I am of course being a touch sarcastic there because it often gets forgotten that Frank Capra, as wonderful as his homely corn uplifters are, did in fact also do straight, serious and technically excellent pictures as well. American Madness is a tale of hysteria during the Great Depression, it's poignant and a fine reference point as regards that particular bleak time in American history, it's a story well worth investing time in purely for that alone. That it boasts a fabulous performances from Walter Huston and a usual irrepressible one from Pat O'Brien merely cements this in the must see category. Yet the main selling point here is Capra himself, obviously still honing his skills, this piece stands as an interesting marker for anyone doubting Capra's worth as a director of note. Splendidly adopting a single sets mentality, Capra crafts his story within the confines of a bank, wonderfully gliding his camera around and quick cutting to emphasise the scattergun nature of the "madness" unfolding.
It's not a film to revisit once one has viewed, but you owe it to yourself as a film fan to see it just the once, for here we have W Huston and F Capra on particularly fine form. 6.5/10
It's not a film to revisit once one has viewed, but you owe it to yourself as a film fan to see it just the once, for here we have W Huston and F Capra on particularly fine form. 6.5/10