Complicated Women: Sex and Power in Pre-Code Hollywood in Golden Age of Hollywood Book Club

Dec 08, 2022 Jill Hutchinson rated it liked it

Shelves: non-fiction, film-music-history

Have you ever read a book that you couldn't decide if you liked it or didn't? That happened to me with this history of film/actresses in Pre-Code Hollywood. I have been on a bit of a binge of early film lately and am especially interested in those that were made before the Code came into being. Those were the days when women had the same freedom as men and didn't have to be punished for that freedom.

This book addresses those films and does it well, but it turns into a biography of Norma Shearer ...more

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Jan 06, 2008 Judy rated it it was amazing

Excellent, like the sequel 'Dangerous Men'. Both of these have left me wanting to watch as many pre-code movies as possible! ...more

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Jan 20, 2018 Magnus Stanke rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, film, pre-code

I can't praise this book enough. It's the Best, together with the 'sequel' Dangerous Men!!!

Complicated Women is intelligent, highly readable, informative and perceptive in equal measure. It tells the story of the Pre-Codes (uncensored Hollywood films between 1929 and 1934) in the best possible context, with just enough examples and synopsys to makes its points without ever becoming boring or overbearing.
As I'm writing this in early 2018, the entertainment world (and not only that) is at a crossr ...more

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Sep 13, 2016 Tara rated it liked it

Shelves: music-and-movies

While I question the logic that promiscuity somehow equals independence or freedom, it was an entertaining read which made me want to turn on TCM and start watching these classic movies to see what all the fuss is about.

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