Linbeymusol Wonderful character development!

Philippa All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Ginger Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

Phillida Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

kidboots For a while Betty Bronson looked like the natural successor to Mary Pickford's mantle of "America's Sweetheart". She was plucked from obscurity to achieve international stardom in "Peter Pan" but Paramount's indecision about how to showcase her talent not only stalled her career but ruined the studio's chance to develop her as one of their rising stars. By the time the "talkies" arrived - she was relegated to second female leads, unfortunately she didn't stand out from the crowd. Especially when she was playing opposite a new arrival from Broadway - Barbara Stanwyck.Secretary Ann (Barbara Stanwyck) is being wined and dined at an exclusive yacht party (that is serving illegal liquor beyond the twelve mile limit) by playboy Frank Devereux (Rod La Rocque). He wants a "good" time regardless of Ann's feelings but, like the cavalry, the booze police raid the liner, when it strays inside the limit and save Ann from a fate worse than death!!!Eighteen months later, Ann is happily married to wealthy Larry (William "Stage" Boyd). His sister, Helen, (adorable Betty Bronson) has some news of her own, she is completely smitten with - you guessed it, Frank Devereaux, who is trying out the same caveman tactics with her, before going to Hawaii the next day!!! Frank is in hot water - he has broken up the marriage of Larry's best friend Dixon and Dixon is out to kill him. Ann quickly flies to Frank's apartment, hoping to intercept Helen, who has secretly gone to keep a dinner rendezvous with him - even though she has been forbidden!!! Devereux's flat then becomes "Grand Central Station", as first Ann, then Larry file in for assorted showdowns. Devereux is murdered and it is no secret that Larry is the culprit. Ann has come in early and is hiding upstairs - Larry doesn't know she is there and locks the flat on his way out. Ann then goes into her act and before the night is over she has convincingly persuaded the police that she is the murderer. A surprising twist is the detective on the case, who reveals he was a plant on the booze liner, as the dopey waiter, who served Frank and Ann and can vouch for Ann's innocence. The film might be a yawn but Stanwyck isn't. She was a natural and convincing actress and while the other cast members try their best to pronounce all their words correctly, Barbara sounds and acts as though she has been acting in talkies for years - amazing for a stage actress!!!Recommended for Stanwyck.

Michael_Elliott Locked Door, The (1929) ** (out of 4) Dry crime melodrama about a woman (Barbara Stanwyck) who gets herself arrested while on a rum boat with the lavish Frank Devereaux (Rod La Rocque). Eighteen months later she is married to another man (William Boyd) but she soon learns that his sister is now involved with Frank. This early talkie from United Artist has pretty much been forgotten with the exception that it will stand the test of time as being Stanwyck's first major role as her previous film had her in a bit role. As with many early talkies, the technology leaves a lot to be desired and I can't help but think that the director wasn't too worried with what was happening on the screen as he was making sure everyone could hear what was going on. The film is incredibly dry of any humor, suspense or drama and that's a real shame because the story is actually pretty good as all four characters get involved with a possible murder towards the end of the film. This murder happens an hour into a 74-minute film so the payoff comes rather quickly but the ending is certainly the best thing about the movie. Stanwyck comes off fairly good in her role but there's no doubt she still had some rust around the edges. La Rocque comes off incredibly over the top as if he was playing in some sort of strange comedy and I can only compare him to what people would see decades later in John Waters. Boyd is pretty good in his role and actually steals the film, although Zasu Pitts has a few good scenes as a telephone operator.

mukava991 The attraction here is not just Barbara Stanwyck, even though it's her first talkie and she handles her role with a secure professionalism that belies her cinematic inexperience. Born for the camera she was! But an equally impressive performance is delivered by Rod La Rocque as the serial cad who mistreats her and then sets his sights on her younger sister. The trappings are typical 20's soap opera/melodrama, in this case derived from a stage play. But not typical for the era is La Rocque's well-tailored villain who seems to have stepped out of a story from a much later era; in fact, his performance would not be considered one bit dated even by today's standards - highly unusual for a film from 1929. His line readings and body language bespeak a decadent, spoiled rogue without a scintilla of conscience, all of this enhanced by delicately tapered sideburns. He also has a smooth, deep speaking voice. The look and style of the film are standard for the era but include an interesting, lively panoramic dance party sequence on a "drinking boat" (pleasure boats that sailed outside the 12-mile limit of the US coast so the patrons could drink alcohol illegally during the Prohibition era) intercut with an intimate scene between Stanwyck and La Rocque in one of the cabins.

boblipton George Fitzmaurice was one of the great commercial stylists among directors in the 1920s. He suffered an eclipse in the early talkie era but was fighting his way back into the majors when he died in 1940.This means, of course, there are a lot of problems with this movie. The screen actors don't know how to do dialogue and most of the stage actors don't know how to turn down their performances for the intimacy of the movie camera. Barbara Stanwyck, looking very fresh-faced, is very loud in her line readings. She knows how to show her emotions beautifully already, though.But producer Joe Schenck didn't spare any expense behind the camera, and it shows. Avant-garde cameraman Ray June handles the camera impeccably. While other directors were having their cameramen use cuts to change subjects, Fitzmaurice has June move the camera. Notice the long tracking shot at the bar in the opening sequence and the MOS shots used to fill out the sequence.The camera-work is not fluid. It is, frankly, fairly clunky, but it is light years ahead of anyone else in the business in 1929, except possibly Mamoulian's APPLAUSE.So while their are a lot of problems with this movie, the camera-work makes this one very superior for 1929 and Barbara Stanwyck makes it worth looking at.