the leading man is my tpye

Absolutely the worst movie.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

Copyright 1 September 1933 by Paramount Productions, Inc. U.S. release: 1 September 1933. New York opening at the Paramount: 1 September 1933. U.K. release: 10 March 1934. Australian release: 17 October 1934 (sic). 85 minutes. SYNOPSIS: A comedy about a dentist who decides to murder the man who sent him to prison.NOTES: Although some sources record Karl Struss as an uncredited contributor to the film's cinematography, Struss does not include this movie in either his official or unofficial lists of credits. 1933 and 1934 were Fay Wray's biggest years as a star. She appeared in no less than 22 movies, including King Kong. COMMENT: A surprisingly offbeat yet vivid and colorful performance by Fay Wray, plus a solid (if appropriately glum) interpretation by Gary Cooper in the central role, lifts this original version of Hagen's thrice-filmed stage play into the must-see category, despite the fact that it's outclassed in every department by the Raoul Walsh re-make, The Strawberry Blonde. Although it has its comic moments, particularly in its amusing observation of the courting habits of the gay nineties, its overall mood (aided by Victor Milner's stark photography) comes across as decidedly downbeat. True, in this aspect as well in plot and characterization, it does stay much closer to the Broadway play, but that's not necessarily an advantage.

If you're looking for a pleasant story about a bygone age, this is not it. The 1941 remake with James Cagney, Olivia de Havilland and Rita Hayworth was much more enjoyable, with expertly shaded performances from the three stars and a bouncy score for a musical background, dealing as it does with turn-of-the-century's 1900 era.This is the more somber, muted version with an unappealing central performance by GARY COOPER as Biff Grimes, the lovestruck man who thinks about his past when he let Virginia (FAY WRAY) marry his best friend (NEIL HAMILTON), and ended up with his second choice (FRANCES FULLER) for his wife.The pace of the story is leaden and dull, with no musical background at all for most of the scenes. None of the players strike the kind of sparks that were evident in the later version, letting good opportunities for character development pass right by--although this is more the fault of the script (from the James Hagan play) and director Stephen Roberts. It's a pretty trite script, completely devoid of the kind of humor and spunkiness on the part of Amy as played by Olivia de Havilland in Raoul Walsh's version. Fuller has to play Amy like a dull simpleton. NEIL HAMILTON's Hugo Barnstead is a far darker version than the amusing heel, as played by Jack Carson in the Cagney film.Cooper's fans will probably forgive him for a performance that lacks the luster Cagney gave it, but the film is a lackluster version of the story which reached the screen three times in remakes. His Biff is not the charming sort of guy to attract a girl like Amy--in fact, her interest in him is puzzling, to say the least.A charming tale has been turned into a dreary story with uninspired direction. The characters and their motivations are entirely different from those in the more successful version where both women have well-written roles and the humor is much more emphasized.Summing up: The vast difference in approach spoils this version for me.

The film begins in a dental office, as the dentist, Biff (Gary Cooper), talks to a friend (Roscoe Karns) about this relationship with Hugo (Neil Hamilton) back in the Gay 90s when they had been friends. This is instigated when Hugo comes to the office and sees Biff for the first time in decades. Hugo needs a tooth pulled and while he is sedated with gas, Biff recalls their past when they were both ardently pursuing a pretty young lady (Fay Wray)--while pretty much ignoring her more plain but much sweeter friend (Frances Fuller). Through the course of the film, Hugo stabs his supposed friend in the back again and again.This movie is the original--with remakes in 1941 (THE STRAWBERRY BLONDE) and 1948 (ONE Sunday AFTERNOON). While I rarely prefer remakes, I must say that the 1941 version is much more watchable and fun. Part of this is because the 1933 version is so very, very quiet--with very little music to help set the mood. Also, the whole mood of the 1933 film is more somber and the story a bit more direct and "bare bones" in style. Also, while I like Gary Cooper films, for a comedy like this one, Cagney was better and the supporting actors he had were also superior and gave THE STRAWBERRY BLONDE so much more energy. This film is still well worth seeing, but the 1941 film has a more polished plot, better characters and the full Warner Brothers package (wonderful and first-rate production values) that this Paramount film lacks.

There are three versions of this movie and hands-down this is the best. I of course adore James Cagney, Rita Hayworth and Olivia De Haviland in The Strawberry Blonde but this version is the best. Gary Cooper, aka Biff Grimes, is smitten with Virginia, aka Fay Wray. Ms Virginia was not interested in the simple Biff. Amy, aka Florence Fuller, has had a crush on Biff since grade school. Virginia is no more attracted to Biff than I can fly. Near the beginning when Biff is trying to impress Virginia there's a scene where he's winding around a tree ala true county bumpkin style, it's wonderful. And hanging upside-down on a Merry-go-Round ride, is too darling. The beginning of the movie gives away what happens but the whole 85 minutes is a treasure showing the road of the trials and tribulations. The real eye-opener of what's real and right is exposed in this lovely film.