Dolores Dances

Magazine editor Larry MacArthur (Pat O'Brien) is in way over his head. He's somehow become engaged to golddigger Clara (Glenda Farrell), he's frequently drunk, and he is making up theatre reviews because he's too drunk to remember what he saw (if he even sobered up enough to the show). His associate editor and friend, Harold Brandon (Edward Everett Horton) decides the only recourse is to pack Larry up while he's drunk, and take him on a month's vacation to Agua Caliente, Mexico. While  In Caliente (1935), Larry become smitten with Rita Gomez (Dolores Del Rio), a dancer of whom Larry (while intoxicated) gave a blistering review in the magazine.

The AFI Silver Theatre recently hosted the Library of Congress Film Preservation Showcase. In Caliente featured a newly restored 35mm print of this film. The print was gloriously beautiful, and looked as it must have done in 1935 upon release. With numbers by Busby Berkeley, this rarely seen film was a lot of fun to watch.

The plot is really a hook on which to hang some musical performances, like this number by the Dancing De Marcos (Sally and Tony, who actually didn't marry until 1944), and a performance by Ms. Del Rio. The film introduced the song "The Lady in Red", as well as featured a previously released song "She's a Latin from Manhattan". There's even a brief comic bit from Judy Canova.

Ms. Del Rio is good as the love interest. It's hard to understand why she would fall for Larry - he's drunk much of the time and he's also insulted her in print by calling her "a bag of bones."  But, the story must prevail, and love him she does. After her strong work in the silent era, Ms. Del Rio was finding it hard to get good parts (even when she got the lead a few years earlier in Flying Down to Rio, she was eclipsed by that dynamic dancing duo, Astaire and Rogers); she returned to Mexico in the 1940s (TCM article). 

Glenda Farrell  has a bit more to work with as Clara, even though it is a relatively small part.  Since it's evident that Clara wants a settlement, and Larry's drunken escapades will help her get her money, Ms. Farrell can play broadly; as always, Ms. Farrell is entertaining.

Edward Everett Horton made a career playing dolts. Harold is actually a lot smarter than many of the characters Mr. Horton gets to play. He's smart enough to get his friend away from New York in an attempt to quell his great thirst, but his protective instincts don't seem to work well for himself. He ends up in agua caliente himself because of his desire to help his friend. 

Leo Carrillo as Jose Gomez, Rita's uncle and manager is entertaining as the con man who uses his position to cheat anyone who will play cards (or anything else) with him. He's got a lot more screen time than Ms. Farrell, but like her, he plays the part broadly to good comic effect. 

Originally titled just Caliente (AFI Catalog), the film at one point was supposed to feature Rita Cansino (Rita Hayworth) in one of the numbers; she was eliminated from the final cut.

This is not a film that is in any way deep, but it was a lot of fun. We'll leave you with a trailer from the film.

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.