What looks like a gangster film and sounds like a gangster film but isn't a gangster film? A lightweight drama about a gambling barber of course!
Edward G plays Nick the barber (well, he sounds like a gangster but is.....a barber). He is so lucky at gambling that eventually he becomes the owner of a flash casino. He seems a reasonable and decent chap, he's arrogant but behind the bravado, is kind and thoughtful. I therefore couldn't for the life of me understand why this made him a criminal. I couldn't see why there was peril, danger, risk and tension - it seemed just like the story of someone setting up a business! That's what made this less than exciting. What I'd forgotten was that in America, gambling used to be illegal and because a lot of gambling was run by organized crime, those involved were tarred with the same brush as the bootleggers and gangsters. The problem with this movie is the good guys and the bad guys aren't defined: is 'kind hearted Nick the bad guy? Is the mean-spirited and horribly sneaky DA the good guy?
Although he walks and talks and looks like Rico from SCARFACE, the character Edward G plays here is nothing like him. His character has real depth and in my opinion this is one of his most rounded portrayals; he's a very likeable guy. One weirdly questionable characteristic he has however is the peculiar old American custom of rubbing the heads of black men for good luck: not, I guess, a habit not to practice next time I'm over there!
This motion picture is probably something only Edward G completists would enjoy especially because he is very good in it. It's a shame that the film itself isn't very good. It's not a bad film, you can tell from the script and the style that it's obviously a Zanuck-WB movie so it's assuringly well made. The acting is good for 1931 plus we've got Cagney in small supporting role. Alfred Green's snappy direction gives this a professional look and he keeps it moving so fast that your attention never wanes . After watching this you will however wonder why you bothered.
Edward G plays Nick the barber (well, he sounds like a gangster but is.....a barber). He is so lucky at gambling that eventually he becomes the owner of a flash casino. He seems a reasonable and decent chap, he's arrogant but behind the bravado, is kind and thoughtful. I therefore couldn't for the life of me understand why this made him a criminal. I couldn't see why there was peril, danger, risk and tension - it seemed just like the story of someone setting up a business! That's what made this less than exciting. What I'd forgotten was that in America, gambling used to be illegal and because a lot of gambling was run by organized crime, those involved were tarred with the same brush as the bootleggers and gangsters. The problem with this movie is the good guys and the bad guys aren't defined: is 'kind hearted Nick the bad guy? Is the mean-spirited and horribly sneaky DA the good guy?
Although he walks and talks and looks like Rico from SCARFACE, the character Edward G plays here is nothing like him. His character has real depth and in my opinion this is one of his most rounded portrayals; he's a very likeable guy. One weirdly questionable characteristic he has however is the peculiar old American custom of rubbing the heads of black men for good luck: not, I guess, a habit not to practice next time I'm over there!
This motion picture is probably something only Edward G completists would enjoy especially because he is very good in it. It's a shame that the film itself isn't very good. It's not a bad film, you can tell from the script and the style that it's obviously a Zanuck-WB movie so it's assuringly well made. The acting is good for 1931 plus we've got Cagney in small supporting role. Alfred Green's snappy direction gives this a professional look and he keeps it moving so fast that your attention never wanes . After watching this you will however wonder why you bothered.