When your best pal fucks your girlfriend in order to “test’ her fidelity, maybe you should make new friends. Tod Browning is not credited with directing, as the title card says a Tod Browning Production, then lists the other creative constituents of this misogynistic melodrama. Was this the result of his previous disaster FREAKS which, in my opinion, is one of the great Pre-Code films and whose reputation has been deservedly resurrected? In 1933, his name may have been anathema, so here we get a dynamic duo of John Gilbert (Gunner) and Robert Armstrong (Bucker) in a dour and pessimistic relationship with Mae Clarke (Mary), all fast workers of a sort: Gunner with amoral women, Bucker with rivets, and Mary digging gold. We get a nice supporting role from Sterling Holloway (Pinky), who at least gives the story a modicum of compassion and humor.
When Gunner does a stretch in county jail for being $29 short of his fine for assault, Bucker meets Mary at a local speakeasy and is hooked. Unknown to both of them, they share a bond with Gunner: he’s Mary’s boy-toy and Bucker’s confidant! Once Bucker’s two cohorts discover the truth, Bucker is the one kept in the dark even after he and Mary tie the knot (more like a noose). Soon hearts and bones are broken. The acting is generally decent but it’s the characterizations that vex, as Armstrong plays his role “full-idiot” and Gilbert is an asshole, while Mary fails to reveal any redeeming quality and becomes the punchline to their malicious masculinity. Unlike Browning’s film IRON MAN, where the homosexual relationship is buried in the subtext of two men who share friendship, hardship and compassion for one another, here one wonders why the two guys are even friends! It seems more like Gunner is the one taking advantage of Bucker and his kindhearted naivete, using the excuse of “looking after him” to get laid. The film also makes a point that every woman is after a man’s cash and should be treated accordingly. Gunner’s casual misogyny unfortunately isn’t just typical of the era, it transcends it.
DP Peveral Marley does a wonderful job of utilizing back projection and high/low angle shots as the men work on the narrow beams while building a skyscraper, forty stories above the rush hour traffic but just the right height to peek into adjoining buildings to ogle women through binoculars. A nice interlude occurs when Bucker and Mary go to the movies, watching Harry Beaumont’s LAUGHING SINNERS (untitled in the film): Mary sees romance and Bucker sees “corn”. It’s a neat “meta” resolution because it exposes Mary’s moral fault, her narcissism obscured by fantasy. Browning’s macabre touch is exposed in the final act as he films Armstrong in sweaty, murdery close-ups as Mary discloses her unholy betrayal. He stalks off to work and causes Gunner to fall nearly to his death, but Gunner catches the sleeve of Bucker’s sweater and dangle precariously while the fabric tears, bit by bit. Gunner falls onto a landing many floors below thanks to his cohort swinging him toward relative safety. Mary knows this truth too and vows to tell Gunner and the cops about the attempted murder. But when they visit him in the hospital, Gunner forgives his pal and they both drop Mary! Yet there is time for one last patriarchal and puerile gesture towards the adorable nurse. Bones may be shattered, hearts may be torn asunder, but dirty minds remain fully intact.
Final Grade: (C)