Bachelor Mother 1932   N/R, 69 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Charles Hutchison
Cast: Evalyn Knapp, James Murray, Margaret Seddon, Paul Page, Astrid Allwyn, Harry Holman, Virginia Sale, Eddie Kane, Jimmy Aubrey, Henry Hall, John Paul Jones, Bess Stafford, Margaret Mann, Stella Adams
In order to stay out of jail, Joe Bigelow (James Murray) "adopts" an old woman, Cynthia Wilson (Margaret Seddon), who is in a nursing home and gets her out to live with him. Meanwhile, Joe falls in love with Mary Somerset (Evalyn Knapp) who is in charge of the nursing home. All is OK until Joe gets involved with Lola (Astrid Allwyn) who only wants him for his money. Cynthia steps in and kills Lola. During the trial, Cynthia and Joe try to protect each other, Cynthia is acquitted, and Joe reunites with Mary. 1 User Review
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The Dark Horse 1932  N/R, 75 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Alfred E. Green
Cast: Warren William, Bette Davis, Guy Kibbee, Frank McHugh, Vivienne Osborne, Sam Hardy, Robert Warwick, Harry Holman, Charles Sellon, Robert Emmett O'Connor
This political satire features a less-than-competent gubernatorial candidate (Guy Kibbee) who is promoted by a devious campaign manager (Warren William) and his cohort (Bette Davis).
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Inside the Law 1942 N/R, 65 min.
Genre: Comedy / Drama
Director: Hamilton MacFadden
Cast: Wallace Ford, Frank Sully, Harry Holman, Luana Walters, Lafe McKee, Barton Hepburn, Danny Duncan, Earle Hodgins, Rose Plumer, Robert Frazer
Cross-country con artists, led by Pop Cobb (Lafe McKee) and Mom Cobb (Rose Plumer), find a letter appointing the recipient to the job as cashier at the local bank. Gang member Billy (Wallace Ford) assumes the identity and takes the cashier job through which the gang plans for him to walk away with the deposits. But, as days pass, the gang members decide to go straight and, after a series of funny events, become town heroes.
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 Meet John Doe 1941   N/R, 123 min.
Genre: Drama / Comedy / Romance
Director: Frank Capra
Cast: Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck, Walter Brennan, Edward Arnold, James Gleason, Spring Byington, Gene Lockhart, Irving Bacon, Regis Toomey, Warren Hymer, J. Farrell MacDonald, Rod La Rocque, Harry Holman, Pierre Watkin, Andrew Tombes
Journalist Ann Mitchell (Barbara Stanwyck) has been fired from her newspaper job, and she thinks she has found the perfect way to get that job back by printing a fake letter from "John Doe" announcing that he is going to jump off City Hall on New Year's Eve. The stunt works, the newspaper's readership rises, John Doe gains incredible support, and Ann is rehired. Now, Ann must find someone to play "John Doe"–and she does in the form of a soft-spoken hobo, Long John Willoughby (Gary Cooper). His popularity rises, newspaper publisher D.B. Norton (Edward Arnold) puts John Doe on the radio to deliver inspirational speeches, and soon he is deeply involved in politics. But, the politics support those of fascist Norton who has a secret plan to become a dictator of the United States. Will Willoughby catch on in time to save the day? 1 User Review
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| | The darkest of the Frank Capra Films | 1fatts 07/22/2007 | It is the depression, and a failed baseball pitcher with a bum arm trying to get by in tough times, finds himself being trained by reporter Barbara Stanwyck to pretend to be John Doe, a symbol of the down-and-out who has promised to jump from the tallest building in town on New Year's Eve. Cooper as "Long John Willoughby" does "the decency of the simple man" quite wonderfully here. It's not as funny as "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town", but more poignant for sure.
The movie is solid Capra, with a Robert Riskin screenplay. But there is a darkness here which other Capra films just hint at. Yes, John Doe doesn't commit suicide. (Love conquers all. Sorry.) But the mildly upbeat ending is artificial. The bad guys win, in effect. The little guys, whom John Doe comes to represent, really are outmatched, outsmarted and defeated by the power of crooked money and crooked politics.
When Capra did Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, he invited all the members of the Senate to a preivew. Hearing that the Senate was presented in something less than pure halo and glory, they stayed away in droves. But it is John Doe that is the real critique, hidden in a comic script and a romantic ending.
Real hollywood film buffs need to be conversant with Capra. This is the one that needs to be the center of the discussion of "The Optimistic Vision of Frank Capra". |
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Murder at Glen Athol 1936  N/R, 64 min.
Genre: Mystery
Director: Frank R. Strayer
Cast: John Miljan, Irene Ware, Iris Adrian, Noel Madison, Oscar Apfel, Barry Norton, Harry Holman, Betty Blythe, Wilson Benge, E.H. Calvert, James P. Burtis, Lew Kelly
While on vacation, detective Bill Holt (John Miljan) attends a party at a country mansion where death takes center stage when three guests are murdered.
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Oliver Twist 1933 N/R, 70 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: William J. Cowen
Cast: Dickie Moore, Irving Pichel, William "Stage" Boyd, Doris Lloyd, Barbara Kent, Lionel Belmore, Tempe Pigott, Virginia Sale, Harry Holman, Clyde Cook, George Nash, Alec B. Francis, Sonny Ray, George K. Arthur, Nelson McDowell
This is one of the less successful versions of "Oliver Twist." However, it is an interesting entry in the long list of "Oliver Twist" movies. Dickie Moore stars in the title role of young pickpocket Oliver Twist, and Irving Pichel is good as Oliver's tutor, the devious Fagin.
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Our Daily Bread 1934 N/R, 74 min.
Genre: Drama
aka: Miracle of Life
Director: King Vidor
Cast: Tom Keene, Karen Morley, Barbara Pepper, John Qualen, Addison Richards, Billy Engel, Frank Minor, Henry Hall, Harry Holman, Lynton Brent
King Vidor produced and directed this powerful film. Set during the Depression, the story shows how the extraordinary efforts of those who work on a collective farm provide the way to salvation.
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Phantom Thunderbolt 1933 N/R, 62 min.
Genre: Western
Director: Alan James
Cast: Ken Maynard, Frances Lee, Frank Rice, William Gould, Bob Kortman, William Robyns, Frank Beal, Wilfred Lucas, Harry Holman, Horace B. Carpenter, Arthur Hoyt
Coyote Gulch is in competition with another town to get the railroad franchise, and the other town hires a gang to harass the citizens of Coyote Gulch. But Coyote Gulch hires Ken (Ken Maynard)–posing as gunfighter Thunderbolt Kid–to help fight off the gang.
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Sporting Blood 1931 N/R, 80 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Charles Brabin
Cast: Clark Gable, Ernest Torrence, Madge Evans, Lew Cody, Marie Prevost, Harry Holman, J. Farrell MacDonald, John Larkin, Hallam Cooley, Eugene Jackson
This is the story of a horse that is rescued after being mishandled. With proper training, it shows its championship form and wins the Kentucky Derby.
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Woman Accused 1933 N/R, 71 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Paul Sloane
Cast: Nancy Carroll, Cary Grant, John Halliday, Irving Pichel, Louis Calhern, Jack La Rue, Frank Sheridan, Norma Mitchell, Frank Sheridan, John Lodge, Harry Holman, Gertrude Messinger
Glenda (Nancy Carroll) kills her ex-lover (Louis Calhern) when he refuses to leave her alone and is interfering in her current love life.
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| 1. Bachelor Mother (1932)
2. The Dark Horse (1932)
3. Inside the Law (1942)
4. Meet John Doe (1941)
5. Murder at Glen Athol (1936)
6. Oliver Twist (1933)
7. Our Daily Bread (1934)
aka: Miracle of Life
8. Phantom Thunderbolt (1933)
9. Sporting Blood (1931)
10. Woman Accused (1933)
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