For a supposedly low-budget film this has an excellent script and fine cast. It might even be a noir classic. Lots of scenic San Francisco location shooting. This includes an exciting rooftop chase of a suspect in the middle of the film. However the finale, shot at historic Fort Point near the Golden Gate Bridge, is surprisingly un-action packed and lacks the punch of the rest of the film. Also, a third car that was supposed to be in on the chase just disappears with no explanation. Still, the gradual unraveling of the mystery is done well, neat twists and turns and worth a view. Just a little Hitchcockian type suspense at the end would have made it a classic.
Reviews
38 Reviews
Crime Doctor
(1943)
B-movie nostalgia
21 July 2022
When a 1943 movie boasts it's based on a radio show, one doesn't exactly expect Shakespeare. When it tells the story of a criminal with amnesia who breezes through medical school to become a leading psychiatrist one doesn't expect much relation to reality as we know it. This expectation is fulfilled by depictions of hospitals, universities, prisons and courtrooms in keeping with 1940s comic book standards.
Those quibbles out of the way, I must admit this is fast-paced fun with plenty of action, not much real violence, a plot that makes sense within its simplistic worldview, snappy dialog and minor characters with personality in their brief appearances. The fact that this film spawned nine sequels in six years indicates it must have had something going for it.
A few relatively bigtime actors (Warner Baxter, Ray Collins, Leon Ames) if not in their most memorable roles, a few interchangeable attractive, if not well-remembered, young actresses, and 66 minutes of escapist fun, reminiscent to this old-timer of movies we'd watch on TV in the 50s on rainy afternoons. And now you can see it uninterrupted by commercials. What more could you ask for?
Those quibbles out of the way, I must admit this is fast-paced fun with plenty of action, not much real violence, a plot that makes sense within its simplistic worldview, snappy dialog and minor characters with personality in their brief appearances. The fact that this film spawned nine sequels in six years indicates it must have had something going for it.
A few relatively bigtime actors (Warner Baxter, Ray Collins, Leon Ames) if not in their most memorable roles, a few interchangeable attractive, if not well-remembered, young actresses, and 66 minutes of escapist fun, reminiscent to this old-timer of movies we'd watch on TV in the 50s on rainy afternoons. And now you can see it uninterrupted by commercials. What more could you ask for?
Mr. Ace
(1946)
An ideological mess of historic interest
25 June 2022
This film's makers probably were aiming at a kind of political satire that Capra and Sturges sometimes brought off, but a lack of focus and fear of breaching the production code resulted in a script that lurches one way and then another.
Sylvia Sidney is excellent as a female politician, back when such things were rare, doing her best to conceal her ambition and ruthlessness behind an attractive demeanor with a fixed smile. The script doesn't quite know what to make of her. At first she seems not only wholly self-centered but frigid, having driven her husband, whom she married for his wealth and position, into the arms of other women without her much caring about it. Later she becomes more sympathetic for not being corrupt like most of the other pols around her, and for having to walk a fine line between being ladylike and being "one of the boys."
George Raft is his usual stoic self as a hard-bitten political with hinted-at mob connections whose only ideology is winning and graft (or G. Raft).
Sidney's idea is to lure him away from the machine candidate to back her. In one scene she inveigles him into spending the night at her place with apparent intentions of seducing him, but then the movie gets cold feet and the scene fizzles out, as do many others.
Still the film addresses, albeit timidly, political corruption and the ease with which the masses can be manipulated, and also reminds us of the pervasive sexism of that era. Sidney is repeatedly told "you're too attractive to run for office." Was ugliness considered a necessary attribute of female politicians in those days?
As you'd expect, some romantic sparks eventually fly between the two co-stars en route to its wildly implausible ending.
Good cinematography and some lavish interior decoration. If you're the type who enjoys watching old films for a window into the political atmosphere of their times, this is for you.
Sylvia Sidney is excellent as a female politician, back when such things were rare, doing her best to conceal her ambition and ruthlessness behind an attractive demeanor with a fixed smile. The script doesn't quite know what to make of her. At first she seems not only wholly self-centered but frigid, having driven her husband, whom she married for his wealth and position, into the arms of other women without her much caring about it. Later she becomes more sympathetic for not being corrupt like most of the other pols around her, and for having to walk a fine line between being ladylike and being "one of the boys."
George Raft is his usual stoic self as a hard-bitten political with hinted-at mob connections whose only ideology is winning and graft (or G. Raft).
Sidney's idea is to lure him away from the machine candidate to back her. In one scene she inveigles him into spending the night at her place with apparent intentions of seducing him, but then the movie gets cold feet and the scene fizzles out, as do many others.
Still the film addresses, albeit timidly, political corruption and the ease with which the masses can be manipulated, and also reminds us of the pervasive sexism of that era. Sidney is repeatedly told "you're too attractive to run for office." Was ugliness considered a necessary attribute of female politicians in those days?
As you'd expect, some romantic sparks eventually fly between the two co-stars en route to its wildly implausible ending.
Good cinematography and some lavish interior decoration. If you're the type who enjoys watching old films for a window into the political atmosphere of their times, this is for you.
They Met in a Taxi
(1936)
Too bad it was post-code
10 May 2022
The success of Frank Capra's It Happened One Night in 1934 starring Claudette Colbert and Clark Gable spawned a host of movies about madcap daughters of millionaires fleeing a planned marriage, meeting a rugged two-fisted working-class male and you can guess the rest. None of them enjoyed the success of the original, which won all major Academy Awards.
This one doesn't come close. You might be tempted to ask "How could Fay Wray and Chester Morris compare with Claudette Colbert and Clark Gable?" Not too badly, actually. They're both attractive and well-suited for their roles. The big problem is that It Happened One Night was made before the dreaded Production Code was enforced rigorously and this film was made after. Thus, They Met in a Taxi fails to even hint at any sexual undercurrent inherent in presumed fleeing heiress Wray hiding out in cab driver Morris's apartment. They're more like two squabbling children, at the beginning at least. There is one original twist to the plot that unfortunately most of the other user reviews have given away.
There are things to like here, mostly the performances of the two stars and sidekicks Lionel Stander as a larcenous fellow cabbie and Raymond Walburn as an effusive gossip columnist. The plot shifts to a search for missing jewels but there's no real tension. You just know from the blandness of it all that we're headed for a happy ending with few complications.
Still, if you're a fan of late-1930s "screwball comedies" or a Fay Wray fan like me you'll get some enjoyment. It just could have been a lot more.
This one doesn't come close. You might be tempted to ask "How could Fay Wray and Chester Morris compare with Claudette Colbert and Clark Gable?" Not too badly, actually. They're both attractive and well-suited for their roles. The big problem is that It Happened One Night was made before the dreaded Production Code was enforced rigorously and this film was made after. Thus, They Met in a Taxi fails to even hint at any sexual undercurrent inherent in presumed fleeing heiress Wray hiding out in cab driver Morris's apartment. They're more like two squabbling children, at the beginning at least. There is one original twist to the plot that unfortunately most of the other user reviews have given away.
There are things to like here, mostly the performances of the two stars and sidekicks Lionel Stander as a larcenous fellow cabbie and Raymond Walburn as an effusive gossip columnist. The plot shifts to a search for missing jewels but there's no real tension. You just know from the blandness of it all that we're headed for a happy ending with few complications.
Still, if you're a fan of late-1930s "screwball comedies" or a Fay Wray fan like me you'll get some enjoyment. It just could have been a lot more.
The Clairvoyant
(1935)
Accept the premise for the sake of drama and it's a gripping film
18 April 2022
I don't believe in fortune tellers or clairvoyants. If you happen to, it may add to your enjoyment of this fast-paced drama lightened by occasional snippets of humor typical of British cinema of the 1930s.
However one needn't believe in angels to enjoy It's a Wonderful Life, or in reincarnation to enjoy Heaven Can Wait. If you accept the premise that fake music hall mind reader Maximus (Claude Rains) develops the ability to really foretell the future, at least in certain circumstances, then this is an exciting drama, excellently directed and designed with an all-star cast. As often in similar plots, his gift is a mixed blessing and the possibility is raised that some of his prophecies are more self-fulfilling than clairvoyant.
No need to give away any more than that, so nothing more to say except I don't understand why some reviewers here call it a low-budget production. It strikes me as the opposite, with some grandiose sets and convincing crowd scenes.
However one needn't believe in angels to enjoy It's a Wonderful Life, or in reincarnation to enjoy Heaven Can Wait. If you accept the premise that fake music hall mind reader Maximus (Claude Rains) develops the ability to really foretell the future, at least in certain circumstances, then this is an exciting drama, excellently directed and designed with an all-star cast. As often in similar plots, his gift is a mixed blessing and the possibility is raised that some of his prophecies are more self-fulfilling than clairvoyant.
No need to give away any more than that, so nothing more to say except I don't understand why some reviewers here call it a low-budget production. It strikes me as the opposite, with some grandiose sets and convincing crowd scenes.
Identity Unknown
(1945)
Surprisingly touching low-budget drama of returning WW II vet
30 March 2022
This film, ostensibly about a US soldier returning from World War Two with amnesia searching for his former identity, is actually about the effects of losing a loved one in the war. It surprisingly touching and has a low-key naturalness uncommon in low-budget Republic Pictures productions, probably thanks to screenwriter Richard Weil, as the rest of the production crew have few noteworthy accomplishments.
Richard Arlen, who in real life served in World War One, is thus about one war too old for the lead character and turns in his usual stiff performance, here suitable for one suffering from memory loss. The underlying gimmick is that he's told that could be any of four missing GIs. Yes, this could have been resolved by sending his photo to the four families involved, but the script manages to make his mission somewhat plausible. His traveling around the country for a week with nothing but his uniform, which remains clean and neatly pressed just as he stays well-groomed and clean-shaven, is less plausible but typical of Hollywood movies of all eras.
He encounters, respectively, the wife, the son, the brother, and the parents of the four men, each episode containing a small drama in itself related directly or indirectly to the missing soldier's absence. Some twists and turns along the way. No need to spoil them.
There have been lavishly produced better-known films about the war's effects on the home front and returning soldiers, yet somehow I felt this forgotten film better captures the bittersweet feeling of victory mingled with loss.
Best performance is by Bobby Driscoll, just beginning his career as a child star that was to end in tragedy. More surprising is that of Cheryl Walker, now almost unknown, as a soldier's widow. Walker was a SoCal beauty queen who had a brief film career before becoming something of a Bircher in later life. This may not suggest a major talent but her performance here is moving and sympathetic. Somehow she never got beyond B movies and stand-in work.
I'm not a big fan of movies relating to war, but this one struck a chord with me. Its naturalistic portrayal of ordinary people was more common in European movies at that time.
The part of the brother of one of the missing is played by one John Forrest. Watching it one would assume he was a well-known character actor yet he appeared in only ten other films, all in uncredited bit parts. I mention this because everyone involved seemed to performing over their heads. Nice score by another non-household word, Jay Chernis. Just one of those times when everything clicks.
Richard Arlen, who in real life served in World War One, is thus about one war too old for the lead character and turns in his usual stiff performance, here suitable for one suffering from memory loss. The underlying gimmick is that he's told that could be any of four missing GIs. Yes, this could have been resolved by sending his photo to the four families involved, but the script manages to make his mission somewhat plausible. His traveling around the country for a week with nothing but his uniform, which remains clean and neatly pressed just as he stays well-groomed and clean-shaven, is less plausible but typical of Hollywood movies of all eras.
He encounters, respectively, the wife, the son, the brother, and the parents of the four men, each episode containing a small drama in itself related directly or indirectly to the missing soldier's absence. Some twists and turns along the way. No need to spoil them.
There have been lavishly produced better-known films about the war's effects on the home front and returning soldiers, yet somehow I felt this forgotten film better captures the bittersweet feeling of victory mingled with loss.
Best performance is by Bobby Driscoll, just beginning his career as a child star that was to end in tragedy. More surprising is that of Cheryl Walker, now almost unknown, as a soldier's widow. Walker was a SoCal beauty queen who had a brief film career before becoming something of a Bircher in later life. This may not suggest a major talent but her performance here is moving and sympathetic. Somehow she never got beyond B movies and stand-in work.
I'm not a big fan of movies relating to war, but this one struck a chord with me. Its naturalistic portrayal of ordinary people was more common in European movies at that time.
The part of the brother of one of the missing is played by one John Forrest. Watching it one would assume he was a well-known character actor yet he appeared in only ten other films, all in uncredited bit parts. I mention this because everyone involved seemed to performing over their heads. Nice score by another non-household word, Jay Chernis. Just one of those times when everything clicks.
Attorney for the Defense
(1932)
Comes in like a lion, goes out like a lamb
14 March 2022
The first half of this movie is a fine example of a fast-paced pre-code drama raising moral issues (i. E., how far should an attorney go in prosecuting a doubtful case) with crisp dialogue, surprising plot twists, and a cynical attitude. About midway it slows down and resolves in a tepid courtroom scene with the climax pulled out of a hat as in a lesser Perry Mason episode. Too bad. Worth a watch for pre-code buffs and those who enjoy any courtroom scene as long as the good guy wins.
PC alert: Talented black actor Clarence Muse, who seldom got meaningful roles in that era, plays a key witness. He isn't treated disrespectfully but Muse was made to act the role in the stereotypical eye-rolling childish manner and cornball dialect then seemingly required.
PC alert: Talented black actor Clarence Muse, who seldom got meaningful roles in that era, plays a key witness. He isn't treated disrespectfully but Muse was made to act the role in the stereotypical eye-rolling childish manner and cornball dialect then seemingly required.
Bachelor Apartment
(1931)
Spicy pre-code Cinderella tale
5 February 2022
And what better time for Cinderella tales than the Great Depression, when shopgirls, secretaries and waitresses (like Mia Farrow in Purple Rose of Cairo) could dream about Prince Charming, or in a pinch a mere millionaire, recognizing their inner goodness, virtue and purity, giving them that ring and whisking them away to live happily ever after.
Such tales became a bit stale and predictable but never fear, this is way before the Production Code took hold and there are several twists and turns before the inevitable.
Leading man Lowell Sherman, who died unexpectedly in 1934 at age 48, was a suave William Powell type onscreen as well as a successful director. Early Irene Dunne, as virtuous stenographer with requisite untamed younger sister, was perfect for conveying the kind of prissiness required for the role. There are two other gold-digging floozies to contrast with Irene's idealism, one of whom appears briefly in a see-through nightgown towards the end. This really was pre-code. Even Sherman's Jeeves-like butler is a bit of a cad in one scene.
Most of the complications arise from two of Sherman's old flames pursuing him while he pursues Dunne. One of them kind of fades out like the screenwriter forgot about her, or maybe some bits ended up on the cutting room floor. The other is a nasty, if somewhat cartoonish, femme fatale who stirs up some surprisingly serious trouble.
Much snappy dialogue and a good example of the fast-paced adult films that would become unmakeable in Hollywood a few years later.
Such tales became a bit stale and predictable but never fear, this is way before the Production Code took hold and there are several twists and turns before the inevitable.
Leading man Lowell Sherman, who died unexpectedly in 1934 at age 48, was a suave William Powell type onscreen as well as a successful director. Early Irene Dunne, as virtuous stenographer with requisite untamed younger sister, was perfect for conveying the kind of prissiness required for the role. There are two other gold-digging floozies to contrast with Irene's idealism, one of whom appears briefly in a see-through nightgown towards the end. This really was pre-code. Even Sherman's Jeeves-like butler is a bit of a cad in one scene.
Most of the complications arise from two of Sherman's old flames pursuing him while he pursues Dunne. One of them kind of fades out like the screenwriter forgot about her, or maybe some bits ended up on the cutting room floor. The other is a nasty, if somewhat cartoonish, femme fatale who stirs up some surprisingly serious trouble.
Much snappy dialogue and a good example of the fast-paced adult films that would become unmakeable in Hollywood a few years later.
Are You Listening?
(1932)
Kind of a mess with some pre-code moments
3 February 2022
William Haines, usually a leading man in light romantic comedies in silents and early talkies, has become a bit of a cult figure because his career may have ended because he refused to give up what for those days was a fairly open gay lifestyle, even if not known to the general public. Then again, he just may have outgrown that type of role and his career would have ended anyway. Don't feel bad, he became a renowned interior decorator to the stars.
In this, his last big film, it looks like the studio wanted to put him in a more serious role but couldn't quite decide if the film was a comedy, a romance, a soap opera, or something darker.
It's pre-code in the way the sympathy is tilted toward his relationship with his girl friend and away from his shrewish wife, who seems to have no function in life but to be frigid, criticize everything he does, and demand money.
The plot revolves more around the girl friend and her two sisters and their love lives. Most of the plot strands end up unresolved or resolved in unconvincingly lame fashion.
Not terrible but mostly for those like myself who find most pre-code films interesting for their style and historic interest, even the lesser ones.
In this, his last big film, it looks like the studio wanted to put him in a more serious role but couldn't quite decide if the film was a comedy, a romance, a soap opera, or something darker.
It's pre-code in the way the sympathy is tilted toward his relationship with his girl friend and away from his shrewish wife, who seems to have no function in life but to be frigid, criticize everything he does, and demand money.
The plot revolves more around the girl friend and her two sisters and their love lives. Most of the plot strands end up unresolved or resolved in unconvincingly lame fashion.
Not terrible but mostly for those like myself who find most pre-code films interesting for their style and historic interest, even the lesser ones.
Lawyer Man
(1932)
OK if you don't care too much about making sense
29 December 2021
William Powell is a brilliant small-time lawyer on the Lower East Side who seems to specialize in defending sleazy characters. You pretty much have to take his brilliance on trust since although in the courtroom scenes we're treated to shots of clocks ticking, calendar pages dropping, and anxious faces of the participants, we never actually hear any legal oratory. Imagine, say, a Perry Mason show where we don't hear any witnesses or legal arguments, just the verdict.
When Powell gets small-time punk Allen Jenkins off for some unspecified misdeed, to blaring front-page headlines of course, his legal adversary, wealthy Park Avenue lawyer Alan Dinehart, is so impressed he asks Powell to become his partner. Why this crook was being prosecuted by Dinehart rather than the D. A. is a bit of a mystery.
Powell, whose moral compass seems to swing 180 degrees every few minutes, is bitterly opposed to crooked political boss David Landau, who seems to run all New York City but does nothing to Powell but whine, grovel and beg him to join his team. A bit less ruthless than you'd expect.
There are various twists and turns ahead but by now you get the idea. There's not so much a plot but a string of episodes supposed to convince us of Powell's legal genius which we never actually see on display in the courtroom.
There's also Joan Blondell in a familiar role as the loyal secretary whom everyone in the world but Powell can see is madly in love with him, and both Claire Dodd and Helen Vinson, a bit of overkill, in their typical roles as amoral sexy blonde man-traps. For a two-fisted cynic who worked his way up from the streets, Powell's character has all the savvy of a five-year-old in dealing with women.
Strong cast, snappy dialogue, fast pace, but a bit hollow at the core. Slightly racy in parts but not real hard-core pre-code. You know the type.
When Powell gets small-time punk Allen Jenkins off for some unspecified misdeed, to blaring front-page headlines of course, his legal adversary, wealthy Park Avenue lawyer Alan Dinehart, is so impressed he asks Powell to become his partner. Why this crook was being prosecuted by Dinehart rather than the D. A. is a bit of a mystery.
Powell, whose moral compass seems to swing 180 degrees every few minutes, is bitterly opposed to crooked political boss David Landau, who seems to run all New York City but does nothing to Powell but whine, grovel and beg him to join his team. A bit less ruthless than you'd expect.
There are various twists and turns ahead but by now you get the idea. There's not so much a plot but a string of episodes supposed to convince us of Powell's legal genius which we never actually see on display in the courtroom.
There's also Joan Blondell in a familiar role as the loyal secretary whom everyone in the world but Powell can see is madly in love with him, and both Claire Dodd and Helen Vinson, a bit of overkill, in their typical roles as amoral sexy blonde man-traps. For a two-fisted cynic who worked his way up from the streets, Powell's character has all the savvy of a five-year-old in dealing with women.
Strong cast, snappy dialogue, fast pace, but a bit hollow at the core. Slightly racy in parts but not real hard-core pre-code. You know the type.
The Invisible Wall
(1947)
Could have been really good with a little more budget
24 September 2021
Promising premise: Soldier Harry Lane (Don Castle) returns from WW II seeking his old job working for gangster Marty Floyd (Edward Keane). This disgruntles Floyd's lieutenant Al Conway (early Jeff Chandler), a plot theme that fizzles out. Floyd doesn't trust Lane because of the latter's gambling problem but rashly sends him to Las Vegas to make a $20,000 payout. Lane loses $5G at a casino and another $5G to a con man, then goes on the lam trying to recoup the dough and clear his name, on the way picking up a girl friend (Virginia Christine) as so often happens in such situations, at least in the movies.
The early scenes, shot on location in Las Vegas are of historical value, Bugsy Siegel's new Flamingo Hotel sitting all by itself in the middle of the desert in what's now some of the world's highest-priced real estate, looking as majestic as a mid-priced motel.
After that the film reverts to the low-budget B movie it was meant to be, reflected not only in the no-name cast and dull settings, but in a script full of implausible actions and people tracking other people down with no explanation of how or why.
Still an enjoyable little time killer. The cast all do a good job even if most are forgotten today and the plot's resolution is almost convincing. Just too bad the rest doesn't live up to the first twenty minutes or so.
The early scenes, shot on location in Las Vegas are of historical value, Bugsy Siegel's new Flamingo Hotel sitting all by itself in the middle of the desert in what's now some of the world's highest-priced real estate, looking as majestic as a mid-priced motel.
After that the film reverts to the low-budget B movie it was meant to be, reflected not only in the no-name cast and dull settings, but in a script full of implausible actions and people tracking other people down with no explanation of how or why.
Still an enjoyable little time killer. The cast all do a good job even if most are forgotten today and the plot's resolution is almost convincing. Just too bad the rest doesn't live up to the first twenty minutes or so.
Bad Girl
(1931)
Somewhat schizophrenic pre-code romantic comedy
25 August 2021
This film starts out as pre-code as it gets. Dot (Sally Eilers) is a fashion model in a New York City where every man is as grabby as a certain current NYC-based politician and any woman on the street, in the subway or on the Staten Island ferry is bound to be subjected to ogling, groping, propositioning or worse. As a result Dot is a bit soured on men in general.
Eddie (James Dunn) is apparently the only straight man in NYC who behaves himself. He's a radio repairman back in the days before TV and computers when that was a serious career. He grew up in poverty and is determined to be financially secure before getting involved with women. You can guess what happens when Dot and Eddie get together, if we're to have any sort of plot to this movie, and you're right.
Thus the rapacity of other men becomes less part of the plot than a device to set Eddie apart. Once that's been accomplished, the film becomes more of a romantic comedy, save for accusations, apparently prevalent in that era, that any unmarried working-class woman was a "tramp" or "impure" or whatever else you'd like to call it.
Still, even as the film becomes less steamy, there are a few twists and turns, some more credible than others.
The title is misleading, but not nearly as much as the illustration in the movie's poster as seen here, which has absolutely nothing to do with the movie.
Eddie (James Dunn) is apparently the only straight man in NYC who behaves himself. He's a radio repairman back in the days before TV and computers when that was a serious career. He grew up in poverty and is determined to be financially secure before getting involved with women. You can guess what happens when Dot and Eddie get together, if we're to have any sort of plot to this movie, and you're right.
Thus the rapacity of other men becomes less part of the plot than a device to set Eddie apart. Once that's been accomplished, the film becomes more of a romantic comedy, save for accusations, apparently prevalent in that era, that any unmarried working-class woman was a "tramp" or "impure" or whatever else you'd like to call it.
Still, even as the film becomes less steamy, there are a few twists and turns, some more credible than others.
The title is misleading, but not nearly as much as the illustration in the movie's poster as seen here, which has absolutely nothing to do with the movie.
Disgraced
(1933)
Good solid pre-coder
21 August 2021
Unlikely to make anyone's top ten list, but a fine example of fast-paced pre-coder with adult content and unexpected twists.
It's a tale of two couples. Helen Twelvetrees and Ken Murray play working-class types who've been friends since childhood. He wants to marry her, she's lukewarm. Adrianne Ames and Bruce Cabot are two spoiled rich kids without responsibilities and not much in the way of morals. They're engaged but don't take it too seriously. Twelvetrees is a model and Cabot is smitten when he sees her modeling outfits for Ames.
He claims he's serious, but is he? A big question in many such films. To complicate things her father is a fiercely protective cop.
As in any good story, the characters are not one-dimensional. Their actions are unpredictable and there motives unclear. For instance, is Twelvetrees a naive innocent or a gold digger? Is her father protective of women in general, or only his daughter? And of course, who, if anyone, will end up with whom?
The film is very pre-code in its attitude that there's one set of rules for the very rich and another for everyone else.
Well, that's enough without spoiling it. A definite watch for pre-code fans that, like many of its genre, makes you reflect on things afterwards.
It's a tale of two couples. Helen Twelvetrees and Ken Murray play working-class types who've been friends since childhood. He wants to marry her, she's lukewarm. Adrianne Ames and Bruce Cabot are two spoiled rich kids without responsibilities and not much in the way of morals. They're engaged but don't take it too seriously. Twelvetrees is a model and Cabot is smitten when he sees her modeling outfits for Ames.
He claims he's serious, but is he? A big question in many such films. To complicate things her father is a fiercely protective cop.
As in any good story, the characters are not one-dimensional. Their actions are unpredictable and there motives unclear. For instance, is Twelvetrees a naive innocent or a gold digger? Is her father protective of women in general, or only his daughter? And of course, who, if anyone, will end up with whom?
The film is very pre-code in its attitude that there's one set of rules for the very rich and another for everyone else.
Well, that's enough without spoiling it. A definite watch for pre-code fans that, like many of its genre, makes you reflect on things afterwards.
The Secret Call
(1931)
Creaky melodrama rife with coincidences
20 August 2021
"City Commissioner Frank Kelly commits suicide after political boss Jim Blake frames him in Blake's own grafting racket. Kelly's daughter Wanda, who is in love with Blake's son Tom, vows revenge against Blake when he insists innocent men do not commit suicide." Since this is on the film's title page it isn't a spoiler.
This revenge involves so many coincidences and implausibilities as to be ridiculous without creating much suspense. It's more like a Victorian melodrama than a pre-code. Leading man Richard Arlen is wooden, rest of the cast does the best they can with the material.
There are just too many fast-paced vital pre-coders to waste time on this one.
This revenge involves so many coincidences and implausibilities as to be ridiculous without creating much suspense. It's more like a Victorian melodrama than a pre-code. Leading man Richard Arlen is wooden, rest of the cast does the best they can with the material.
There are just too many fast-paced vital pre-coders to waste time on this one.
The Stolen Jools
(1931)
Lightweight comedy, fun for old movie fans
18 August 2021
I saw this on a CD that presented it as a Laurel and Hardy short. Early on I recognized Buster Keaton and thought "That's strange, I never heard of Keaton working in a Laurel and Hardy short." Of course, it turned out not to be a Laurel and Hardy film at all. It's one big in-joke with seemingly every Hollywood star of 1931 making a cameo appearance. I recognized many but was surprised, watching the closing credits, how many I had missed. In that light, it's great viewing for fans of that era. Otherwise you can easily take it or leave it.
6 Hours to Live
(1932)
Starts as a thriller, ends as a religious tract
18 August 2021
This first third of this film is a political thriller/romance that anticipates some of Alfred Hitchcock's work. The second third switches gears to a mad scientist/sci-fi mode, with the requisite flashing lights and bolts of electricity that may have excited audiences in 1931 but may seem cliched and overlong to today's crowd. Then it switches gears again and the final third is basically a commercial for religion. This is great if you believe that what we do in our actual lives doesn't matter because things will be so much nicer after we're dead. Some might say that a work of fiction does not count as evidence of a theory but some people feel differently.
So if this last part reaffirms your beliefs, you're likely to be charmed and delighted. If it doesn't you may feel you're being subjected to a long and unasked-for sermon. But even then you might find it an interesting curiosity, and it's certainly well acted and directed despite moments of overly stage-y dialogue.
So if this last part reaffirms your beliefs, you're likely to be charmed and delighted. If it doesn't you may feel you're being subjected to a long and unasked-for sermon. But even then you might find it an interesting curiosity, and it's certainly well acted and directed despite moments of overly stage-y dialogue.
The Great Lover
(1931)
Would-be racy pre-code opera film chickens out about halfway
5 August 2021
Of some interest to opera lovers. Irene Dunne shows off her real-life operatic talents which I'm unqualified to judge. Herman Bing, brother of opera impresario Rudolf Bing, plays a comic Wagnerian tenor and sings a little. Some comic bits about typically temperamental opera stars.
Plot revolves around a romantic triangle with Menjou as an aging opera star in New York, Hamilton as his understudy, and Dunne trying to break into the business. Turns out Dunne and Hamilton had a warm but chaste relationship while studying in Europe.
IMHO this started out to be a bit racier than your average opera flick but the studio got cold feet. Early on, Dunn seeks Menjou's mentorship and possibly more. People keep warning her about his reputation as a womanizer and she keeps saying she doesn't care, she'll do anything to get ahead even though, in the language of the day, she's maintained her "purity." Then this thread disappears and it becomes a tepid battle for her hand in matrimony between the two male leads.
Cliff Edwards has a Lee Tracy type role as a fast-talking PR man that fades away without connecting with the plot too much. Ernest Torrence plays Menjou's manservant as an effeminate sort whose only interest in life seems to be arranging and spying on his employer's love life. Kind of creepy.
Plot revolves around a romantic triangle with Menjou as an aging opera star in New York, Hamilton as his understudy, and Dunne trying to break into the business. Turns out Dunne and Hamilton had a warm but chaste relationship while studying in Europe.
IMHO this started out to be a bit racier than your average opera flick but the studio got cold feet. Early on, Dunn seeks Menjou's mentorship and possibly more. People keep warning her about his reputation as a womanizer and she keeps saying she doesn't care, she'll do anything to get ahead even though, in the language of the day, she's maintained her "purity." Then this thread disappears and it becomes a tepid battle for her hand in matrimony between the two male leads.
Cliff Edwards has a Lee Tracy type role as a fast-talking PR man that fades away without connecting with the plot too much. Ernest Torrence plays Menjou's manservant as an effeminate sort whose only interest in life seems to be arranging and spying on his employer's love life. Kind of creepy.
Hot Saturday
(1932)
Vintage Hollywood small-town America with a pre-code twist
24 February 2021
Here we are in 1930s Hollywood's version of an American small town. Everyone is white and middle class and lives in a house with a lawn and maybe even a white picket fence. One expects Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland and the gang to pop out any minute and put on a show to raise money to save the old something or other. Maybe he'll even get to kiss her on the cheek if the show is a hit.
But no, this is pre-code, and the protagonist is bank clerk Ruth (Nancy Carroll), Depression-era sole support of two unappreciative parents who, like most of the town's old folks, seem to have little to do but sit in judgment on her love life.
Two potential suitors are two bank tellers, Archie, a dumb jock (surely the only time pudgy whining Grady Sutton was cast as an ex-football star) whose crude advances she's previously spurned, and Conny (Edward Woods), an average Joe whose intentions are mostly honorable.
Then there's Bill (Randolph Scott), local boy made good, who went off to college and became a geologist, back in town for a visit. Turns out he's long worshiped Ruth from afar. Ruggedly handsome, he's also shy and inept at dealing with women. Plus he mentions that his oil company job keeps him working in the field twelve months a year.
More exotic is Romer (Cary Grant), a millionaire playboy who strangely lives on the outskirts of this town instead of the Riviera or Park Avenue. Well, he does have a lakefront mansion and a motorboat. The townsfolk think he's bad news but since he seems to import his girl friends and leave the local talent alone they tolerate him. Except he does have a thing for Ruth, who in turn seems to blossom in his presence, showing unsuspected talent for banter, flirting and coquetry, while remaining wary and vigilant.
Well, there's the setup, without giving away the plot, which contains various twists and turns, misunderstandings, local tongues wagging, comedy, drama, and all the good stuff one expects from a good pre-coder. Cast, direction, etc. all fine.
But no, this is pre-code, and the protagonist is bank clerk Ruth (Nancy Carroll), Depression-era sole support of two unappreciative parents who, like most of the town's old folks, seem to have little to do but sit in judgment on her love life.
Two potential suitors are two bank tellers, Archie, a dumb jock (surely the only time pudgy whining Grady Sutton was cast as an ex-football star) whose crude advances she's previously spurned, and Conny (Edward Woods), an average Joe whose intentions are mostly honorable.
Then there's Bill (Randolph Scott), local boy made good, who went off to college and became a geologist, back in town for a visit. Turns out he's long worshiped Ruth from afar. Ruggedly handsome, he's also shy and inept at dealing with women. Plus he mentions that his oil company job keeps him working in the field twelve months a year.
More exotic is Romer (Cary Grant), a millionaire playboy who strangely lives on the outskirts of this town instead of the Riviera or Park Avenue. Well, he does have a lakefront mansion and a motorboat. The townsfolk think he's bad news but since he seems to import his girl friends and leave the local talent alone they tolerate him. Except he does have a thing for Ruth, who in turn seems to blossom in his presence, showing unsuspected talent for banter, flirting and coquetry, while remaining wary and vigilant.
Well, there's the setup, without giving away the plot, which contains various twists and turns, misunderstandings, local tongues wagging, comedy, drama, and all the good stuff one expects from a good pre-coder. Cast, direction, etc. all fine.
Fast Workers
(1933)
If you're a pre-code fan just watch this and avoid any spoilers
24 February 2021
I'm not saying there are any killer spoilers out there. It's just that this is an almost perfect example of a snappy pre-code movie with sex and violence (mostly hinted at), snappy dialogue, comedy, and drama all moving at lightning speed. So the less you know about it, the greater your enjoyment.
But if you must know, it's about two construction worker buddies, Gunner (John Gilbert) and Bucker (Robert Armstrong) and the woman who comes between them, Mary, a gal of easy virtue (Mae Clarke).
Kudos to the film's portrayal of rowdy blue-collar workers ribbing and playing practical jokes on one another, good-naturedly and not so good-naturedly, and to the excellent rear projection work making their high-girder work look convincing.
Gilbert, as you probably know by now, was not at all a squeaky-voiced ham who couldn't transition from silents to talkies, as some have portrayed him. In fact, he's very much in the mold of William Powell and expert in the same sort of fast-talking con man roles. Clarke seems to relish getting to play a tough cookie, an amoral gold digger, instead of her usual victim roles.
If you're still reading this, the gist of the plot is that Mary, one of Gunner's rotating cast of girl friends, becomes engaged to Bucker who, though no sap, is an easy mark for women, and Gunner, well aware of her past and present, tries to break it up without being too obvious about it.
In typical pre-code fashion there's no moralizing and everyone is basically out for whatever he or she can get, plus there's a little social commentary about Prohibition and the Depression. OK, that's enough. Go watch it. Only 66 minutes with, in pre-code fashion, more plot than today's 3-hour epics.
But if you must know, it's about two construction worker buddies, Gunner (John Gilbert) and Bucker (Robert Armstrong) and the woman who comes between them, Mary, a gal of easy virtue (Mae Clarke).
Kudos to the film's portrayal of rowdy blue-collar workers ribbing and playing practical jokes on one another, good-naturedly and not so good-naturedly, and to the excellent rear projection work making their high-girder work look convincing.
Gilbert, as you probably know by now, was not at all a squeaky-voiced ham who couldn't transition from silents to talkies, as some have portrayed him. In fact, he's very much in the mold of William Powell and expert in the same sort of fast-talking con man roles. Clarke seems to relish getting to play a tough cookie, an amoral gold digger, instead of her usual victim roles.
If you're still reading this, the gist of the plot is that Mary, one of Gunner's rotating cast of girl friends, becomes engaged to Bucker who, though no sap, is an easy mark for women, and Gunner, well aware of her past and present, tries to break it up without being too obvious about it.
In typical pre-code fashion there's no moralizing and everyone is basically out for whatever he or she can get, plus there's a little social commentary about Prohibition and the Depression. OK, that's enough. Go watch it. Only 66 minutes with, in pre-code fashion, more plot than today's 3-hour epics.
Sinners' Holiday
(1930)
textbook example of a snappy pre-Code film
10 February 2021
They just knew how to get down to business without wasting time in the early 1930s. In one hour flat this one has more plot and snappy dialogue and makes more sense than many films twice as long.
The film is set in a sleazy amusement park, mostly girlie shows, run by low-level grifters who tell the truth about anything only if it suits their purposes. Most are fairly innocuous but there are some hard cases ultimately leading to violence.
Although Grant Withers as drifter Angel Harrigan gets top billing, the central character is really elderly and unattractive Ma Delano (Lucille La Verne), who's in charge of the place. Though no more ethical than the others she at least tries to keep things under control while looking after her three grown children.
The eldest, Joe (Ray Gallagher in a small part) is a solid citizen but younger brother Harry (early James Cagney) is running around with hoodlums and virtuous but hot-to-trot daughter Jennie (Evalyn Knapp) wants to marry Harrigan over Ma's objections.
In a few years Cagney would be a big star while Withers' star would be fading. Whoever had the idea that in this film Withers should deliver his many wisecracks in a mock-effeminate voice did his career no favors. Cagney leaps out at you in his over-the-top hyperactive style that might have been annoying in a less talented actor but set the pace for leading men of the decade.
Knapp is fetching and convincing despite having to plow through occasional sappy dialogue. Warren Hymer is effective as a bad guy, as are Joan Blondell as Cagney's cynical girl friend and Purnell Pratt as a hard-boiled but sympathetic police detective.
Many similar films have a happy or unhappy ending that seems arbitrarily chosen but this one has a cynical finale that you won't see coming.
The film is set in a sleazy amusement park, mostly girlie shows, run by low-level grifters who tell the truth about anything only if it suits their purposes. Most are fairly innocuous but there are some hard cases ultimately leading to violence.
Although Grant Withers as drifter Angel Harrigan gets top billing, the central character is really elderly and unattractive Ma Delano (Lucille La Verne), who's in charge of the place. Though no more ethical than the others she at least tries to keep things under control while looking after her three grown children.
The eldest, Joe (Ray Gallagher in a small part) is a solid citizen but younger brother Harry (early James Cagney) is running around with hoodlums and virtuous but hot-to-trot daughter Jennie (Evalyn Knapp) wants to marry Harrigan over Ma's objections.
In a few years Cagney would be a big star while Withers' star would be fading. Whoever had the idea that in this film Withers should deliver his many wisecracks in a mock-effeminate voice did his career no favors. Cagney leaps out at you in his over-the-top hyperactive style that might have been annoying in a less talented actor but set the pace for leading men of the decade.
Knapp is fetching and convincing despite having to plow through occasional sappy dialogue. Warren Hymer is effective as a bad guy, as are Joan Blondell as Cagney's cynical girl friend and Purnell Pratt as a hard-boiled but sympathetic police detective.
Many similar films have a happy or unhappy ending that seems arbitrarily chosen but this one has a cynical finale that you won't see coming.
The Wet Parade
(1932)
Overlong and preachy but a valuable insight into public thinking at the time
3 February 2021
Author and environmentalist Edward Abbey once said "Democracy - rule by the people - sounds like a fine thing; we should try it sometime in America." At least the internet says he did. The makers of this film felt the same way about Prohibition. They must have felt pretty strongly since the film ran for two hours back when the average was about 1h 10m.
Did you that know that during Prohibition the US government put poison in industrial alcohol so it couldn't be converted to drinking alcohol? The result of this policy was that criminals converted it anyway and thousands of people were poisoned to death. Yes, it's in the movie and can be verified on reputable websites. Just one of the historical facts you can pick up from this film, not to mention a sampling of the spectrum of public opinion at the time.
For instance, imagine you were an ordinary social drinker at the time. The film captures such people's incredulity as they watched the laborious process involved in passing a Constitutional amendment, one they never dreamed possible, that would make their recreational drug of choice illegal.
Despite such nuances the film makes no bones about its anti-alcohol feelings. It differs from laughable anti-drug films like "Reefer Madness" in that its makers actually knew about the real effects of the drug in question. Its point is that Prohibition as it existed was not working and was only funneling money into organized crime while increasing disrespect for law and order. It was made during the tail end of Prohibition, when it must have been clear that its repeal was imminent. Its message is a pious hope that somehow Prohibition can be made to work, but it doesn't quite specify how.
By the way, there is a plot with stars like Robert Young and Myrna Loy buried in all of this, which generally moves at the snappy pace of other pre-code films. Its excessive length is due to its repetitious hammering home of the evils of alcoholism. They did try to liven it up a little by having comedian Jimmy Durante playing an unlikely Prohibition agent who performs bits of Durante's nightclub act. Still it may impress you as overlong, melodramatic and even depressing at points, but those interested in American history and culture in the 1920s and 30s will find it fascinating.
Did you that know that during Prohibition the US government put poison in industrial alcohol so it couldn't be converted to drinking alcohol? The result of this policy was that criminals converted it anyway and thousands of people were poisoned to death. Yes, it's in the movie and can be verified on reputable websites. Just one of the historical facts you can pick up from this film, not to mention a sampling of the spectrum of public opinion at the time.
For instance, imagine you were an ordinary social drinker at the time. The film captures such people's incredulity as they watched the laborious process involved in passing a Constitutional amendment, one they never dreamed possible, that would make their recreational drug of choice illegal.
Despite such nuances the film makes no bones about its anti-alcohol feelings. It differs from laughable anti-drug films like "Reefer Madness" in that its makers actually knew about the real effects of the drug in question. Its point is that Prohibition as it existed was not working and was only funneling money into organized crime while increasing disrespect for law and order. It was made during the tail end of Prohibition, when it must have been clear that its repeal was imminent. Its message is a pious hope that somehow Prohibition can be made to work, but it doesn't quite specify how.
By the way, there is a plot with stars like Robert Young and Myrna Loy buried in all of this, which generally moves at the snappy pace of other pre-code films. Its excessive length is due to its repetitious hammering home of the evils of alcoholism. They did try to liven it up a little by having comedian Jimmy Durante playing an unlikely Prohibition agent who performs bits of Durante's nightclub act. Still it may impress you as overlong, melodramatic and even depressing at points, but those interested in American history and culture in the 1920s and 30s will find it fascinating.
Africa Speaks!
(1930)
Historical in more ways than one
1 February 2021
First of all, the guys who made this did fantastic arduous work in traveling to Africa with primitive hand-cranked movie cameras capturing footage of wildlife in their natural habitat and "primitive" tribes in their daily lives, which as so often shows them to be remarkably well adapted to their surroundings and no more primitive than most Americans (given recent events in 2021, probably less so). I suspect that in the 90 years since, the almost unimaginably huge animal herds, as well as the Masai and pygmy tribes visited, have fared less well.
It's also historical in showing the cavalier attitude toward documentaries then prevalent. Large chunks featuring the two white explorers were obviously shot in Los Angeles with equipment more sophisticated than was available on their trek, with local black men recruited to take their shirts off and play "native." The narration of the African scenes somehow manages to avoid any overt racism, just an air of condescension toward Africa, "the land of savagery and dangerous adventure where nature shows no mercy and deadly beasts of the jungle are supreme!" Yup, the whole continent had no cities or cars or schools, just naked people running around being chased by wild animals.
Speaking of racism, it does turn up in the phony scenes shot in L. A., one where the explorers give a "native" some salt, and he gobbles it up by the handful for some reason, and another with a lion supposedly killing a "native," which is then used as unnecessary justification for startling footage of Masai warriors actually hunting a lion with spears. There was probably a more interesting story behind the real hunt.
OK, so this is what the American public wanted back then. It was a big hit and the New York Times reviewer called it "the most thrilling of travel pictures that have come to the screen."
There seem to be only 50 minutes left of the film's original 75, at least on the copies readily available. If you don't think you'll be too offended by the narrator's lame jokes or by scenes of lions killing and eating their prey, 50 minutes will give you a lot to think about.
It's also historical in showing the cavalier attitude toward documentaries then prevalent. Large chunks featuring the two white explorers were obviously shot in Los Angeles with equipment more sophisticated than was available on their trek, with local black men recruited to take their shirts off and play "native." The narration of the African scenes somehow manages to avoid any overt racism, just an air of condescension toward Africa, "the land of savagery and dangerous adventure where nature shows no mercy and deadly beasts of the jungle are supreme!" Yup, the whole continent had no cities or cars or schools, just naked people running around being chased by wild animals.
Speaking of racism, it does turn up in the phony scenes shot in L. A., one where the explorers give a "native" some salt, and he gobbles it up by the handful for some reason, and another with a lion supposedly killing a "native," which is then used as unnecessary justification for startling footage of Masai warriors actually hunting a lion with spears. There was probably a more interesting story behind the real hunt.
OK, so this is what the American public wanted back then. It was a big hit and the New York Times reviewer called it "the most thrilling of travel pictures that have come to the screen."
There seem to be only 50 minutes left of the film's original 75, at least on the copies readily available. If you don't think you'll be too offended by the narrator's lame jokes or by scenes of lions killing and eating their prey, 50 minutes will give you a lot to think about.
Grand Slam
(1933)
The "Horsefeathers" of contract bridge films
28 January 2021
This may be the only full-length Hollywood film about contract bridge so I suppose you could as well call it the "War and Peace" or the "Abbott and Costello Go to Mars" of contract bridge films. The point is that it has as much connection with how bridge is played as its contemporary "Horsefeathers" has with how football is played. In case you missed it, Harpo Marx scores the winning touchdown in "Horsefeathers" while driving a horse-drawn garbage truck.
However, "Horsefeathers" did make some salient points about universities where football has priority over education and the administration pays professional "students" to play who never see the inside of a classroom. Of course that was back in the 1930s. Today's universities are ...
Never mind. Getting back to bridge, in 1931-32 the game enjoyed its fifteen minutes of fame with "The Bridge Battle of the Century" between Ely Culbertson and Sidney Lenz, with the winner getting to sell more books about his bidding system. The fifteen minutes were somewhat literal in this case as NBC radio broadcast a fifteen-minute summary of each day's action, which was also reported on the front pages of the nation's newspapers.
So just as "Horsefeathers" was more accurate about the milieu in which football was played than about how the game was played, "Grand Slam" has its fun with the idea of crowds gathered around radios and electronic news tickers for the latest results of a bridge match. It's also fairly accurate in depicting the whining, gloating and backbiting endemic among serious bridge players, of which I am one.
Aside from that, it's a lightweight romantic comedy of average quality. Nothing really "pre-code" about it. If you play bridge at all you may get a kick out of the ridiculousness of the few scenes where they're supposedly playing the game. If not, I hope this description of the film's circumstances will increase your enjoyment of it.
However, "Horsefeathers" did make some salient points about universities where football has priority over education and the administration pays professional "students" to play who never see the inside of a classroom. Of course that was back in the 1930s. Today's universities are ...
Never mind. Getting back to bridge, in 1931-32 the game enjoyed its fifteen minutes of fame with "The Bridge Battle of the Century" between Ely Culbertson and Sidney Lenz, with the winner getting to sell more books about his bidding system. The fifteen minutes were somewhat literal in this case as NBC radio broadcast a fifteen-minute summary of each day's action, which was also reported on the front pages of the nation's newspapers.
So just as "Horsefeathers" was more accurate about the milieu in which football was played than about how the game was played, "Grand Slam" has its fun with the idea of crowds gathered around radios and electronic news tickers for the latest results of a bridge match. It's also fairly accurate in depicting the whining, gloating and backbiting endemic among serious bridge players, of which I am one.
Aside from that, it's a lightweight romantic comedy of average quality. Nothing really "pre-code" about it. If you play bridge at all you may get a kick out of the ridiculousness of the few scenes where they're supposedly playing the game. If not, I hope this description of the film's circumstances will increase your enjoyment of it.
Downstairs
(1932)
Racy but melodramatic pre code film explodes John Gilbert myths
20 January 2021
One myth about John Gilbert, one of the biggest stars of the silent era, was that he failed in talkies because of his squeaky voice. Another is that MGM head Louis B. Mayer deliberately sabotaged Gilbert's career because of a personal or professional feud. This film, late in Gilbert's career, shows him to be an excellent actor with a fine voice, a bit reminiscent of William Powell in some of his more disreputable roles. Its production values, script and cast are all top-shelf, and Gilbert gets credit for the story line, so there doesn't seem to be much to either myth about his downfall. More likely Gilbert's alcoholism, which he died of a few years later, was the cause.
This story takes place in Hollywood's fantasy-land Europe of barons, counts, and castles with huge and loyal flocks of servants. Gilbert plays a chauffeur who lacks the others' loyalty. In fact he's an amoral Casanova whom women both upstairs and downstairs find irresistible, specializing in seduction, swindling and blackmail. However he has a self-destructive quality of consistently overreaching, the kind of crook who isn't satisfied with his conquests but has to rub everyone else's noses in them. This could strike us as unrealistic were it not for the behavior of some politicians in the last few decades.
I'd have liked the film more with a subplot or two. As is, it keeps striking the same chord over and over until the denouement, which is not quite what you'd suspect.
One very pre-code moment that may be unique for that era is a wife telling her husband, as explicitly as possible for that era, exactly why she prefers her lover to him.
This story takes place in Hollywood's fantasy-land Europe of barons, counts, and castles with huge and loyal flocks of servants. Gilbert plays a chauffeur who lacks the others' loyalty. In fact he's an amoral Casanova whom women both upstairs and downstairs find irresistible, specializing in seduction, swindling and blackmail. However he has a self-destructive quality of consistently overreaching, the kind of crook who isn't satisfied with his conquests but has to rub everyone else's noses in them. This could strike us as unrealistic were it not for the behavior of some politicians in the last few decades.
I'd have liked the film more with a subplot or two. As is, it keeps striking the same chord over and over until the denouement, which is not quite what you'd suspect.
One very pre-code moment that may be unique for that era is a wife telling her husband, as explicitly as possible for that era, exactly why she prefers her lover to him.
Two Against the World
(1932)
Densely-packed fast-moving pre-coder with more than appears at first glance
18 January 2021
I never cease to be amazed at how in the early 1930s they were able to pack twice as much plot, action, social comment and ideas in 70-minute movies than exist in today's movies that are twice as long.
This one was very loosely inspired by a contemporary scandal about a murder committed by a rich socialite "defending his sister's honor" as they used to say in the era of the sexual double standard that underlies so many plots in those days.
Yes, as some have pointed out, some of the main characters are spoiled rich people. So are some of the main characters in novels by Tolstoy, Henry James and Edith Wharton. If it bothers you, go back to your Spiderman movies.
The plot revolves about a budding romance between Constance Bennett, one of the more spoiled idle rich and a member of the family involved in the scandal, and Neil Hamilton as a socially conscious attorney formerly from her social class.
The pace is so fast that it takes some time to sort all the characters out, which may deter you at first but it all becomes clear eventually. The film takes jabs at sensationalistic tabloids, the double standard and our justice system's bias towards the rich, but like everything else in the movie, doesn't linger on these any longer than needed to make its point.
Not to say that the movie is at all preachy. There's plenty of comedy and snappy dialogue along the way.
If you seek uplift, Bennett's character gains much insight into her own nature and lifestyle as the film advances but, again, the point isn't belabored.
Bennett and Hamilton both charm in their roles and the whole cast is excellent.
This one was very loosely inspired by a contemporary scandal about a murder committed by a rich socialite "defending his sister's honor" as they used to say in the era of the sexual double standard that underlies so many plots in those days.
Yes, as some have pointed out, some of the main characters are spoiled rich people. So are some of the main characters in novels by Tolstoy, Henry James and Edith Wharton. If it bothers you, go back to your Spiderman movies.
The plot revolves about a budding romance between Constance Bennett, one of the more spoiled idle rich and a member of the family involved in the scandal, and Neil Hamilton as a socially conscious attorney formerly from her social class.
The pace is so fast that it takes some time to sort all the characters out, which may deter you at first but it all becomes clear eventually. The film takes jabs at sensationalistic tabloids, the double standard and our justice system's bias towards the rich, but like everything else in the movie, doesn't linger on these any longer than needed to make its point.
Not to say that the movie is at all preachy. There's plenty of comedy and snappy dialogue along the way.
If you seek uplift, Bennett's character gains much insight into her own nature and lifestyle as the film advances but, again, the point isn't belabored.
Bennett and Hamilton both charm in their roles and the whole cast is excellent.
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