Daily Archives: February 14, 2022

Animal Crackers (1930)

Posted on February 14, 2022 | 2 comments

Animal Crackers
Directed by Victor Heerman
Written by Morrie Ryskind from a play by Ryskind, George S. Kaufman, Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby
1930/US
Paramount Pictures
IMDb page
Repeat viewing/YouTube

Capt. Spaulding: How happy I could be with either of these two if both of them just went away.

This is possibly my favorite Marx Brothers movie.

Mrs. Rittenhouse (Margaret Dumont) is hosting a lavish house party to introduce African explorer Captain Geoffrey T. Spaulding (Groucho) to her high society friends.

Chico, Harpo and Zeppo show up and mayhem ensues.  With Lillian Roth as Zeppo’s love interest.

This is chock full of gags but does not go into frenetic overdrive like some of the later ones do.  Everybody looks like they were having a good time and I had one too.

 

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Posted in 1930, Pre-Code Reviews

Danger Lights (1930)

Posted on February 14, 2022 | Leave a comment

Danger Lights
Directed by George B. Seitz
Written by James Ashmore Creelman
1930/US
RKO Radio Pictures
IMDb page
First viewing/YouTube

Dan Thorn: Come on, get the lead outta your feet!… This ain’t no smoking room. This is a railroad!

I came to see the great Louis Walheim.  Others may come for the steam engine action.

Dan Thorn is the boss of a railroad yard. He is tough as nails with a face only a mother could love and a heart of the purest gold. He spots hobo Larry Doyle (Robert Armstrong) who has been illegally riding the rails.  When he learns that Larry was previously a railroad engineer, he gives him a break and a job.

Dan has taken care of young Mary Ryan (Jean Arthur) and her crippled father for years. Dan and Jean are engaged to be married.  What will happen when Larry comes into the picture?

 

I love Louis Walheim and this is one of the last films in his short career. He’s great in it. The story is kind of predictable but all the footage of steam engines in action is fascinating. Highly recommended to railroad enthusiasts and Louis Walheim completists and not a bad popcorn watch.

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Posted in Movie Reviews