Robert is Not Guilty

Rising young architect John Smith (Robert Young) has a secret. His real name is Marco Ricca, and he is the son of underworld boss Tony Ricca (Boris Karloff). John has managed to stay clear of his father and his associates, but John's life becomes accidentally entwined with the mob when he is invited to a party, given by Mike Palmero (Leo Carrillo) for his daughter,  Maria (Constance Cummings). Mike is Tony's rival in the mob, and a war is ongoing between the two factions. This week's film is The Guilty Generation (1931).

The story is a gangster style Romeo and Juliet, with a different, but shocking conclusion. Filmed and released while Prohibition was still in effect, the movie paints a frightening picture of the gangster wars of the 1920s and early 1930s. In the opening sequences, when we meet John, the entrance of Tony is terrifying. For a few minutes, you are convinced that John has somehow angered this underworld figure, and is about to be beaten or killed. It's stunning when you realize that these men are father and son.

We always enjoy Robert Young, an actor with whom we grew up in his various television incarnations (Father Knows Best and Marcus Welby, MD). It's intriguing to see him at the beginning of his career - he had already made two short films and had roles in two other features. Seeing him with a mustache was also novel; we suspect this was done to make him appear a bit older and a little more Italian. He's engaging as John/Marco; the part is secondary to that of Mike, but it's important that John be both strong and likeable. Mr. Young provides us with a portrait of a determined and ethical young man.

Leslie Fenton, as Maria's brother Joe, portrays the character as a maniac. He is a murderer, and is almost worse than his father Mike, who at least tries to present a civilized demeanor. (It's believed that Mike was patterned on Al Capone (AFI catalog)). Joe has no control at all - he willy-nilly tosses people into the family swimming pool, and then waves his gun around. Never mind he ruins his sister's birthday, he endangers both her, his father, and his grandmother.

An actor whose career began in the silent era, Mr. Fenton appears to have moved easily into talking pictures. He acted steadily until 1938, then switched to directing.  He returned to his native England when World War II broke out and was severely injured during the St Nazaire Raid in 1942. He recuperated, and assumed desk duty after he was fit for service. Married to Ann Dvorak in 1932, she moved to England with him. The marriage, however, didn't survive the stresses of the war - they divorced in 1946. Mr. Fenton directed a few films more films, but had retired from films by 1956. He died in 1978 at the age of 76.

We very much enjoyed Ruth Warren (Nellie Weaver) as the Palmero family publicist (and possible mistress to Mike). She gets all the good lines, and while there are hints of a relationship between her and her boss, she is a smart, tough woman who tries to stand aside from Mike's actual work. She's a good friend to our young lovers, and is also an able press agent. It's a pleasure to see this dynamic woman in a film so heavy with testosterone.

Boris Karloff had JUST opened in Frankenstein two weeks before this film premiered (TCM article) which surely enhanced the menace of his character. This recent review in the New York Post of the film's DVD release talks a bit about early Karloff. His part is small, but he is always shown in a menacing shadow (contrasted to Mr. Carrillo, who is filmed with little shadow). 

My colleage at Pre-code.com gave The Guilty Generation a positive review, and we second the reaction. While this is not a great film, it is worth seeing for these excellent actors early in their sound careers.We'll leave you with a scene from Maria's birthday party, including Mr. Young and Ms. Cummings.