This is a quickie from Warner Brothers with three young actors who were just
starting out in their careers. Warner's was the working class and from the
headline studio. They hit it big with a series of crime films and other stories
that were filled with regular Joe's trying to make it during the Depression.
Hard times. They signed up a group of actors who fit into this mold - Muni,
Robinson, Raft, Bogart, William Warren, John Garfield, Dick Powell and James
Cagney. Not particularly glamorous or handsome actors but they had swagger
and charm and a believable look in their eye when they would pull the trigger.
On the female side they had Ginger Rogers, Ann Dvorak, Bette Davis, Mary
Astor, Ruby Keeler, Glenda Farrell, Mae Clark who took a grapefruit in the
face and one who has become a favorite of mine over the past couple of years,
Joan Blondell. Tough talking dames with a chip on their shoulder or a scheme
in their hearts.
Both Cagney and Blondell star in this one - both only one year into their
film careers. Cagney was well on his way to stardom after Public Enemy earlier
in the year with Blondell on deck in that as well. This film is slight but
it is interesting to see these two right at the beginning. Along with them
is also Ray Milland who was the veteran of the group with two years of experience.
Cagney is already in form with his edgy over active performance in which
he always has to be doing something to get the attention - a wink, an off-beat
walk, a sarcastic howdy. Blondell is on the receiving end of all this attention
and deals with it with feints and slaps. She was to become along with with
Farrell Warner's go to actress for working class tough talking comedies who
could throw a barb faster than a punch.
Bert (Cagney) is a bellhop in some mid-west town with ambitions and
a patter that he hopes will take him out of this dead end place. He knows
all the angles whether with illegal hootch, flirting with the hotel help
or getting the guests whatever they want. When Ann (Blondell) comes to look
for a job in the linen department he gets interested. When he watches her
figure walk away he looks like he is seeing Mount Rushmore for the first
time. He keeps trying to flirt with her but he keeps getting a hard
slap for his trouble but eventually he wears her down with promises of money.
They become a bottom of the barrel con team fleecing stupid men. They move
on to NYC where they have to swim with the big fish. Some of them sharks.
Cons go back and forth. She meets up with a wealthy banker - Milland - who
she sees a future of a better life with. This is Warner's so you can be sure
it isn't. They may be rascals but they are lovable ones and eventually they
win you over with his constant tics and her big big eyes that invite you
in to stay. For a pre-code film this is pretty innocent as Ann insists on
keeping separate rooms and keeps those slaps coming when he is suggestive
of something else. There is though the famous scene when he barges in on
her taking a bath. Back in those days it was a little shocking.
