20.02.24, 20:30, I'm No Angel (1933)

"When I'm good, I'm very good, but when I'm bad, I'm better." Hollywood diva Mae West shone in I'm No Angel as Tira, the ravishing circus performer who tames lions like men — with blonde charm and sharp satire. As she makes her way through New York's high society jungle, she plays her own opportunistic game. With a new and challenging circus number, her audiences swoon away and come under fire from her raunchy one-liners.

The test of time galvanised I'm No Angel into a true Hollywood classic, but in 1933 the film was considered somewhat controversial because of Mae West's provocative performances and feisty personality. The Hays Code, a set of introduced guidelines for self-censorship in the film industry, was implemented during the film's production. Despite the Code's (self)censorship, West's evocative dialogues and high-profile performances managed to chafe against the limits of the permissible. The success and popularity of I'm No Angel lies in West's ability to navigate and challenge the limitations the censors place in morality. A true pre-Code diva, she made an indelible mark on the entertainment industry and thus remains as an eternal inspiration for female sassy characters of all nations.