'Sin in Soft Focus: Paramount Pre-Code'

Nov. 3-24, Balboa Theater

PROBABLY NO STUDIO had quite so much to lose from the 1934 arrival of newly strict, industry-regulative production code strictures as Paramount, the home of Hollywood's leading sex-comedy masters both sophisticated (director Ernst Lubitsch) and bawdy (writer-star Mae West). In fact, the outrage of religious and miscellaneous other crusaders against West's lewd screen shenanigans – she was perceived by many as a real moral danger – was responsible more than any other single factor for forcing the movies into serious self-censorship (as opposed to the token kind it had gotten away with previously). Paramount survived, of course. But as this terrific three-week retrospective of its early talkie, pre-code shows, one incredible silver-screen party particular to its era was definitely over. The 43 titles – including shorts (cartoon sexpot Betty Boop and W.C. Fields's notorious The Dentist among them), numerous classic features, and many very rare ones – are gold-standard. Even the odd not-so-great title – like 1933's The Story of Temple Drake, adapted from a novel (Faulkner's Sanctuary) that, like Lolita 30 years later, was considered too shocking to film – is of great historical interest. Obvious highlights include definitive showcases for the Marx Brothers (Duck Soup, Horse Feathers), Fields (Million Dollar Legs, International House), and West (She Done Him Wrong, I'm No Angel). Then there's history at its most orgy-centric à la Cecil B. DeMille (Sign of the Cross, Cleopatra); memorably lurid horror (Island of Dr. Moreau, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde); Lubitsch's brilliant sex farces (Love Me Tonight, Design for Living, etc.); the indelible collaborations between visual master Josef von Sternberg and objet d'art Marlene Dietrich (The Scarlet Empress, Blonde Venus). Then there are lesser-known but delightful vehicles for the studio's grade-A cheesecakes (Claudette Colbert, Clara Bow, Carole Lombard) and beefcakes (Cary Grant, George Raft, Buster Crabbe). Author Mark A. Vieira, whose book lends this series its title, curated a lobby exhibition of memorabilia and will introduce the first two evening programs. Another special event is the adults-only "Sin Pan Alley" burlesque revue Nov. 9, featuring such naughty local nostalgics as Kitten on the Keys and the Scenic Sisters. See Rep Clock for this week's film schedule; go to www.balboamovies.com for complete information. (Dennis Harvey)