What pre-Code era films are technically innovative and still hold up today?

[ElizabethFT]

I've been on a deep dive into Old Hollywood films from the 1930s and 40s, specifically the pre-Code era and the early works of directors like Howard Hawks. The pacing and dialogue in these movies feel so different from modern cinema, relying more on wit and implication than explicit action. I'm particularly fascinated by how they navigated censorship restrictions to tell sophisticated stories. What are some of the most technically innovative or subversive films from that period that still hold up for a contemporary viewer who isn't typically drawn to black-and-white classics?