Palmy Days (1931)

The 1931 pre-code Hollywood film PALMY DAYS features a “Pansy” buying a cake, drag, and two queer-coded leads.

PALMY DAYS
 1931. USA.
 Director: A. Edward Sutherland

Screenplay: Eddie Cantor, Morrie Ryskind, & David Freedman

 Starring: Eddie Cantor, Charlotte Greenwood, George Raft, Barbara Weeks, Spencer Charters and Paul Page

The 1931 film PALMY DAYS falls into the pre-code era of Hollywood, so we’re treated to a very ‘out’ Pansy character – he’s even wearing the flower in his lapel! Both the pansy flower and the word itself became code for gay in these early Hollywood films. Historian Vito Russo notes in his book “The Celluloid Closet” that the Hays censorship office sent out several memos to studios attempting to block the word from being used on screen in the late months of 1933. Not surprising, given that queer characters would eventually become banned (or heavily coded/hidden) in Hollywood films with the full implementation of the Hays Code in the summer of 1934.

Additionally, this scene reflects the “Pansy Craze” of the early 1930s in which Pansy characters reached the peak of their popularity on stage and screen – they were even seen in children’s cartoons! Both gay and straight actors played the characters, though it was generally for laughs. Unfortunately, their popularity quickly diminished with conservative backlash. But, you can see them quite a bit in pre-code films!

This particular Pansy in PALMY DAYS is only briefly on screen, but luckily there are a few more queer bits to enjoy in the film. Eddie Cantor’s character is queer-coded, dons drag, and spends a large part of the film trying to escape an athletic pants-wearing butch woman with a close-cropped haircut (Charlotte Greenwood). We are first introduced to her in the film leading a musical number in which she encourages a team of scantily clad chorus girls to “Bend Down, Sister.” …and they do.

You can find PALMY DAYS streaming on Prime & Hoopla (Canada/USA), for rent/purchase through AppleTV & Amazon, and is also available on DVD – though be warned, the film hasn’t exactly aged well and contains harmful racial stereotypes.