Of course, the first question upon reading the book’s title, is what does “pre-Code” mean?Especially, from today’s perspective in America’s mirage industry.“Pre-Code”, writes author Vieira, a Hollywood photographer who specializes in the history ofthe motion picture industry, “is not a film genre like the western or the musical. It is aretrospective discovery, like ‘film noir’ or screwball comedy. Unlike these two, ‘pre-Code’ lastedonly a few years”.Thus, Mark’s 272 pages are divided into a six-part chronology, with an Epilogue, i.e., “TheRoaring Twenties”, “1930”, “1931”, “1932”, “1933”, and “1934”. When Mae West made “SheDone Him Wrong”, she had no idea she was making a “pre-Code” feature. She thought she wasmaking a movie about her favorite subject. The pre-Code tag came later, when it was realizedthat these films shared a time, a place, and an attitude. Mark Vieira then explains what theterms pre-Code, Code, and “forbidden” really mean.Serious film buffs already know that silent films were not pre-Code movies, and not every pre-Code film was a low budget shocker. The silent, for the most part, were made with artistry,emotional integrity, and all the elements found in love, thought, and happiness. Most of thepre-Code films had big stars, big directors, and big budgets, which often helped them defy theCode. Thus, one can sense how valuable Mark’s “Forbidden Hollywood” truly is, an absoluteessential text where public, private, and personal film libraries are found. Some of the better-known film titles that today are considered “pre-Code” include, “The Divorcee”, “Little Caesar”,“Public Enemy”, “Frankenstein”, “Scarface”, “Islands of Lost Souls”, “The Sign of the Cross”,“She Done Him Wrong”, “Queen Christina”, and “Tarzan and His Mate”.Reading “Forbidden Hollywood” not only leaves one with a bit more knowledge about thegreatest of all the creative arts, but also the truth about America’s most controversial cinematic
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