September 3, 2022

Back in the days before the Code, James Cagney is "Bert", a bit of a rakish bell-hop in the best hotel in a small town where he takes a shine to the would-be chamber-maid "Anne" (Joan Blondell). After some flirting shenanigans and quite a bit of face slapping, the two finally join forces on a scam that nets them each the fairly large sum of $2,500! That is enough to move to a better town, a better hotel, and a better scam - until they align with … read the rest.

Back in the days before the Code, James Cagney is "Bert", a bit of a rakish bell-hop in the best hotel in a small town where he takes a shine to the would-be chamber-maid "Anne" (Joan Blondell). After some flirting shenanigans and quite a bit of face slapping, the two finally join forces on a scam that nets them each the fairly large sum of $2,500! That is enough to move to a better town, a better hotel, and a better scam - until they align with the unscrupulous "Barker" (Louis Calhern) and they find themselves with the task of getting even... Poor old "Bert" is a bit of a commitment-phobe, and so "Anne" falls for the kindly "Joe" (Ray Milland) but when he "borrows" his company's cash for a dodgy scheme, it falls to "Bert" to try and fix things - and, well things don't quite go to plan. This is a love story, peppered with some feisty performances, some engaging action scenarios and plenty of quick-witted dialogue as the chemistry between the young Cagney and Blondell gradually develops for an eighty minutes that moves along nicely. Milland features sparingly, but Calhern adds quite a bit of value as the suave but duplicitous focus for the pair's revenge. The production isn't perhaps the best - the continuity is ropey, but the story and characterisations are entertaining and the ending would pull at even the most cynical of heart-strings. Good fun!

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