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We're Rich Again (1934)
A Wedding in the family
This is the story of a prosperous man who tries to extricate his wealthy family from the doldrums. This movie is based on the play by Alden Nash in which Reginald Denny played a vacillating matrimonial object (groom) and Joan Marsh the prospective bride and Billie Burke as her mother and Grant Mitchel as the depressed ex-millionaire father. Veteran actress Edna May Oliver is really cracking as the polo playing grandmother, who is also very interfering and sometimes annoying in a funny sort of way. They are in finer mettle and everyone pitches in to "rescue" them from a court clerk who wants to serve legal papers for the bills Grant Mitchell owes. The film is supposed to be off-beat comedy and a screwball slapstick, but it does not go well and the film falls short of a first rate comedy.
The Silver Streak (1934)
The Silver Streak of 1934
In this RKO pictures, the crew of the Pioneer Zephyr diesel train has 19 hours to deliver an iron lung to a town in NV who needs urgent medical attention. Who can arrange for such an extravaganza display of power and action, yes, it has to be a rich father paying everything he has for saving his son. This is a most courageous plot fabrication belonged to the Silver Streak (1934). Based on Roger Whatley's story, and scripted by him and Jack O'Donnell demonstrates a breakneck 2000 mile train trip which must be made in 19 hours (with available technology in 1934 to build that train). This is the only solution to the curing an epidemic of infantile paralysis. Sally Blane, Charles Starrett, Hardie Albright and William Farnum topped director Thomas Atkins cast which also included Irving Pichel, Arthur Lake and others. The Burlington Zephyr Also received prominent credit for portraying the Silver Streak. There is enough of high speed excitement, drama and the love story to make audience overlook the story's rampant implausibility. It earned $107,000 in profits, a substantial sum for 1934 value of money. The 20th century Fox film released its 1976 version starring Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor bore no relation to this movie except for the express train. The latter was also a huge box office hit and a fun movie to watch.
The Night Is Young (1935)
A schmaltzy romance
Ramon Novarro, in his last film as MGM actor, worked with British actress Evelyn Laye who interrupted her long stage career in London to star in this 1934 movie. The story is about the schmaltzy romance between an archduke (Novarro) and a ballerina (Laye) that falls flat. The movie produced two hit songs "when I grow too old to dream," and the title number. The Film uses the talents of Sigmund Romberg for music and Oscar Hammerstein II (libretto) but never captured the musical zest of producer Harry Rapf's Broadway Melody (1929). Rosalind Russell, Charles Butterworth, Edward Everett Horton, Donald Cook and Una Merkel show their comedic talents in this otherwise boring movie.
Topaze (1933)
The ways of Topaze
John Barrymore offers a brilliant performance as a French school teacher who is honest but soon learns the crooked ways from the business world and then uses them to his advantage. This movie is based on Marcel Pagnol's play about a mousy French school teacher and the last RKO studio's triumph with producer David Selznick.
The Broadway show was a very successful and ran 215 showings in 1930. The story is about a French school teacher who's a rather old fashioned simpleton. His reputation is high enough for wealthy industrialist to use his good name on a soft drink of lesser quality. Selznick was not too keen on the satirical content of the book but thought John Barrymore would be the best man to play the lead role of the movie. With the assistance of screen writer Ben Hecht and a superb team of supporting stars that includes; Myrna Loy, Reginald Mason, Jackie Searl and Jobyna Howland, the story was turned into a delightful parody on the screen.
One of the controversial plots of the movie is that Myrna Loy plays the part of Coco, a kept woman of married man Baron Philippe De La Tour (Reginald Mason). This movie was released in the pre-code era of 1933 without a hitch, but when the studio re-released in 1936, it was rejected by the industry censor because the promiscuous relationship in the movie, "without compensating moral values," said the censor board. Surprisingly this movie is also considered as the best American movie of 1933 by the National Board of Review. In spite of all these controversies, the movie is outstanding and the story is absolutely offbeat. I am sure everyone will enjoy this classic.
Love on the Run (1936)
Mike and Barney love Sally!
Joan Crawford and producer Joseph Mankiewicz snapped out of the solemnity of the movie "Gorgeous Hussey" for this movie where she is back in the arms of Clark Gable again. Mike Anthony (Gable) and Barny Pells (Franchot Tone) are both friends and fellow press reporters who are in love with the same woman, Sally Parker (Crawford). Both are on her heels in one long chase where Mike, as expected wins over Sally. There is considerable action and popular gagging, but overall entertaining. Gable, as usual outwitting the slower-moving competitor, promises to fill the void in the life of the abused heiress, Sally Parker. She has just deserted a fortune-seeker at the altar, and the two newspapermen see the opportunities in making a series of reports exposing the rich lady's reactions to real romance. Reginald Owen is ingratiating as the suave spy chief and his wife Mona Barrie makes a nice assistant. Donald Meek strains hard to make a nitwit caretaker part humorous.
This is a romantic comedy and W.S. Van Dyke has directed the movie with true professionalism. Reginald Owen and Mona Barrie in the supporting roles helped the lead characters make this movie a box office success. Joan Crawford went on to make eight movies for Mankiewicz that included; The Bride Wore Red; the Gorgeous Hussy; Mannequin; Reunion in France; the Shining Hour; Strange Cargo and Love on the Run.
Passion Flower (1930)
A romantic drama
When MGM started casting for this movie, its own stars were on other assignments and hence Kay Frances was borrowed from Paramount studios to play the leading role. This movie is one for the ladies, a typical Kathleen Norris romantic novel scripted to fit into a typical Kay Frances movie. Dulce (Kay Frances) falls in love with Dan Wallace (Charles Bickford), the family chauffeur against her father's wishes. When Dan is about to divorce his wife (played by Kay Johnson), he will receive a letter form his wife and have a change of heart. Hit by the memories of his loving wife and family, he goes home for a happy ending. Dulce is heartbroken under several yards of mink. William De Mille directed this drama with Martin Flavin, Laurence Johnson and Edith Fitzgerald screenplay. Lewis Stone and Zasu Pitts are outstanding in supporting roles
Spring Is Here (1930)
A romantic love story
This is a film with some witty dialog and good songs that make this very interesting to watch. This is the story of a controlling father who thrusts a bashful suitor Terry Clayton (Alexander Gray) onto his daughter Betty Braley (Bernice Clare) when she is interested in Steve Alden (Lawrence Gray). Terry hatches a plan to win back Betty with the help her sister Mary Jane who advises him to make Betty jealous by making romance with another woman. The trick works. When Betty's father banishes Alden from coming into the house, he comes to elope with Betty but Terry intervenes and carries her off for himself. John Frances directed this film and it was written by James Starr, which was based on a Broadway musical. There are some good songs that are worth listening to; "Have a little faith in me," "Crying for the Carolines." "What's the biog idea," and "Bad baby?"
Wide Open (1930)
The life of a timid man
Veteran actor Edward Everett Horton plays the role of timid employee, Simon Haldane who has ideas for improving his boss's business but lacks courage to tell him about it. However the boss's daughter Doris (Patsy Ruth Miller) who is bold and little boisterous knows exactly how to go about it. Doris gives Simon confidence in his ideas and the company benefits and promotes him to the general manager In the meantime problems arise for Simon since Agatha, the stenographer of the office is interested in him and so is a stranger who finds his address and comes to his house with her mother demanding that he marry the strange girl. Finally the problems are resolved and Simon and Doris head to the altar. The movie is directed by Archie Mayo and screenplay written by James Starr and Arthur Caesar. This is very funny movie and I am sure you will enjoy watching it.
The Champ (1931)
Wallace Beery and Jackie Cooper are true champions of this movie
Frances Marion wrote scripts for three movies of Wallace Beery and this was her best script for which she won an Academy award. The story is about a down and out boxer who is at the bottom end of the society makes come back for the sake of his idolizing son brilliantly played by Jackie Cooper. This nine year old star of "Our gang" got bigger praise than Beery from the critics, and loud sobbing from the audience. The friendship between Dink (Jackie Cooper) and his black friend Jonah (Jesse Scott) is color blind and another touching part of the movie. This true tear jerker was directed by King Vidor and excellent supporting roles played by Irene Rich, Jesse Scott and Roscoe Ates. The story has an interesting end when Dink finds his real mother who only happens to be wealthy and too willing to care for him. This movie was done with such professionalism in all departments that it was the biggest box office hit in 1931 for MGM studios; much needed revenue for the studio to stay alive at the height of great depression.
Another movie inspired by Cooper's "You can do it, dad," phrase of this movie was the "O'Shaughnessy's boy." The script for was pretty much the Jackie Cooper – Wallace Beery formula but their "Champ" box office hit was not repeated. In 1978, 47 years after this movie, Champ was remade starring Jon Voight and Faye Dunaway, which also did not repeat the success of the original Champ.
Age of Indiscretion (1935)
Lenhart Vs Lenhart
Helen Vinson plays as an unfaithful woman married to Robert Lenhart (Paul Lukas), the book publisher. A fight for the custody of their only son Bill Lenhart (David Holt) is the main theme of the Lenore Coffee's story scripted by Otis Garret and Leon Gordon: May Robson and Madge Evans offer splendid performances in the supporting roles.
When Robert Lenhart asks his wife, Eve to be careful about spending; she refuses and walks out on him with her boyfriend Felix Shaw and later marries him. Emma Shaw (May Robson), the new mother-in-law of Eve meets her son Bill and encourages Eve to sue Robert for custody. In the meantime Robert's business gets better, and his friendship with his secretary Maxine Bennett, played Madge Evans, grows into a healthy relationship.
Paul Lukas does his job wonderfully in the number one spot. His dedication to his family and his good friendship with his secretary is wonderful. She is very understanding not to hurt the father-son relationship. This is a great movie and fun to watch.