Film critic Richard Schickel says that "American Madness" is Frank Capra's first truly great film. I don't know if I agree with him, but it's certainly terrific gem worthy of such accolade. The film is a fast-paced, exciting early social drama, written by Capra's long-time collaborator Robert Riskin, starring Walter Huston as the populist bank president Thomas Dickson who loans money to people in need during Depression.
"American Madness" opens with the bank's board of directors holding an emergency meeting with Dickson to discuss possible merger with the New York Trust. The board intends to end Dickson's reckless practice of lending money to people without collateral. Meanwhile, one of the bank's trusted officers Cyril Cluett (Gavin Gordon), under pressure from some hoods, arranges a robbery to pay off his gambling debts. As the events proceed, Cluett becomes involved with Dickson's glamorous wife Phyllis (Kay Johnson).
The robbery creates a huge mass hysteria as thousands of angry depositors rush to the bank to withdraw their investments -- one of Capra's most powerful images of mass hysteria, a sequence to rival the one in "Meet John Doe". Ultimately, two of Dickson's most efficient employees, Helen (played by the always radiant Constance Cummings) & Matt (Pat O'Brien) come to the aid of their boss.
Walter Huston is terrific as Dickson, a quirky but shrewd financier who is capable of understanding people's financial problems. He's also courteous to his employees and very faithful to his bored wife; at the same time he has a deep grasp of the duty of financial institutions to distribute money into circulation. In what is perhaps the most astute quote in the film, "Character", he muses, "is the only thing you can bank on!"
This was one of Huston's earliest roles; It ranks with "Dodsworth" (1936) and "Abraham Lincoln"(1930) as his very best.
"American Madness" opens with the bank's board of directors holding an emergency meeting with Dickson to discuss possible merger with the New York Trust. The board intends to end Dickson's reckless practice of lending money to people without collateral. Meanwhile, one of the bank's trusted officers Cyril Cluett (Gavin Gordon), under pressure from some hoods, arranges a robbery to pay off his gambling debts. As the events proceed, Cluett becomes involved with Dickson's glamorous wife Phyllis (Kay Johnson).
The robbery creates a huge mass hysteria as thousands of angry depositors rush to the bank to withdraw their investments -- one of Capra's most powerful images of mass hysteria, a sequence to rival the one in "Meet John Doe". Ultimately, two of Dickson's most efficient employees, Helen (played by the always radiant Constance Cummings) & Matt (Pat O'Brien) come to the aid of their boss.
Walter Huston is terrific as Dickson, a quirky but shrewd financier who is capable of understanding people's financial problems. He's also courteous to his employees and very faithful to his bored wife; at the same time he has a deep grasp of the duty of financial institutions to distribute money into circulation. In what is perhaps the most astute quote in the film, "Character", he muses, "is the only thing you can bank on!"
This was one of Huston's earliest roles; It ranks with "Dodsworth" (1936) and "Abraham Lincoln"(1930) as his very best.