Lady And Gent casts George Bancroft and Wynne Gibson as a prizefighter and his girl. If this were made over at MGM and given an A budget, the roles of Bancroft and Gibson would have been played by Wallace Beery and Jean Harlow.
Bancroft is at the end of his career and he shows it by getting beat by a young up and coming heavyweight played by John Wayne. Later on James Gleason who is Bancroft's manager and who had bet the losing end of Bancroft's purse is shot during a robbery.
What Bancroft and Gibson don't know is that Gleason left behind a son who is now an orphan. Both of them take in young Billy Butts who later grows up to be Charles Starrett. One thing they forget to do is get married, though they live together as man and wife. That's because Gibson wants a quick exit in case Broadway calls.
Sad to say, but Gibson gets stuck in the small town they live in and she pines away for the life she could have had. Much like James Stewart in It's A Wonderful Life. She's the best one in this film, I might easily say this is her career role.
John Wayne makes one of his few appearances in a film that isn't a John Wayne film and he's playing a character role. We see him first as the up and coming heavyweight who knocks out Bancroft and then years later as a punch drunk has been embarking on a criminal career. He's pointed out as a classic example of what not to do with your life when Starrett thinks he ought to try the fight game. Wayne is very good in the part, though his legion of fans will think this a most unusual part for him.
This B picture from Paramount even got an Oscar nomination for best original story and ironically lost that year to MGM and The Champ, another story about a prizefighter. This film also was John Wayne's debut at Paramount Pictures where he would later star in Reap The Wild Wind, Shepherd Of The Hills, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and El Dorado among others. But that was all way further down the road.
Having Bancroft and Gibson living without benefit of clergy is what made this film not be seen for many years once The Code came into place. I consider myself lucky to see it and hope TCM broadcasts this one very soon.
Bancroft is at the end of his career and he shows it by getting beat by a young up and coming heavyweight played by John Wayne. Later on James Gleason who is Bancroft's manager and who had bet the losing end of Bancroft's purse is shot during a robbery.
What Bancroft and Gibson don't know is that Gleason left behind a son who is now an orphan. Both of them take in young Billy Butts who later grows up to be Charles Starrett. One thing they forget to do is get married, though they live together as man and wife. That's because Gibson wants a quick exit in case Broadway calls.
Sad to say, but Gibson gets stuck in the small town they live in and she pines away for the life she could have had. Much like James Stewart in It's A Wonderful Life. She's the best one in this film, I might easily say this is her career role.
John Wayne makes one of his few appearances in a film that isn't a John Wayne film and he's playing a character role. We see him first as the up and coming heavyweight who knocks out Bancroft and then years later as a punch drunk has been embarking on a criminal career. He's pointed out as a classic example of what not to do with your life when Starrett thinks he ought to try the fight game. Wayne is very good in the part, though his legion of fans will think this a most unusual part for him.
This B picture from Paramount even got an Oscar nomination for best original story and ironically lost that year to MGM and The Champ, another story about a prizefighter. This film also was John Wayne's debut at Paramount Pictures where he would later star in Reap The Wild Wind, Shepherd Of The Hills, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and El Dorado among others. But that was all way further down the road.
Having Bancroft and Gibson living without benefit of clergy is what made this film not be seen for many years once The Code came into place. I consider myself lucky to see it and hope TCM broadcasts this one very soon.