Virginia Rappe

Before the G, PG and R ratings system there was the Production Code, and before that there was, well, nothing. This eye-opening documentary examines the rampant sexuality of early Hollywood through movie clips and reminiscences by stars of the era. Gloria Swanson, Mary Pickford, Marlene Dietrich and others relate tales of the artistic freedom that led to the draconian Production Code, which governed content from 1934 to 1968. Diane Lane narrates.

The original film featured the then unknown Rudolph Valentino. To cash in on his rise to stardom, it was re-edited to feature more of him. Various shots were repeated several times; long shots were blown up into close-ups and inter-cut with other footage; some scenes were projected on a loop, so that Rudolph Valentino repeated the same motions several times over; one scene was used as a flashback; and out-takes from the original were inserted into the new film. In addition, the locale of the new picture was switched from World War 1 Germany to a desert island by the simple expedient of inserting shots of bathing beauties on a palm-fringed beach throughout the film.

A young man goes into the woods to hunt rabbits, and winds up getting mixed up with a dog, a lion and a beautiful woman.

Silent comedy featuring the Chaplin-esque Heinie Conklin. The ill-fated Virginia Rappe appears as a hotel guest.