Who payed the critics

Expected more

Boring

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

Fay Wray, Ralph Bellamy and Douglas, plus R. Ates for humorous relief, players you feel good with, in this drama by Rosen, enthralling '30s cinema, with poignancy and Pre-Code verities: it was good, sharp, with a knack for powerful scenes, like those at the parolee's home (with the three leads), and for freshness, as in the couple's getaway, from his home to Logan's, for a movie shot indoors and within a car, it has a plain-air feel and a sense of possibilities, not unlimited, but thorough, the romance seems meaningful, it's cinema with a basic sense of dignity, something of this style will be rediscovered decades later, perhaps in the '70s or '80s, there's also the understatement, the snappiness, the quickness, as when the fugitive is shot, and the realism, as with the players' exchanges, then the attorney's advances; a very good role from Fay, with the freshness for its aftertaste. Kudos to Rosen as well, for a sensible directing. Given the plot, the movie's title, both versions, is beautiful. The movie has the cast, the understated style, the script, nothing seems fake, phony, untrue, there's a sense of intelligent directness; for the '30s, the movie's qualities weren't so unusual as they may seem today. I don't remember having seen Bellamy young ever before; he resembled Newman, though he was maybe more embittered and sneaky, as in streetwise. His role here, as the paroled guy, has something impressive.Bellamy reminded me of P. Newman, a sleazier and perhaps gloomier one.

Ralph Bellamy is a man with a temper. After having gotten into a scuffle and accidentally killing a man he's sent to prison for manslaughter, he released. Moving back home he resigns himself to living a life away from people. Unfortunately the local sheriff doesn't like him, more so because his daughter is in love with him. One night while he is attempting to get the sheriff's daughter to leave there is a knock at the door. Its Fay Wray, she's on her way to the train station and in flight from Melvyn Douglas a no good cad with dark designs on everyone and everything. Douglas eventually frames Bellamy for the beating of one of his henchmen and it looks like Bellamy will be going back to prison, this time for murder. Okay drama with a very good cast is hurt by a very talky and very static style. People sit around and talk way too much with the result that you want to shout at the TV get on with it. In all honesty I hit the fast forward a couple of times because I really wished they'd talk less and do more. I suspect my lack of patience was more owing to the lateness of the hour rather than anything else, since the cast is good and manages to sell the nonsense on screen.

Escaping from a predatory rich man's embrace, a lovely singing star seeks refuge in the humble cabin of a newly paroled convict.Not exactly must viewing for even the most rabid Dashiell Hammett fan, this is certainly no Maltese Falcon but rather an American (or should we say a Canadian) mouse. However, that mouse is played by the charming Fay Wray, so interest quickens quite a jot (despite the fact that her close-ups are not all that flattering, even though credited to Hollywood's ace of aces, Joseph Ruttenberg). As the movie's titles roll by, the support cast initially engenders enthusiasm too. Alas, aside from Roscoe Ates (who is always a pain), everyone is below form, although connoisseurs may relish the chance to see dapper Douglas as the vicious heavy and perennial "other man" Ralph Bellamy as the reluctant hero. Production values are also distinctly below the major studio norm. Mr Rosen's direction is certainly nothing special, competent at best, heavy-handed at worst. Even more disappointing is a Hammett plot that, despite its potential, contains no elements of mystery and few of suspense. True, it has romance a-plenty, as well as a thoroughly conventional "cute meet", plus some comic interludes with Roscoe Ates and even Frank Otto (although note that dialogue writer Charles Williams gives his desk clerk self the movie's two funniest lines), but all that is not exactly the stuff that hard-boiled dreams are made of.

Woman in the Shadows (1934) *** (out of 4) Lightweight but entertaining crime/drama about a man (Ralph Bellamy) released from prison and deciding to stay alone in his cabin so that his bad temper won't get him back into prison. Everything's going well until a woman (Fay Wray) shows up being chased by her psychotic lover (Melvyn Douglas). There's nothing overly special about this "B" film from the Biograph Company but the three stars make it well worth watching. The pre-code elements with Wray's dress slipping down or the close-ups of her legs being shown are nice touches. Also known as Woman in the Dark. Directed by Phil Rosen who would go on to direct several Charlie Chan films as well as Spooks Run Wild and Return of the Ape Man.