Marian Marsh had been personally picked by John Barrymore for the role of Trilby in "Svengali" and later that year she appeared opposite him again in "The Mad Genius". She was a doll like blonde but when given the chance (ie the grief stricken daughter in "Five Star Final") she proved she could handle heavy dramatics. Warner Bros. believed in her but not even being named a Wampus Star of 1931 could counter the big flop of "Under 18" (which was given a huge publicity build up) and after Marian started grumbling about better parts, the studio let her go. She then accepted films at studios like Chesterfield and lost her prestige. Her co-star in "Notorious But Nice" is the gorgeous Rochelle Hudson (also a 1931 Wampus Baby Star) who was having her own woes - she had made an impression in the teen movie "Are These Our Children" but was never able to capitalise on it - she was locked into the Bosko cartoon series and she seemed to voice dozens of them.
Of course with roles like this, she was never really going to be noticed. She plays catty Constance Martin, a spoilt rich kid determined to break up the romance between dithering Dick Hamiltion (Donald Dillaway) and dewy eyed office worker Jenny Jones (Marsh), as she wants him herself. Her father is more than eager to make Jenny's road in the big city as rocky as they come, he sacks her after having her shadowed and realising she has lied about her home town past. Betty Compson, always making the most of any part thrown to her, is Millie Sprague, initially a shadowy figure eager to lure Jenny into the life of a hostess but in reality an operative who has been hired by Martin to dig up any sort of dirt on the girl even if she has to cake it on herself. Thanks to Martin, Jenny finds it impossible to get employment and it seems that every strange man in the city is in Martin's pay - a kindly man in the park (Robert Frazer, fresh from "White Zombie") who takes starving Jenny to a café is just another rat who has been paid to put her in a compromising position.
Millie comes back into the picture, as a "hostess with a heart of gold" and helps get Jenny back on her feet and she also introduces her to notorious but nice racketeer Joe Charney (J. Carroll Naish). They marry and he seems to sincerely love her but someone has to exit and as Marsh is the star, Joe is the one found slumped over his desk, Jenny standing over him looking confused but with a smoking gun!! Of course she is innocent but she is headed for the electric chair even though she still has to make her shock confession which has been simmering in the background for the last hour.
J. Carroll Naish did as much as he could with his role of Joe, initially nice then inexplicably having to turn into a brute so his murder wouldn't be mourned. Did Betty Compson ever stop working, it didn't appear so - from 1915 she had continuous employment. Talkies were no headache for her and she was not above stealing a role from a green newcomer!!
Of course with roles like this, she was never really going to be noticed. She plays catty Constance Martin, a spoilt rich kid determined to break up the romance between dithering Dick Hamiltion (Donald Dillaway) and dewy eyed office worker Jenny Jones (Marsh), as she wants him herself. Her father is more than eager to make Jenny's road in the big city as rocky as they come, he sacks her after having her shadowed and realising she has lied about her home town past. Betty Compson, always making the most of any part thrown to her, is Millie Sprague, initially a shadowy figure eager to lure Jenny into the life of a hostess but in reality an operative who has been hired by Martin to dig up any sort of dirt on the girl even if she has to cake it on herself. Thanks to Martin, Jenny finds it impossible to get employment and it seems that every strange man in the city is in Martin's pay - a kindly man in the park (Robert Frazer, fresh from "White Zombie") who takes starving Jenny to a café is just another rat who has been paid to put her in a compromising position.
Millie comes back into the picture, as a "hostess with a heart of gold" and helps get Jenny back on her feet and she also introduces her to notorious but nice racketeer Joe Charney (J. Carroll Naish). They marry and he seems to sincerely love her but someone has to exit and as Marsh is the star, Joe is the one found slumped over his desk, Jenny standing over him looking confused but with a smoking gun!! Of course she is innocent but she is headed for the electric chair even though she still has to make her shock confession which has been simmering in the background for the last hour.
J. Carroll Naish did as much as he could with his role of Joe, initially nice then inexplicably having to turn into a brute so his murder wouldn't be mourned. Did Betty Compson ever stop working, it didn't appear so - from 1915 she had continuous employment. Talkies were no headache for her and she was not above stealing a role from a green newcomer!!