User Reviews

Glenn Tryon was seen as a star in the making by Universal. By 1930 he had appeared in two of their most prestigious productions - the very "Crowd" like "Lonesome" and their big entry in the early musical race "Broadway" but poverty rower "Dragnet Patrol" was one of his last stints in front of the camera for quite a while. Likewise his leading lady Vera Reynolds who, in 1927, was at the centre of a "suicide scare" which garnered her a lot of publicity although it didn't help her career that much.

Both Reynolds and Tryon were playing not particularly likable types here, Tryon as Larry White, who while on shore leave, hooks up with carnival hostess Milly (Reynolds). Larry ditches the Navy for a steady job as skipper of a trawler, "White Star" but even with a raise Milly is less than impressed and convinces a reluctant Larry that the only way of keeping her (she wants fancy clothes, high society etc) is for him to get into the smuggling racket. He already has his eye on his fishing boss, Grainger's (Walter Long) girl, Ethel, who comes in as a partner, furnishing him with a bigger, faster boat.

Taking to crime like a duck to water Larry now becomes "Mr. Cranky" as he tries to juggle time between his wife and mistress. Now Millie (sweet Vera Reynolds just couldn't have kept up her mercenary character for the whole movie!!) has a change of heart as she realises that keeping up with the Park Avenue set doesn't bring her the happiness she hopes for. And whatever happened to Cookie (Vernon Dent), Larry's buddy who disappeared 10 minutes before the end and never resurfaced.

Symona Boniface was more at home in Columbia's shorts, especially those of the Three Stooges but she made an okay femme fatale who puts the "hero" on the right path at last!!

Poverty row films of the early-mid 1930's are either hit or miss, and this lies at the upper edge of the miss category. It's an ok story of a World War I veteran (Glenn Tryon) marrying the materialistic Vera Reynolds and running a bootleg operation from a fishing boat where he attracts the attention of a wealthy man's mistress (Marjorie Beebe) while trying to meet wife's financial needs and make it appear that he is clean. But when the jealous wealthy suitor (Walter Long) finds out, it leads to a possible violent confrontation, and it's up to Tryonto try to warm his way out of ending up as fish bait dumped into the ocean. Will the little wife wake up from her dreams of a glamorous life when she realizes what she stands to lose, or will she continue on that path of materialistic self-destruction?

The pacing is weak even though performances are okay and the story is above average. the script has some very snappy lines, but the direction by Frank Strayer keeps this moving at a snail's pace. Nobody in the cast is worth singling out, but eagle eyes will be on the lookout for a small appearance by future Western sidekick George "Gabby" Hayes. it's frivolous fluff that focuses more on the soap opera elements of the plot then the criminal aspects, and that makes it disappointing in terms of action and intrigue.