LastingAware The greatest movie ever!

Boobirt Stylish but barely mediocre overall

Numerootno A story that's too fascinating to pass by...

KnotStronger This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

Rainey Dawn This is a s-l-o-w crime drama. Not much of a mystery and it's definitely NOT a thriller nor a horror film. It's not the worst film in the world but there are much better crime-dramas from the 1930s. This one is not memorable.The Internet Archives says this film's genre is drama/horror and the movie is also found in the 50 horror film collection. This film is far away from being a horror film.Wikipedia has this film as a crime-thriller listed at the bottom of the page. Crime - yes. A thriller? - Debatable. I would argue NO this movie is not even a thriller film.I think the genre tags on IMDb are correct for this film: crime, drama, mystery. That sums the film right up.The movie is watchable but I have seen much more interesting crime-dramas from the 1930s than this particular film.2/10

Bezenby The District Attonrey has uncovered some wrong doings at a corporation and is about to blow the lid on the lot when he's whacked by a hit-man. His replacement (and friend) takes over, and much to the dismay of the bigwigs at the corporation he's determined to blow the lid on all the shenanigans too. What's an evil, greedy person to do? Well, whack the new DA too, obviously! Problem is, the new DA's friend is a reporter who seems to know everyone in the world, and he's also uncovering more and more evidence. Although billed as a horror film on Mill Creek's 50 Horror Classics box set, A World Gone Mad is more of a crime thriller (although at one point some characters walk past an ad for the film The Vampire Bat!) with a lot of twists and turns thrown in. It's not majorly exciting, but it's not boring either, with plenty of that fast talking thirties mannerism ("Are you on the level?" ) and such like. It's also strangely relevant today, and just seems to show that nothing ever changes. They even mention pyramid schemes at one point. It's no forgotten classic, but not as bad as other folks have made out.

JohnHowardReid A newshound investigates the staged shooting of a District Attorney.Probably the most expensive Poverty Row production ever made, World Gone Mad features a top-flight cast (Neil Hamilton and Buster Phelps are the only weak links) in a racily dialogued, fast-moving (at least in the cutdown version) account of corporate greed and cover-up. By independent standards, some of the sets and special effects come over as really outstanding. True, there are some rough moments. Both the opening scene and action finale seem a little abrupt in the cut DVD print, but otherwise the rather complicated plot is put across with both speed and efficiency by director Cabanne. The action sequences are perhaps not as slickly staged as they could be, although the superb editing work by Otis Garrett livens them up considerably. Photographer Ira Morgan has lit both his players and Danny Hall's sumptuous sets with commendable finesse and even added some attractive noirish effects to complement the car-train climax.Measuring up to the standard of his later Charlie Chan and Bulldog Drummonds, Edward T. Lowe's script provides excellent dialogue opportunities for Pat O'Brien (the loose newsman), Evelyn Brent (the heavy's moll), Louis Calhern (the heavy), J. Carroll Naish (a super-spruce goon), and the lovely Mary (Wendy) Brian (the passionate heroine who is throwing herself away on stiff-as-a-board Hamilton).The lively, fast-paced 105-minutes version is now available on a very good Alpha DVD.

Wheatridge A fast paced action drama featuring Pat O'Brian as a hard drinking, woman chasing reporter who is on a first name basis with everyone from the District Attorney to mob chiefs and down to hit men on the street. The story opens with a corporate bigwig contracting with the local mob chief (Louis Calhern) to have the District Attorney killed. The newly appointed District Attorney, who happens to be engaged to one of the corporate bigwigs' daughter, and, is, of course a friend of Pat O'Brian. From here it is a race to expose the wicked corporation, in a sort of 1933 Enron scandal, and to keep the new District Attorney alive.Remembering that this is a 1933 film, it is years ahead of itself in technology, film noir effects, and settings. Everyone dresses for dinner. Even our fearless reporter has a manservant to whom he gives the night off to allow the plot to thicken unfettered at his Art Deco apartment. One scene has bullet identification, which I thought didn't come into being for another 50 years; however here, performed by our reporter hero, rather than the police.This dated movie holds up to today's standards, and could have even been a basis for the film Chinatown. The corporate leaders get their rewards, the new District Attorney gets the girl, and Pat O'Brian gets another phone number or two for his private file.I would rate this movie 5 ½ on a scale of 10.