Protraph Lack of good storyline.

Dorathen Better Late Then Never

Solidrariol Am I Missing Something?

Guillelmina The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Antonius Block I should warn you up front that to like this movie, you'll have to overlook some serious racism, both in the horribly stereotypical portrayal of an Asian servant referred to as 'boy' (who unfortunately appears many times), as well as in the depiction of the native workers on a rubber plantation in Indochina as lazy and unintelligent 'coolies'. You will have to mentally block that out of your mind, stifle your disgust, or chalk it up to the times. There is also a fair bit of sexism as well.Clark Gable is in one of his usual roles, the tough guy with loose morals, and Jean Harlow is a prostitute he has a one-night stand with. The prim and proper Mary Astor and her sick husband Gene Raymond arrive on the plantation, and Gable has his eyes on her from the start. Harlow has returned as well, but instead of complicating things, her presence serves as sassy comic relief. Gable sends Raymond away on a difficult assignment so he can seal the deal with Astor, but the resulting affair brings about emotions that are hard for him to deal with – love with Astor, guilt towards Raymond. Harlow and Gable have good chemistry, but I thought it was matched (if not surpassed) by what he shares with Astor. Harlow of course has the famous scene bathing in a rain barrel, but the scene which has Gable carrying Astor through monsoon rains and then kissing her for 17 seconds is far steamier. It's the rain barrel that drew all of the attention, however, and Harlow's natural charm does shine through. The dialog is engaging and this is a good pre-Code picture that will hold your attention. Just be prepared to cringe at times because of the racism.

GManfred Golden Age fans will love this one, a Pre-Code film that's much like a filmed stage play - in fact, it's based on a play which, by all accounts was even racier than the movie. It was made in 1932 and certainly couldn't pass muster after the inception of the Hays Office, but nowadays anything goes; odd someone hasn't tried. They would be hard-pressed, though, to find a better cast, especially the two principals. Gable and Harlow are perfect together, the animal magnetism fairly leaping off the screen. Gable was the very model of modern masculinity at the time, and Harlow his female counterpart.Some reviewers noted an element of racism woven throughout the picture, but they should give it a rest. The world in general and society in particular were vastly different from the modern PC era. Also of interest is the support cast, headed by Mary Astor, who admittedly was a better actress than Harlow but minus the manifest 'feminine wiles'. In a departure from more dignified roles, Donald Crisp plays vulgar drunk and to excellent effect.Have you seen it? If not, do so. It's well worth your time just to see how the 'pros' used to do it, inherent plot flaws notwithstanding.

Steffi_P The creation of a star in classic Hollywood was not just a case of finding the right man or woman, it was about creating the right persona. Clark Gable had been in movies for several years by the time of this, his breakthrough picture, first as a bit player, then as a (usually villainous) supporting actor, before finally landing romantic leading roles. It wasn't necessarily that he took time to hone his abilities (although that was some part of it); it was more that it took a long time for everyone to figure out what kind of a guy he should be.Red Dust is in many ways the perfect romantic melodrama – a steamy exotic location, a jagged love triangle, sex that while passionate is never gratuitous, and of course the desirable lead performers. It's just the kind of setting to show Gable off at his best, allowing him to appear sweaty, unshaven and loose-shirted. Put this man in a tuxedo and he became decidedly boring, but in Red Dust he sizzles. The movie doesn't demand a great deal from him acting-wise, but he knows how to pose with an air of virility, and can carry a woman to bed without appearing rapey. Love interest number one, Jean Harlow, was never really an exceptional actress but she's at her most natural and laid back here. Love interest number two, Mary Astor, on the other hand matches Gable for sexual presence despite her well-mannered bearing. There's a lot of attraction in her ability to switch from propriety to passion. Her acting is also the best of any on display here.This was Gable's first pairing with director Victor Fleming, a craftsman whose approach really suited the manly star. Fleming's movies are all about constant movement. Actors will almost always walk as they talk. It stops the movie from ever seeming slow or dull. Fleming would coach his cast in some detail about how to act. Although Gable and Astor begin to realise their feelings for one another on a fast-paced trot through the jungle, he has them stop for a moment to give emphasis to important lines. He also has actors bark out their dialogue, and make every movement sharp, almost aggressive. And Fleming was a master shot composer, often juggling foreground and background, or knowing how to frame a really iconic moment like Gable and Astor's kiss.Although he'd had a number of leading roles before this, it was Red Dust that really sealed Gable's superstardom. His career as a desirable hero would have huge longevity, and I'm reminded of Lillian Gish's comment about the women in Hollywood ageing while the men stayed forever young. Before long Mary Astor would be playing middle-aged and increasingly minor characters, even though she remained very beautiful. Gable on the other hand continued to be a screen lover for more than two decades. When they came to remake Red Dust as Mogambo in 1953 the female roles were filled by hot young newcomers Grace Kelly and Ava Gardner. Gable, twenty-one years older, was still cast as the man they fought over.

Cyke 069: Red Dust (1932) - released 10/22/1932; viewed 6/24/06.KEVIN: We first saw Gable at the premiere of 'Grand Hotel' on that film's DVD. He doesn't seem to have a warming up period in this film, but is instead already at the top of his game here as Dennis, the rubber plantation owner. As is Jean Harlow, who we've seen three times before but never as cool or as sassy as she is here playing floozy Vantine (what a great name). Mary Astor (as Barbara) and Jean Harlow make an excellent pair and there's great contrast in their two characters. I got excited when they first appeared on screen together, because I knew things were going to get interesting. The character of Gary, Barbara's husband, is kind of underutilized, mainly because there's all this dysfunction going on around him and he's unaware of it. The climax definitely caught me off guard. I didn't expect Barbara to shoot him. The ending felt kind of abrupt. I say kind of, because I did feel it coming. When I felt it coming I was surprised that that was the end. I thought, "Hmm...well, I guess there's really nothing more to say." I haven't seen a film this lean on story since 'Anna Christie.'DOUG: Sex and passion flow at an Indochina rubber plantation in Victor Fleming's steamy Pre-Code drama 'Red Dust.' This film introduces us to Clark Gable, who's without his mustache at this point. He also doesn't wear an undershirt (as we see again in 'It Happened One Night'). No warm up is needed, as Gable is already acting at the top of his game. This is the forth film we've seen Jean Harlow in (after 'Hell's Angels,' 'The Public Enemy,' 'The Platinum Blonde'), and she finally gets a really juicy role here. She's very sassy, dropping one snarky and suggestive one-liner after another. I just barely recognized Donald Crisp, who was so wonderfully scary way back in 'Broken Blossoms.' My only real problem with the movie was the character of Hoy, played by Willie Fung, who does everything he can to offend Chinese people everywhere every moment he's on screen. The ending is a bit abrupt, but it's basically a happy one for all (even though somebody gets shot). I didn't think she was going to shoot him either. I fear that in watching all these Pre-Code movies together, we're taking all the things that could make it onto the screen for granted. It will be a sad time indeed when we reach the point where the Code is enforced and all the juicy violence, bawdy language, nudity, and kissing will abruptly vanish.Last film: Trouble in Paradise (1932). Next film: Night After Night (1932).