Edward G Robinson (1893-1973) was one of Warner's biggest stars of the 1930s, usually playing a gangster. The 1940s would see him expand with films like "The Sea Wolf" (1941), "Double Indemnity" (1944), "The Woman in the Window" (1945), "Scarlet Street" (1946) and "House of Strangers" (1949) and later he would do such notable films as "The Ten Commandments" (1956), "Hole in the Head" (1959), "The Cincinnati Kid" (1965), and "Soylent Green" (1973). He also took a brief tour into comedy with films like "The Little Giant" (1933) and 'The Whole Town's Talking" (1935), and this one "Larceny Inc." was one more attempt. While he was an excellent actor, comedy was not his forte, and this film shows it. The dialogue is snappy, but neither Robinson nor Broderick Crawford carry it off. Crawford, if you recall was best as a heavy, winning the Oscar for "All the King's Men" (1949) and spending years on TV on "Highway Patrol".
It's a great cast. Look for a very young Jackie Gleason as a bartender and an equally young Anthony Quinn as a prisoner. Jane Wyman and Jack Carson appear in their first of several films together.
Though the cast is talented, the film is not very funny. In addition, the film never exceeds its origins as a play.
1942 was a good year in films – "Yankee Doddle Dandy" and "Mrs. Miniver" were the clear Oscar winners and at the box office. Other popular films included "Casablanca", "Woman of the Year", Alan Ladd's "This Gun for Hire", Gary Cooper's "Pride of the Yankees", and "Road to Morocco"
It's a great cast. Look for a very young Jackie Gleason as a bartender and an equally young Anthony Quinn as a prisoner. Jane Wyman and Jack Carson appear in their first of several films together.
Though the cast is talented, the film is not very funny. In addition, the film never exceeds its origins as a play.
1942 was a good year in films – "Yankee Doddle Dandy" and "Mrs. Miniver" were the clear Oscar winners and at the box office. Other popular films included "Casablanca", "Woman of the Year", Alan Ladd's "This Gun for Hire", Gary Cooper's "Pride of the Yankees", and "Road to Morocco"