Other Men’s Women (1931)

Other Men’s Women

Bill White: I love you, Lily. And I want ya. And if you are here or near me, I’ll take you. You understand? I’ll take you.

William Wellman blends exciting railway action with a love triangle made more palatable by the excellent acting of all concerned.

Bill White (Grant Withers) is a hard-drinking locomotive engineer and ladies’ man.  He is currently hanging out with drinking buddy Marie (Joan Blondell) who is after him to marry her.  He shares duties in the same locomotive with colleague and best friend Jack (Regis Toomey). Both are railroad men through and through.  Jack thinks Bill should settle down and invites him to dinner at his home with his wife Lily (Mary Astor).  Bill eventually moves in with the couple and quits drinking.

There has been an unspoken sexual tension between Bill and Lily.  One day, they declare their love and seal it with a kiss.  Bill decides the best thing to do is move out which leads Jack to figure out something is going on with Bill and Lily.

This revelation occurs on the locomotive and the two begin fist fighting furiously.  In the process, Jack is thrown off the train.  The incident leaves him blind.

Bill begins drinking again and is back with Marie.  I think I’ll stop here except to say that the climax of the film is an unbelievable but spectacular.  With James Cagney in a small speaking part as one of the railway workers.  He even does a little dance (see below)!

I love Mary Astor and I thought she was very appealing in this.  It’s Grant Withers’s movie though and he acquitted himself admirably.  As did everyone else.  If the fairly standard tragic love triangle is pretty routine, there is all that spectacular train action to enjoy.