Risky Business (1926) Poster

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5/10
You Won't Find Tom Cruise In This One
boblipton10 April 2019
Vera Reynolds is pursued by rich Ward Crane -- very much with the blessings of her mother, Ethel Clayton -- and pursues poor country doctor Kenneth Thomson. When she shows up with the doctor and an engagement ring, Ethel decides that a weekend in the country with the doctor, his sister, Zasu Pitts, her husband and two bratty children may change her mind.

This movie from Demille Pictures is reminiscent of the sort that Cecil had been turning out half a dozen years earlier, but the director is Alan Hale, taking a break from playing Little John to sojourn behind the camera. It's also based on a story by Charles Brackett, but that, alas, is no recommendation. It's slow, there are no interesting shots, Miss Reynolds has three expressions, which are shown frequently in close-up. Indeed, the only reason to watch this is, unsurprisingly, Zasu Pitts. Miss Pitts had a reputation as a scene-stealer, and that's against seasoned professionals like Pickford. Against this crowd of poorly directed lesser talents, she's the only consistently entertaining part of the movie.

Unfortunately, she isn't enough to save this from being another forgettable B picture.
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9/10
A full-length silent movie certainly makes a nice change!
JohnHowardReid28 March 2014
Warning: Spoilers
It certainly becomes a very agreeable surprise to find such an excellent print of a complete, if moderately budgeted, "A"-grade silent movie on DVD instead of the inevitable – if colorful – Kodascope cutdown. Despite its "A"-grade budget, this one was probably regarded as a run-of-the-mill, if moderately entertaining comedy in its day. Indeed, it seems obviously designed to appeal to middle-class audiences. The social set is not only mercilessly satirized, but even emerges as the villains, while our plucky little doctor hero (played by Ward Crane) remains from first to last, the soul of honor, charity and good works. Little Vera Reynolds – little in stature that is, as well as brains until she is put wise by our hero – makes an agreeable damsel-in-distress, and there are some brief comic turns by "ZaSu" (that was the spelling she usually favored) Pitts. Incidentally, I thought Dorothy Brock played the little Wheaton girl and that Louise Cabo faithfully engineered the overweight maid-of-all-work, complete with a high-risk stunt in full view of the camera. All in all, an entertaining and even inventive domestic comedy/drama, currently available on an excellent Alpha DVD that runs for no less than 90 minutes.
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