Val Lewton's pre-Code

Lokke Heiss · Post by **Lokke Heiss** » Mon Mar 22, 2010 9:28 am

I recently found out about Val Lewton's career as a writer before he went to Hollywood, and am reading his novel, "No Bed of her Own." It's set in 1931, and is the story of young woman in New York who gets fired from her steno job and has to cope with no job, no food, and no roof over her head.

It's a great read, and more than any other book I've read, puts me in the head of someone going through that time and place.

And the book is frank and blunt, shockingly frank, and told from the woman's POV. This book is sort of a transition novel between Crane's Maggie: Girl of the Streets and Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's. When Rose, the steno girl starts calling guys around her, "you rats," her prefiguration of Holly Golightly becomes cemented.

The book was sold to Hollywood, but because of its content, was unable to be made. The book is really hot stuff, not just because of the blatant discussion of sex, but because it's the act is not a moral issue for Rose. Even in most pre-Codes like Baby Face, the brazen sexuality of Stanwyck's character is explained by her upbringing, and she is 'reformed' at the end.

Anyway, I urge any reader of this list (you know who you are) to read this book, and enjoy a different kind of 'pre-Code.'

Post by **Mike Gebert** » Mon Mar 22, 2010 10:09 am

Well, "pre-Code" authors would be an interesting topic. For me the obvious one is Thorne Smith; many of his books were filmed (Topper and I Married a Witch being the best-known) but some were risque enough to be unfilmable (The Bishop's Jaegers, with its climax at a nudist colony, being one example) and they all have a definite screwball comedy feel that will have you imagining Paramount art direction as you read. They used to be easy and inexpensive to find in used book stores, except for a couple of rarities (his children's book Lazy Bear Lane is quite collectible), and they're kind of all the same (except for a serious novel, Did She Fall?), so read whichever one you find first.

rollot24 · Post by **rollot24** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 1:00 pm

I just found a bunch of Thorne Smith at ABE books fairly cheap.

Lokke Heiss · Post by **Lokke Heiss** » Tue Mar 23, 2010 10:56 pm

rollot24 wrote:I just found a bunch of Thorne Smith at ABE books fairly cheap.

I just finished No Bed... and thought it was terrific. It would have been unfilmable without some major changes, although it would have been fun to see someone try it.

So Lewton follows his formula: Hidden under the lurid cover and title is a book that does a lot more than it has any right to do.

Which of the Thorne Smith books would you recommend I start with?

Post by **Mike Gebert** » Wed Mar 24, 2010 5:31 am

I really think they're kind of all the same, and you'll like whichever ones you read first. Maybe The Glorious Pool, Turnabout or The Bishop's Jaegers, as being the most unfilmable (Turnabout was filmed, but substantially cleaned up). The easiest editions to find are called things like "Thorne Smith Triple-Decker," three books in one volume.

FrankFay · Post by **FrankFay** » Wed Mar 24, 2010 6:53 am

Start with "Topper" since you're likely to be familiar with the film and TV versions. There's quite a difference in tone between the page and screen and (if I'm not misremembering) Marion Kerby spends quite a lot of time wearing very little.

milefilms · Post by **milefilms** » Wed Mar 24, 2010 7:31 am

Thorne Smith used to spend his summers in Free Acres, New Jersey, a single-tax community that appealed to a lot of left-wing artist-types. At the bottom of this page http://www.flickr.com/photos/30468735@N02/page6/, there's a photo of Smith working outside on his portable table writing his novels. At the site, there's also other photos of actors, poets, artists, etc. Paul Robeson was also a frequent visitor though there doesn't seem to be any photos of him there. And yes, there's my father and his family as well.