Revenge of the female anti-hero, Baby Face (1933)

Revenge of the female anti-hero, Baby Face (1933)

Author: Greg Titian & Meredith Ambelang June 3, 2025 Duration: 1:11:29
It is both refreshing and enraging to see the great female characters of the pre-code film era. These women were central characters with agency, desires, motives and in this case deadly control over every man she meets. We lost female characters like this for 30+ years and some could argue they were never the same. Baby Face (1933) is a dark movie about an anti-hero who uses her sex appeal to exact revenge on men. This movie was heavily censored even before the code went into effect. In the early 2000's an original copy of the film in its full form was discovered! Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Baby Face (1933) 02:59 Exploring the Pre-Code Era and Censorship 06:01 The Role of Women in Pre-Code Cinema 09:02 Character Analysis: Lily Powers and Her Journey 12:02 The Dark Themes of Baby Face 14:59 Censorship and Its Impact on the Film 17:56 The Relationships and Dynamics in Baby Face 20:58 The Ending and Its Implications 24:03 Concluding Thoughts on Baby Face and Its Legacy 34:57 The Power of Manipulation in Film 41:11 Female Empowerment and Revenge 42:47 Cultural Reflections in Historical Cinema 44:13 Critical Reception and Lasting Impact 49:03 Reality vs. Fiction in Modern Storytelling 56:41 The Importance of Narrative Integrity Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Midnight Local is where the formal workday ends and the real, rambling conversations begin. Hosts Greg Titian and Meredith Ambelang, the creative forces behind the YouTube series How to Drink, know all about crafting content within the confines of a studio. This podcast is what happens after the cameras stop rolling. It’s the unfiltered, often hilarious, and deeply nerdy dialogue that bubbles up when two people who live and breathe pop culture-specifically TV, film, and history-are finally off the clock. Imagine pausing a movie because a thought about a director’s earlier work, a historical inaccuracy, or a bizarre piece of trivia simply cannot wait for the credits. That’s the energy here. Each episode feels like eavesdropping on a late-night chat between friends who are equally passionate and knowledgeable, where the structure of a typical show is willingly abandoned for a more interesting detour. You’ll hear the tangents, the debates, and the unexpected connections between a classic film and a modern series, all fueled by years of working together in creative chaos. Tune into this podcast for a companionable dive into the stories behind the stories, where the analysis is as entertaining as the media itself.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 60

Midnight Local
Podcast Episodes
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Duration: 1:10:52
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The Big 3-Oh No! Logan's Run (1976) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Over population isn't real, 'Soylent Green' (1973) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20:09
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'Severance' the GOAT of TV [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:04
SPOILER ALERT! We LOVE the TV show Severance so much that it has come up in three of our recent episodes! So, even though it is a little different from what we usually cover on Midnight Local, we decided to dedicate an e…
Nothing can prepare you for 'Earth Girls Are Easy' (1988) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:13
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This movie changed the WORLD, 'Gold Diggers of 1933' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:25
Gold Diggers of 1933 is possibly the best and most fun pre-code movie. You will be surprised how modern it feels. This movie has it all, Busby Berkley dance numbers, strong female leads, comedy, relevant political commen…
The Original Gangster, 'The Public Enemy' (1931) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:33:50
We have spent nearly a century trying to make another gangster movie this good and some could argue we haven't done it yet. Being released before the Hay's code allows this movie to really speak it's mind and it does. Wi…
'Idiocracy' prophecy or eugenics manifesto? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:21
In light of current events we couldn't ignore the 2006 film 'Idiocracy' any longer. People like to think of this film as something of a prophecy but unfortunately it is mostly just a eugenics movie that seems to trip ove…
Tammy and the T-rex (1994), Clueless...but not. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:58
This movie feels like it is happening at exactly the same time, but outside of the frame lines of Clueless...and in a slightly sideways universe. What's a girl to do when her boyfriend comes back to life as a Mechanical…
'Blind Date' (1984) is a Mastorakian Masterpiece! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:21:54
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