If you hear any of the following words or phrases used to describe a female character in a movie made before 1970, odds are good that they’re trying to tell you about a lesbian, a real shadows girl, someone who prefers the hour just after dusk, a gal with her own library card.

Improbable

Unlikely

Curious

Irregular

Oho

Fond of her health

Peculiar

Glasses

Inquisitive

“Pays her own way”

Well-read

Mysterious

Independent-minded

Pocketbook

Scholarly

Incurable

“She keeps her hands in her pockets”

Resourceful

Standoffish

Uninvited

Companionable

“Carries plenty of spare change”

A real pal

Unaccountable

A shirts-and-trousers female

Busy

“Carries her own purse”

Confidential

Marvelous

Uncanny

Contralto

Financially secure

Unfriendly

Private

Remarkable

Solitary

Loyal

Singular

Artistic

Unsympathetic

Reluctant

“She kisses backwards”

Sturdy

Outdoorsy

“She’s an evening girl, fond of the twilight hours”

Tight-lipped

Devoted

Civic-minded

Energetic

Steady-handed

Alert

“Stands up on a night train”