Before she was famous for her quick-wit and dry humour in
the 1940s screwball comedies, Claudette Colbert was the queen of determined sex
goddesses in the Precode era. She was often cast in starring roles as period
vamps, such as, in Sign of the Cross (1932) and Cleopatra (1934) and tough
workings girls in the Smilin Lieutenant (1932).
Her acting career began a few
years earlier in 1925 on Broadway appearing in See Naples and Die and Dynamo
with her first film role being in For The Love of Mike (1927).
Although many
people don’t credit it as a Precode film, Claudette’s greatest Precode
performance was in It Happened One Night released February 1934, months before
the code was to be strictly enforced. The film was not predicted to be a
critical success with both Myrna Loy and Constance Bennet rejecting the role
before Claudette accepted it – only with double the salary. However, the film
became a hit and was the first ever to win all five major Oscars at the Academy
Awards, including Best Actor, Actress and Director, Best Picture and Best Writing,
Adaptation.
The end of the Precode era seems to suit Claudette commenting that
she never wanted to appear in another sexy role after her saucy appearances and
made a successful career as the leading lady in a series of romantic comedies
into the late 1950’s. She continued perform both in films, television and on
stage up until her death in 1996.
Cool Claudette
Quote
As Ellen Andrews in It
Happened One Night (1934):
Peter Warne (Clark Gable): Why didn’t you take off all your clothes? You could have stopped forty cars,
Ellen Andrews (Claudette Colbert): Well, ooo, I’ll remember that when we need forty cars.
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