Fonda

Jane Fonda

Self - Narrator (voice)

Frances Dee

Frances Dee

Self - Interviewee

Karen Morley

Karen Morley

Self - Interviewee

Kitty Carlisle

Kitty Carlisle

Self - Interviewee

Mae Madison

Mae Madison

Self - Interviewee

No Image

Mark Vieira

Self - Interviewee

No Image

Mick LaSalle

Self - Interviewee

Molly Haskell

Molly Haskell

Self - Interviewee

Barbara Stanwyck

Barbara Stanwyck

Self (archive footage)

Bette Davis

Bette Davis

Self (archive footage)

C. Aubrey Smith

C. Aubrey Smith

Self (archive footage)

Chester Morris

Chester Morris

Self (archive footage)

Clark Gable

Clark Gable

Self (archive footage)

Claudette Colbert

Claudette Colbert

Self (archive footage)

Dolores del Río

Dolores del Río

Self (archive footage)

Fred Astaire

Fred Astaire

Self (archive footage)

Fredric March

Fredric March

Self (archive footage)

Gene Raymond

Gene Raymond

Self (archive footage)

Ginger Rogers

Ginger Rogers

Self (archive footage)

Greta Garbo

Greta Garbo

Self (archive footage)

Helen Twelvetrees

Helen Twelvetrees

Self (archive footage)

Irving Thalberg

Irving Thalberg

Self (archive footage)

James Cagney

James Cagney

Self (archive footage)

Jean Harlow

Jean Harlow

Self (archive footage)

Joan Blondell

Joan Blondell

Self (archive footage)

Joan Crawford

Joan Crawford

Self (archive footage)

John Gilbert

John Gilbert

Self (archive footage)

Johnny Weissmüller

Johnny Weissmüller

Self (archive footage)

Katharine Hepburn

Katharine Hepburn

Self (archive footage)

Kay Francis

Kay Francis

Self (archive footage)

Leslie Howard

Leslie Howard

Self (archive footage)

Lewis Stone

Lewis Stone

Self (archive footage)

Loretta Young

Loretta Young

Self (archive footage)

Norma Shearer

Norma Shearer

Self (archive footage)

Mae West

Mae West

Self (archive footage)

Marlene Dietrich

Marlene Dietrich

Self (archive footage)

Maureen O'Sullivan

Maureen O'Sullivan

Self (archive footage)

Miriam Hopkins

Miriam Hopkins

Self (archive footage)

Myrna Loy

Myrna Loy

Self (archive footage)

Ricardo Cortez

Ricardo Cortez

Self (archive footage)

Robert Montgomery

Robert Montgomery

Self (archive footage)

Ruth Chatterton

Ruth Chatterton

Self (archive footage)

Tallulah Bankhead

Tallulah Bankhead

Self (archive footage)

William H. Hays

William H. Hays

Self (archive footage)

Gilbert Roland

Gilbert Roland

Self (archive footage)

Lee Phelps

Lee Phelps

Self (archive footage)

Nat Pendleton

Nat Pendleton

Self (archive footage)

Warner Oland

Warner Oland

Self (archive footage)

Maurice Murphy

Maurice Murphy

Self (archive footage)

Herbert Marshall

Herbert Marshall

Self (archive footage)

George F. Marion

George F. Marion

Self (archive footage)

Aline MacMahon

Aline MacMahon

Self (archive footage)

Dorothy Mackaill

Dorothy Mackaill

Self (archive footage)

Paul Lukas

Paul Lukas

Self (archive footage)

Jack La Rue

Jack La Rue

Self (archive footage)

Allen Jenkins

Allen Jenkins

Self (archive footage)

Olin Howland

Olin Howland

Self (archive footage)

Jean Hersholt

Jean Hersholt

Self (archive footage)

Ann Harding

Ann Harding

Self (archive footage)

Cary Grant

Cary Grant

Self (archive footage)

William Gargan

William Gargan

Self (archive footage)

Douglass Dumbrille

Douglass Dumbrille

Self (archive footage)

Cecil Cunningham

Cecil Cunningham

Self (archive footage)

Gary Cooper

Gary Cooper

Self (archive footage)

Maurice Chevalier

Maurice Chevalier

Self (archive footage)

Virginia Bruce

Virginia Bruce

Self (archive footage)

Charles Bickford

Charles Bickford

Self (archive footage)

Robert Barrat

Robert Barrat

Self (archive footage)

John Barrymore

John Barrymore

Self (archive footage)

Lionel Barrymore

Lionel Barrymore

Self (archive footage)

Wallace Beery

Wallace Beery

Self (archive footage)

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