This unpleasant pre-code melodrama suffers from two leading characters who are either completely unsympathetic or too gullible for words. Why Nancy Carroll would choose prizefighter George Murphy over honest Donald makes no sense here, and as a result of her deciding to marry Murphy, she ends up in prison possibly waiting for death row. Carroll comes from a fine family (including mother Clara Blandick) who warns her against the violence tempered Murphy (bravely cast against type), but out of the blue, she runs away with him anyway. Cook's return leads to a scuffle between the violent Murphy and Cook, obviously trying to defend Carroll, and before long, Carrol is senselessly on trial for murder. The film's conclusion is a complete cop-out which makes it even all the more ridiculous.
Surviving prints of this film have many sequences with difficult to understand sound, muffled by a lack of exposure over the years. For the most part however, the screenplay is filled with cliches and truly unpleasant characters and never seems to really ring true unlike the bell that makes a passed out Murphy wake up while he's in the ring. Nobody did more suffering on screen in the early 30's then Nancy Carroll (well maybe Sylvia Sidney and Helen Twelvetrees), and she does her best with a thankless role. Murphy, coming off a few hit Broadway musicals, plays an inconsistently written character. You can't really root for someone who is vile for 90% of the movie and a complete contrast for the remaining time. if this film accomplishes anything, it warns anybody who is involved with someone of a jealous and violent nature to get away from them as quickly as possible.
Surviving prints of this film have many sequences with difficult to understand sound, muffled by a lack of exposure over the years. For the most part however, the screenplay is filled with cliches and truly unpleasant characters and never seems to really ring true unlike the bell that makes a passed out Murphy wake up while he's in the ring. Nobody did more suffering on screen in the early 30's then Nancy Carroll (well maybe Sylvia Sidney and Helen Twelvetrees), and she does her best with a thankless role. Murphy, coming off a few hit Broadway musicals, plays an inconsistently written character. You can't really root for someone who is vile for 90% of the movie and a complete contrast for the remaining time. if this film accomplishes anything, it warns anybody who is involved with someone of a jealous and violent nature to get away from them as quickly as possible.