Stars: Betty Compson, John Darrow, Gilbert Emery Director: George Archainbaud A destitute young woman, on the verge of becoming a prostitute, is hired by a wealthy man to lure his son from the clutches of a gold-digger.
THIS FILM SEEMS TO TAKE PLACE WHEN ACTING WAS PERFORMED DURING THE TRANSITION FROM STAGE TRAINING, MIXING WITH ACTING FOR FILM. A FINE TRANSITION TO BEHOLD. A MELODRAMATIC STORY FOR SURE, AH! BUT WHAT A MELODRAMA. AN EXTREMELY COMPLEX PSYCHOLOGICAL STORY, CAREFULLY ACCOMPLISHED AND WELL DIRECTED. BETTY COMPTON THE HEROINE OF THIS STORY, AND SHE IS THAT, DOES A VERY FINE JOB, SO TOO DOES JOHN DARROW (RUSSEL THE SON AND GILBERT EMRY, THE FATHER). THERE IS A SCENE WHERE THE SON STRIKES AT THE FATHER... BOTH SON AND FATHER ARE SPECTACULAR HERE, ESPECIALLY RUSSEL, HIS FACIAL TRANSITION, WHEN HE REALIZES WHAT HE HAS DONE IS PRETTY AMAZING. DID I LIKE THIS FILM.? YOU BET I DID. THANK YOU PizzaFlix........AND YES I'M SHOUTING!
Such a tremendous plot, unheard after pre-code days. If executed now it would be abysmal. Love the fact there’s no unnecessary music on these ‘old’ films
I've been learning about the pre-code vs post-code era of American cinema since about late high school (I'm twenty-eight) and I really think we need to keep these films. I feel like films from before 1939 get so forgotten. We need to study how the code affected representation and other things, what the laws were in regular life anyway, and these stories are sometimes so good.
There weren't any laws, regarding what could be shown. As soon as movies were created xxx films immediately were made. And shown in theatres. It killed the movie industry because families and kids went and you never knew what you were going to get. The codes were a voluntary system and Hayes was asked to preview and rate films. It saved the industry and people started attending again. It also created the beautiful, restrained and classic films we enjoy today, from 90+ years ago. Glad a young person like you appreciates these gems. My grandson asked me if the world was in black and white when I was your age.
All we need to know about representation is that there is an inverse relationship between the portion of the cast that isn't straight and White and the movie's appeal.
Now that's how you do a melodrama-with loads of great acting! I have to say that John Darrow was the most consistent performer & showed impressive range in going from a hilarious comic drunk to a tortured bitter son. He puts a lot of force into both aspects yet doesn't overplay either. Thanks for sharing.
Lovely movie Thank you for posting these beautifully done old movies A time when at least on screen the actors had class and elegance These movies could never be recreated with today’s so called actors, and the lousy directing , they would cheapen it like they do all their movies today
Terrific story! Awesome acting. I love the old clothes and cars. Just wish that they had shown father and June walking off together! Thanks for another great pick! 🌈🌈🌈
wouldn't have fit the times. that's what people like to see these days. back then, stories ended where they ought to. they gave us something to imagine later. :)
Dobbs -- the unforgettable Edgar Norton, appeared in over a hundred films, in the vast majority of them as a butler, with an occasional m'lord for variety. Always a pleasure to see him again. In 1931 this melodrama would have been old-fashioned, but so many passing years have telescoped that now it doesn't matter. I enjoyed it.
A Very Good Movie,one where a Woman displays true decency,kindness,kindness,compassion,for men who have"taken her,for granted,due to " her state in life!" I highly,highly recommend THIS movie!! Thank you,PizzaFlix for sharing this film!!
Yes, yes, yes! Let's all just cry our little hearts out over the women who take offense at everything. That's sounds like 'Asperger Syndrome', where one is unable to interact with people in the real world and one finds fault in everyone but one's own self. Yes, it's all the fault of men, whom ALL WOMEN consider to be 'childish', 'immature', and 'need to grow up'. Ah, how wonderful it will be when women take over and run the world..............right into the ground.
@@leelarson107 As a woman I would love to punch these 'victimized' women in the mouth!!! They never shut up or take responsibility, they blame everything on everyone else, all I can say is grow up, get over it, and move on!!!!
Thanks for a terrific film. I watched it again tonight and it’s a fresh as if I had never seen it. Thank you again for bringing us such an excellent film!
Important and sobering words helping us to remember our number one responsibility is the safety of ourselves and others. Thank you, again, for caring enough about us riders to put forth the effort you do. We appreciate you.
I love Betty Compson, She often plays a hard nosed,soft hearted gal, but never over the top, Her cute slightly sideways smile gets me every time Thanks again for showing another well produced movie ,also excellent cast,works really well together. 10/10.
Great Film! Excellent Acting too especially between Father and Son confrontation! And no background music interference. These early films from the late 1920's through the 1930's pre- code, surely need to be restored and viewed as they give us a real historical value on society and even Landmarks no longer in existence. It really goes to show that there's nothing new under the sun. There still exists a double standard between men and women in the 21st Century! I don't believe anything will ever change that? Men will suspect the worst case scenario from a woman they're interested or in love with especially if they're aware of an unfavorable history? June was aware that Gerry would eventually use it as a weapon against her! We see he isn't relieved his Son has a rock solid alibi, instead he's devestated by the fact his Son spent the night in June's flat? He's already come to his own conclusions without hearing the matter or facts? I would have walked out too.
I think this film popped on my YT feed because of Ivan Lebedeff, as he was in a film I watched here yesterday night. He looks exactly the same in both films and made a career of playing suave ne'er-do-wells. Although I've seen what seem like hundreds of films from the era, I was struck by the pauses in the dialogue here - a character says a few words, pauses, then continues (Compson was the exception). As for the ending, it reminded me of Shaw's PYGMALION.
This is a very curious story....with dabs of myth and classic drama....a little bit of Pygmalion with an admixture of Oedipus...ironically inserted into this dysfunctional "high" society ethically/morally-challenged family, a dash of Delilah and Mary Magdalene to bring some sort of sanity, reality, justification, and decent (or reasonable closure) to such an absurd convergence of fate and for the father and son to come face to face with their own corruption, avarice, and failure. Nice little flick.
First pre-code I ever saw & precious every time I re-watch it. Does anyone know the name of haunting music at the beginning & end? It's used in a few others, but with differing tempos.
"How much is 1000 pounds £ (GBP) to $ (USD) according to the foreign exchange rate for today" ex-rate.com/convert/gbp/1000-to-usd.html What county does 1,000 lbs equal 5000? 😂🤣😂🤣
Loved the film. But....... What was up with that wacky ending? Did Gerry go after her? Did he bring her back and they married? Did they never see her again? What did he mean when he said "Whatever she goes I will go." ? I didn't like that unsatisfying cliff hanger ending one bit. 🤦♀️
An interesting movie, though it is difficult to find what mores it violated back in the day. In 1931, you wonder if you would even pay the nickel to watch this. One doubts it.
DEAREST P. Flix 💕 THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THESE SPLENDID SILVER-SCREEN-GEMS and moreover ... HOW I LOVE THE SOUNDTRACKS OF THAT AERA SINCE I FELL IN LOVE WITH 'TIN PAN ALLEY' AT THE AGE OF 11 (oho!) GRATEFUL GREETINGS from Bonn (Germany) *** Barbara *** where I have the pleasure to enjoy our "Silents-Open-Air-Festival" with Live-Music since YEARS !!! www.foerderverein-filmkultur.de/internationale-stummfilmtage/programm/
