Forbidden Hollywood is a monthly series hosted by STL film critic Katie Carter celebrating the Pre-Code films of the early 1930s, when movies were wild, racy, transgressive, and tons of fun.

Marketed with the taglines “A picture with a wallop!” and “She changed her husbands like she changed her hats,” Warner Brothers’ 1934 comedy SMARTY may be more accurately described by its UK title, Hit Me Again. Vivacious Joan Blondell stars as Vickie, who sets the action of the film in motion when she goads her husband Tony (Warren William) into slapping her at a party. A messy whirl of divorce, remarriage, and extra-marital affairs among their social circle follows. Its abrasive treatment of its subject has generated controversy in the decades since its release, but while SMARTY is frequently derided for supposedly endorsing spousal abuse, it’s actually an incisive dive into the life of a woman who enjoys rough sex and knows how to get it, populated by female characters who always maintain their agency. Featuring one of the most pre-Code casts imaginable— character actors Edward Everett Horton and Frank McHugh as well as Claire Dodd join William and Blondell—SMARTY is the sort of gleefully sordid, uniquely pre-Code film that couldn’t even be made today.

Arkadin does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. However, we encourage researching titles to determine if a screening may contain content that could be upsetting to you. Please feel free to contact us for guidance on specific films. Information about content can also be found on Common Sense Media, IMDB and DoesTheDogDie.com, as well as through general internet searches.