MovieChat Forums > 42nd Street (1933) Discussion > Naughty lines that the censors missed?

Naughty lines that the censors missed?

posted 15 years ago by Eric-1226
10 replies | jump to latest

There was a brief scene (right before the 18:00 mark on DVD) early in the movie, during the rehearsal phase, when the cast and crew were working on the "It Must be June" musical number. We see in the front of the ensemble a row of the male chorus singers squatting down in a chair-like position, and each guy has a female singer sitting in his lap. The camera moves across the line of dancers, and we see Una Merkel's character sitting on some chorus guy's lap, and he says with some annoyance, "Hey, where ya' sittin'? Where ya' sittin'!?" And Una Merkel replies, "On a flagpole, dearie. On a flagpole!"

I couldn't help chuckle at that exchange. This movie must have been released before the Hays Code was strictly enforced.

"A little old lady got mutilated late last night… Werewolves of London again."

[–] collin-reid 15 years ago

Yes, 42nd Street and the next Busby films were thankfully released before the Code was strictly enforced. Shuffle

[–] Jane_Doe01 15 years ago

This movie must have been released before the Hays Code was strictly enforced.

This is indeed the case as the film was released in 1933, and the code wasn't seriously enforced until one year later in '34. No real censorship worries here.
In fact, pre-code era Warner Bros. musicals are actually notorious for being quite saucy and "adult" compared with the family-friendly MGM musicals of the 1940s and 50s most people now identify with the heyday of the genre. To see even worse in many of them (1920s-early 30s WB musicals that is) than the example you cited from this movie wasn't uncommon.

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] chester-copperpot-1 11 years ago

There was a lot of naughties in this film. And already in the opening scene. I was quite surprised by the not even subtle "I do for you, you do for me" exchange between Dorothy and Abner. Effectively, she traded sex for starring in the show, and she knew it. Above all, the audience knew it as well, it can't even be misinterpreted.

[–] Chiscully 9 years ago

A handful of naughty implies in the opening scenes! "I've never seen such a big contract!"

[–] ziggystar86 10 years ago

I got quite chocked couple of times watching this film, loved it, you don't expect old films to be so naughty.

[–] ziggystar86 10 years ago

I got quite chocked couple of times watching this film, loved it, you don't expect old films to be so naughty.

[–] lubin-freddy 9 years ago

... you don't expect old films to be so naughty.

Check up on other pre-code films, especially those made at Warner. My favorites are Design for Living and Baby Face.

Don't lend your hand to raise no flag atop no ship of fools.

[–] richspenc 7 years ago

In the 1930s and 1940s in real life, like today, you had the adult world and you had the family world. The main difference between pre and post code was pre code really showed up close the adult world of the day, post code a bit more the family world. And back then, how people were usually depended on where in America you were too. The Midwest and more rural areas and small towns in America in the 30s and 40s were still quite conservative where the majority of people really opposed of the content in pre code films, where in the bigger cities, especially New York and Los Angeles, there were alot more people who acted very much in real life like in the pre code films. Back then, there was still a large enough amount of conservatives that making the Hays code stick was successful. Today, there isn't nearly close to the same amount of conservative people to make any kind of difference. Still even though, even the pre code days of the early 30s were still noticeably more innocent than the 21st century is. Nothing back in those days were anything like today is.

[–] Thomasina 8 years ago

"Anytime Annie? Say, who could forget her? She only said 'No' once, and then she didn't hear the question!"