This film takes almost half of its running time to get off the ground. I thought that it was me at the beginning, distracted by something but not really getting interested in this low budget pre-code drama of SIM and scandal. Marian Marsh is a down on her luck secretary whose love affair with an up and coming business executive eventually gets her fired by the ruthless and ultra sexist big boss. Falling almost into the gutter, she ends up involved with a big shot nightclub owner (J. Carroll Naish) who might not be on the up and up. Marsh becomes a victim of his jealousy which leads to murder.
As I began to see what the plot was really about, I realized that it wasn't me, that the wild, convoluted set-up was dragged out much more than it needed to be, only coming alive as the film creaks towards the middle.
Marsh is lovely and sincere, but this plot is as old as melodrama and might remind people of the real drama behind the play and musical "Chicago". It's also very similar to the Ruth Snyder trial which became a classic play, "Machinal". The stories are quite different but quite similar in the fact that they take down on their luck dames and put them near death row thanks to some nasty man. The best performance is by Betty Compson as Marsh's worldly pal, the type of friend that every struggling jazz baby should have. Donald Dillaway is a bore as Marsh's true love. While definitely of a pre- code mentality, it never really heats up until Carroll is introduces, with the few exceptions of when Compson is on screen.
As I began to see what the plot was really about, I realized that it wasn't me, that the wild, convoluted set-up was dragged out much more than it needed to be, only coming alive as the film creaks towards the middle.
Marsh is lovely and sincere, but this plot is as old as melodrama and might remind people of the real drama behind the play and musical "Chicago". It's also very similar to the Ruth Snyder trial which became a classic play, "Machinal". The stories are quite different but quite similar in the fact that they take down on their luck dames and put them near death row thanks to some nasty man. The best performance is by Betty Compson as Marsh's worldly pal, the type of friend that every struggling jazz baby should have. Donald Dillaway is a bore as Marsh's true love. While definitely of a pre- code mentality, it never really heats up until Carroll is introduces, with the few exceptions of when Compson is on screen.