Overrated and overhyped

One of my all time favorites.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

***SPOILERS*** Having had built the biggest building in the world the 100 story Dwight Building it's creator David Dwight, Warren William,is now on the brink of losing it to his creditors, the banks, whom he owes 30 million dollars that he doesn't have. In fact Dwight is in far more trouble then that in having used the depositors in his bank, The Seacoast Bank, cash as collateral a big no no in the financial world; Using others people's money for personal gain.This can land Dwight being bars for a long long stretch!While all this is going on the happy go lucky Dwight is playing the field with his cute 20 year-old secretary the tea toting and innocent Lynn Harding, Maureen O'Sullivan, who's good friend and mentor, who in fact got Lynn her job, Sarah Dennis, Verree Teasdale, happens to be Dwight's personal secretary. It's Sarah who knows where all the bodies that her boss had destroyed over the years are buried!Even though Lynn is anything but interested in having an affair with her butt grabbing boss Mr. Dwight he manages to get her drunk on champaign one evening when she was working overtime in the office and corrupted her to the point when her equally obnoxious boyfriend bank teller, at Dwight's Seacoast Tank, Tom Shepard, Norman Foster,dumped her as well. In Tom feeling that Lynn felt that she was too good for him because he was just a commoner or working stiff.Back to business Dwight now with his back to the wall and facing total financial ruin, as well as jail time, he concocts this plan to wipe out all his debts as well as his enemies in the financial world. This is done with the cahoots of Dwight's partner in crime Hamilton, William Morris, who's plan is to push up the price of Seacoast Inc.to $350.00,from $250.00 a share, and then sell it leaving everyone who bought the stock, which includes his banker enemies, high and dry as well as wiped out financially.***SPOILERS*** This diabolical scheme on Dwight's part works to perfection leaving him in total control of his beloved, which he put his heart and soul as well as money into, Dwight Bulding but causes a good number of people who bought Seacoast inc to end up killing themselves. One of them being Harrington Brewster, Punnell Pratt, one of Dwight's banker friends whom he accused of pulling the stock sham that Dwight in fact pulled off! The final insult that Dwight tried to pull off was his attempt to take off with Lynn on a cruise to Europe and the warm and sunny Mediterranean while laving his loyal personal secretary Sarah Dennis out in the cold. This has Sarah blow her stack and finally blow Dwight away with the revolver he gave her as a present for Christmas. Knowing that she now has nothing to live for Sarah jumps off the top of the Dwight Building killing herself.P.S The movie does in fact have a happy ending with both Lynn and Tom trying the knot and Dwight's widow Ella, Hedda Hopper, selling the Dwight Building that cause all the pain and suffering in it.

This movie is almost like combining a soap opera like the TV show HOTEL and combining it with the 1930s film THE MATCH KING. This is because throughout this modern skyscraper, many stories involving infidelity and financial ruin abound. And, of all the tales, the most pervasive and impressive is the character Warren William plays--a guy who has leveraged his empire to the hilt and stands on the verge of great success or bankruptcy--much like William's true-life character from THE MATCH KING. The story also has a decent amount of sleaze compared to later films since it was made in the early days of the Hay Office that controlled violence and morals in films. In the early days, they weren't as strict and studios didn't take them all that seriously--this is VERY evident in this film as it pulls very few punches in telling this entertaining tale.By the way, almost equally entertaining is another film that apparently is a re-working of this Warren William film. "Manhattan Tower" is a low-budget film with a heck of a lot of entertainment value despite its very low budget. Currently, you can watch or download this film through IMDb and compare it to "Skyscraper Souls". Wow...these two films would sure make a nice double-feature.

Skyscraper Souls is a witty and provocative look at business in the early 1930's. Full of risque and snappy comments, the movie is a fascinating look at a building and how its builder worked to keep it.The cast is brilliant led by Warren William as an astute but unscrupulous banker. Verree Teasdale is very sharp as Williams' lovely adminstrative aide. Her mature attitude towards Williams' advances is a highlight of the picture. She accepts that she will never be his wife, even though she loves him. He is too busy maintaining appearences, even though his wife and he are never together. Hedda Hopper is delightful as the wife who maintains a relationship from another continent, but comes to see William for money from time to time.A subplot involving Maureen O'Sullivan and Norman Foster is rather annoying.There is social commentary here as the workers in the building attempt to make a living while the big businessmen play with millions of dollars.The movie is sexy too. A scene with Jean Hersholt and Anita Page is very suggestive as are some scenes with Warren William and Verree Teasdale.Overall, the movie is very interesting and moves very quickly.

Next to William Powell, Warren William is my most favorite actor and it is a treat to see each of their films again and again. These two men (to me) represent the true meaning of "actor.""Skyscraper Souls" was one more opportunity for Mr. William to show his acting ability to make you either totally adore or totally deplore his character.