TrueJoshNight Truly Dreadful Film

InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Lollivan It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Lidia Draper Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

dt123 The TCM plot description got me to put this this on my DVR, but it was months before I actually sat down to watch it. Totally thought I'd watch a few minutes and move on. But I found myself with a big smile the whole time because it's pretty near perfect - the timing of what we're told, the acting, everything. Not surprised that it's based on a George S. Kaufman play. (Kaufman knows the theater and can be quite clever.) Edward G. Robinson breaks away from his always-EGR persona and Louis Calhern, who plays Stanley Vance is delightfully slimy. The surprises weren't really surprises, but it sure was fun to watch them play out. I wish the reason for Mary Astor's behavior had been hinted at earlier, though, and the print shown on TCM was pretty washed out, but other than that, it's a real keeper. Anyone who likes to watch the tables turned should get a kick out of it!

nomoons11 This one I knew wasn't going to a ground breaking film from the 30's but I saw that Edward G. Robinson was in it so I had to watch it. I didn't live back in the 30's but I can bet that even back then no one would believe the basic plot line in this one. Totally ridiculous.The premise is that an actress is coming back from a lengthy illness/sabbatical. She has a successful turn at her first acting in a play in a while and it's a success. Her brother is almost done with acting but does the play because she's in it. He loves her. The issue is she has a nefarious husband who's life is to make everyone's life around worse by doing one thing....hypnotizing them. The reason his wife was "away" because he has an overpowering effect on her and she needed to get away from him. Luckily, he got jail time so she had time to recuperate.When you first see this guys character come into play and hearing his first lines and his demeanor you can't help but laugh. It's so stupid. Can you imagine? Someone who can hypnotize most around him or that his over bearing personality can make people do whatever he wants. I mean as soon as we see him, his wife goes back into the trance like state. It's just beyond unbelievable. Of course there are a few who don't buy it and one is her brother (Edward G). He prepares a detailed plan to get him out of there life. I won't go into detail with that part because it's actually pretty good.The reason why this film barely works is because Edwar G. Robinson saves it. He's such a good actor he could have made Plan 9 from Outer Space a decent "B" film. He brings such ability to the screen you believe in what he portrays. The ending is quite good and I'm sure you'll agree. I would have given this film a higher rating but the basic plot point is so stupid I just couldn't.Watch this when your bored on a Saturday afternoon and be prepared to watch a plot that's right out of a Soap Opera.

Paularoc It sometimes happens after reading the reviews of a movie, I wonder if I've seen the same movie other reviewers seem to have seen. This movie ranks as one of the worse I have ever wasted my time on. If Robinson hadn't been the star, I would have deleted it from the dvr right after the Calhern character (Stanley Vance) shows up and Astor's character (Jessica Welles) goes into a docile trance-like state. I find the whole Svengali concept hogwash or, at the very least pathetic and sad. Who knows why Robinson, Astor and Clarke accepted parts in this movie. Calhern, however, probably had a ball with his outlandish villain's role. Robinson's make-up was dreadful and it passes belief that those who knew him as Damon Welles could possibly not recognize him as Jules Chautard. The final straw was that the murder was solved as a result of a fake mustaches being left in the hotel room bible! This movie is only worth a look because Robinson is in it.

blanche-2 Edward G. Robinson is "The Man with Two Faces" in this 1934 drama which also stars Louis Calhern, Mary Astor, and Ricardo Cortez. Astor and Robinson are Jessica and Damon Wells, sister and brother actors appearing in the out of town tryout of a play called "The Dark Tower." Astor's cruel, greedy, crooked husband, Stanley Vance (Calhern) is believed dead. Unfortunately he's not, and he shows up where the cast is staying.Damon Wells comes up with an idea of getting rid of Vance once and for all, and he uses Wells' greed to do it, telling him that a man, Chautard, is interested in buying Vance's and Jessica's part of the show for a great deal of money. Stanley eagerly meets Chautard at his hotel.This is a nice, short mystery that showcases both Robinson and Calhern. It's not the most believable plot - for one thing, Astor becomes shell-shocked when her husband appears and does everything he tells her, as if she has no mind of her own. That seemed rather odd. However, the acting is good and the action goes by pleasantly.