Five and Ten (1931)
** (out of 4)
Extremely boring melodrama has the owner of a chain of Five and Dime stores moving his family to New York City and it doesn't take long for his daughter (Marion Davies) to get involved with society. There she meets a young man (Leslie Howard) who she thinks is for her but soon one problem after another hampers their relationship. Having watched this just minutes after Davies' earlier film THE FLORODORA GIRL, it's quite apparent that this must have been a production that William Randolph Hearst had his hands in. Unlike the previous film that took drama and mixed in great comedy, a strength of Davies, this film here just milks everything so dry by trying to be so dramatic and serious by the time the ending comes you're either going to be asleep or simply not caring what happens. This is an incredibly dry and boring melodrama that each second seems to be screaming out at the viewer to be "impressed" with what's going on. Each scene is just presented in such a "proper" and "serious" manor that you have to wonder if these people ever have any fun. Davies does what she can with the role but this here certainly isn't a highlight of her career. Howard appears smothered by everything and the two really don't have much chemistry. FIVE AND DIME remains mildly entertaining thanks to the stars but at the same time you know you're just watching fluff.
** (out of 4)
Extremely boring melodrama has the owner of a chain of Five and Dime stores moving his family to New York City and it doesn't take long for his daughter (Marion Davies) to get involved with society. There she meets a young man (Leslie Howard) who she thinks is for her but soon one problem after another hampers their relationship. Having watched this just minutes after Davies' earlier film THE FLORODORA GIRL, it's quite apparent that this must have been a production that William Randolph Hearst had his hands in. Unlike the previous film that took drama and mixed in great comedy, a strength of Davies, this film here just milks everything so dry by trying to be so dramatic and serious by the time the ending comes you're either going to be asleep or simply not caring what happens. This is an incredibly dry and boring melodrama that each second seems to be screaming out at the viewer to be "impressed" with what's going on. Each scene is just presented in such a "proper" and "serious" manor that you have to wonder if these people ever have any fun. Davies does what she can with the role but this here certainly isn't a highlight of her career. Howard appears smothered by everything and the two really don't have much chemistry. FIVE AND DIME remains mildly entertaining thanks to the stars but at the same time you know you're just watching fluff.