BootDigest Such a frustrating disappointment

NekoHomey Purely Joyful Movie!

Greenes Please don't spend money on this.

Calum Hutton It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

JohnHowardReid Copyright 7 February 1933 by Fox Film Corp. New York opening at the Palace: 4 March 1933. U.S. release: 24 February 1933. 61 minutes. (Formerly vailable on a good VintageFilmBuff DVD).SYNOPSIS: Showgirl's rich father-in-law seeks custody of her son.COMMENT: Director Lanfield starts this one with a wow of an extended one-take bang, and then winds slowly - very slowly - downhill. But as the film only runs for one hour (not two or three), our attention is still pretty high at the climactic power-packed courtroom encounter in which Joan crosses swords with an expertly aggressive Donald Crisp. Despite her prominence in the billing, Ginger not only has a small part but is barely recognizable as the RKO Rogers we all know and love. Ricardo Cortez likewise drops out for a long period. In fact, the plot is as flimsy as the lingerie - but in this delightfully overloaded with showgirls case, only a misogynist would even dream of making a complaint.

WarnersBrother This very little known pre-code is quite a find. While it is a bit creaky it also pretty amazing. I stumbled upon it while searching for a decent print of another PD film ( The Hitler Gang 1944). As I am always on a quest to see Warner Brothers material (I estimate I have seen every WB "A" of the Classic Era and 70% of the "B"s still known to exist) I read the cast with growing excitement:Joan Blondell Ricardo Cortez Ginger Rogers Donald CrispHas to be Warners! So I got it and when the credits rolled I was astounded to learn that this 1933 cast of WB contract players was somehow loaned to (William) Fox Pictures! It is going to be another of my quests to find out how this came about. There was certainly no love lost between Jack Warner and William Fox (for that matter between anyone and Fox) Production values at Fox weren't on par with Warners and it shows in this picture. That would change just a few years later when Warners brilliant Production Chief Darryl F. Zanuck, having had JL try to pull a fast one on him defected and partnered with Fox which then became 20th Century-Fox). On to the picture in question. If you are a Joan Blondell fan you will love her here. Instead of a brassy sidekick she gets to be the romantic lead for probably the only time in her career (and to the earlier reviewer who reviles her, you Sir, are an ass). Ricardo Cortez, who had been born Jakob Krantz came to Hollywood in the '20's a Warners poor mans Valentino. He survived well into the sound era and was one of WB early leading men in talkies. He would later play hard and evil men (See Wonderbar 1934 if you can find it). Here he is perfectly cast as a wealthy wooer (and user) of beautiful women, but who turns out to have a heart of gold.Ginger Rogers is also, as usual, good as Joans sidekick just before her own breakout role in "42nd Street" Donald Crisp is seen only briefly in a forgettable role through no fault of his own. The rest of the cast is adequate and for some reason IMDb lists Victor Jory in the cast, which has to be a mistake.Summation? It's the best pre-code sizzler Warner Brothers never made. What I like to call a"Nugget".

vert001 A soap opera about chorus girls, Broadway BAD features a strong cast with star Joan Blondell, male lead Ricardo Cortez, and supporting actress Ginger Rogers, who was just about to hit the big-time. The opening shot is rather elaborate, and there's a very nice scene in a dressing room that centers on Joan and Ginger, but that's about it. The rest is a lachrymose story about mother love, not unusual for the times and not particularly well done. Blondell doesn't get to do much, if any, wisecracking, Cortez is not particularly sleazy for a change, and Rogers has only a small role as the best friend, though she's spirited as usual. 3/10.

kidboots "Broadway Bad" was the last film Ginger Rogers made before finding direction with her career with "42nd Street" (1933). Before then she had been drifting along, getting noticed but mostly in quickies. After she portrayed the role of "Anytime Annie" it seemed studios suddenly knew what to do with her. In this film she portrays "Flip" Daley, pal of Toni (short for Antoinette) Landers (Joan Blondell). Can it be possible there is someone in the world who feels such a strong dislike for Joan Blondell - I can't believe it!!! From the start of her career she was popular with both the critics and the public, usually playing happy go lucky chorus girls.Tony Landers is the new chorine on the block. She is a fresh kid from the country who has caught Craig Cutting's (Ricardo Cortez) eye. The rest of the chorus line is pretty jealous - including Aileen (Adrienne Ames) an old girlfriend of Craig's. When Tony stops off to see her high school sweetheart, Bob (Allen Vincent), her friend, Flip, gets worried when she stays out all night. A few months later Bob is giving her the air and she finds out she is pregnant. I wonder if "the marriage" may have been put in to appease the censors. It was very awkwardly explained I felt. Bob finally tracks her down to Cutting's penthouse and they have a showdown - when she, in turn, goes to Bob's house it is to find that he is going away on a cruise and will not listen to her. Bob divorces Tony and names Craig Cutting as co - respondent. Aileen turns up occasionally with witty and "cutting" remarks.Several years later Tony is a big star and is squirreling money away so she can retire with "the big fella" - her little son (adorable Ronnie Cosby). She renews acquaintance with Cutting who is disappointed at her now mercenary attitude. Bill, the low life, also turns up again (like a bad penny), he is desperate for money and sees a way to blackmail Tony. She keeps two residences - one on Park Avenue, the other in the name of Bixby, where her little boy lives. Bob is convinced he is the father - but is he???? She goes to Cutting and tells him the whole story but before she and the "big fella" can sail for Paris, Bob kidnaps the little boy. There is a trial to determine whether Tony is a fit mother and Donald Crisp is a surprise face as the prosecuting lawyer. The ending is a surprise but not to viewers of pre-code films.Ricardo Cortez is quite the nicest person in the film but the most interesting is the beautiful Adrienne Ames. Why wasn't she a bigger star?? Ginger Rogers, for all her billing, doesn't have very much of a part - is there anything more annoying than a film about chorus girls with no musical numbers!!!! Ginger was seen in a couple of lovely dancing outfits - but not on the stage, only in the dressing room!!! The song that Tony partly sings, "Forget the Past", is a blatant re-working of Kate Smith's big hit of the time - "Twenty Million People".