I didn’t announce it here beforehand, because I’d assumed that if it was the restored, pre-censored version–the movie that woke the Catholic Church to the dangers of Hollywoodland–TCM would have promoted it to that effect. Which they didn’t; it was simply on the schedule like another showing of Baby Face, which they probably show once or twice a year.
Brief summary: *Baby Face *is the story of woman (Miss Barbara Stanwyck at her no-nonsense best) whose father’s sudden and violent death frees her from his pimping her out to the drunken louts who frequent his drinking establishment. Her maid[sup]1[/sup] in tow, she makes her way to the big city and sleeps her way to a penthouse view. Baby Face was considered uncensorable by the Hays office; it was just too vile, and no cuts could be made that would make it suitable for human consumption. So it was simply shelved when Joseph Breen came into power and the Code grew teeth. Eventually, however, it was rereleased in a censored version. This is the version that’s always been available.
Risque as that version is, needless to say it’s nothing like the version that was shelved as uncensorable.[sup]2[/sup] That version, long thought lost, turned up in a Library of Congress vault a couple years ago. It made the rounds in theatrical release–I saw it with a few people, including another Doper, a the Seattle Film Forum.
Anyway, TCM has finally updated its library to include the original version of Baby Face. I TiFaux’ed it, even though I already have a copy of the censored version, just in case. Imagine my delight[sup]3[/sup] when I discovered, upon digging through my TiFaux like a crab trap this morning to see what it had dragged in. I also recorded the original, and never before available Waterloo Bridge, and Red Headed Woman, Jean Harlow’s raciest role.
(A little amazon fu reveals that last’s night pre-code threefer on TCM follows the programming of a newly release box set called Forbidden Hollywood, Volume 1. I urge you all to buy this forthwith. I’m gonna order it through work, at cost. 
)
[ol]
[li]Theresa Harris as Chico, a nearly unique portrayal–this side of Judge Priest–of a sympathetic black character who, while unequal in social stature, is the protagonist’s equal as a friend and confidante.[/li][li]And no, as I told a guy I work with when we were talking about this, it doesn’t show actual vadge. But it does make it clear that the protagonist’s manipulation of men for personal gain is a choice she makes, while the censored version portrays her more as a victim.[/li][*]Go on, imagine it.[/ol]
