7 lesbian-coded characters from Hollywood's pre-Code era
Actress Marlene Dietrich and Paul Porcasi in a scene from the movie Morocco.
The landscape of Hollywood underwent a drastic transformation when following the Hays Code became mandatory in 1934. These rules came down hard on anything the conservative enforcers deemed "sexual perversion," which, of course, meant even a whiff of queerness could cause major drama for moviemakers up until we finally ditched the whole thing in 1968.
But in the years before the Hays Code, films got away with a lot more. While explicit representation was still off-limits, plenty of characters gave off vibes that LGBTQ+ viewers have been picking up on ever since. From women in tuxedos to emotionally unavailable execs, here are seven pre-Code movie characters who were absolutely lesbian-coded, even if their narratives forced them into heteronormativity for the sake of plot.
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In Baby Face, Barbara Stanwyck plays Lily, a woman who sleeps her way to the top of the corporate world without a second thought. She shares a one-room apartment and a whole lot of chemistry with her best friend Chico (Theresa Harris), and while the movie never says anything outright, the vibe is very much there.
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Marlene Dietrich's Amy shows up in a tux, kisses a woman, and then strolls off like it's no big deal in 1930's Morocco. Sure, there's a male love interest, but perhaps there's an obvious reason why Amy "scorned all men," as the trailer declares.
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In Red-Headed Woman (1932), Jean Harlow stars as Lil, an agent of chaos who will flirt with literally anyone to get what she wants — and we mean anyone. Her scene with a female store clerk is brief, but loaded. And her general disinterest in settling down with a man? Yeah, girl. We know what you are.
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Marlene Dietrich plays Princess Sophia — soon to be Catherine the Great — in a film that's basically wall-to-wall dramatic lighting, corsets, and stone-cold stares. There's a whole lot of power, a whole lot of attitude, and not a man in sight that she seems particularly bothered about.
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Ruth Chatterton plays a no-nonsense auto executive who runs her company, seduces her male employees, and doesn't have time for emotional attachments in the aptly titled Female. She lives alone and makes it very clear she's not interested in being anyone's wife — which, in a 1933 movie, is basically sapphic behavior, even if it never crosses the line.
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It was only a matter of time before Katharine Hepburn showed up on the list. In her second film, Christopher Strong (1933), she dons pants, flies planes, and doesn't seem remotely interested in being anyone's wife. She technically falls for a man, but her whole energy screams 'lesbian aunt who casually vacations with her roommate for 40 years." That would be enough for us, but the fact that this one was directed by Dorothy Arzner? Yeah. She gay.
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Aaaand another one for Dietrich! (Go figure.) This time, she plays a nightclub performer with a persona that feels designed to make straight people nervous. She's technically in love with her husband, but her entire wardrobe, energy, and the way she commands a room of women? Yeah, she knows what she's doing — and she's definitely done it before.
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