Laughing Sinners
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Movie of the Week: Dance Fools Dance (1931) and Laughing Sinners (1931)
This week, we’ve got a Clark Gable/Joan Crawford pre-code double feature: Dance Fools Dance (1931) and Laughing Sinners (1931). These two films were made back-to-back, as Clark, a rising star in MGM’s roster, and Joan, one of MGM’s shiniest stars, were engaged in heated love affair. Clark’s of course second fiddle to Joan in both of these. In Dance Fools Dance, Joan is Bonnie Jordan, a rich girl suddenly thrown into the real world after her father dies and she finds out all his money is gone. She goes to work as a writer for the local newspaper. One of her assignments is to go undercover and get a story on…
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Nutshell Reviews: The Finger Points (1931), The Secret Six (1931) and Laughing Sinners (1931)
In a Nutshell: The Finger Points (1931) Directed by: John Francis Dillon Co-stars: Richard Barthelmess, Fay Wray Synopsis: Barthelmess is Breckenridge Lee, a naive Southerner who comes to New York to be a newspaperman. It isn’t long before his innocence falls victim to gangsters, under the wing of tough guy Louis Blanco (Gable). He begins taking bribes and covering up stories for them. Breck’s girl, Marcia (Wray), urges him to go straight before it is too late. Best Gable Quote: “Double-crossing is very unhealthy in this town. Do you feel well?” Fun Fact: Clark filmed scenes for The Finger Points, Night Nurse and The Easiest Way simultaneously. My Verdict: Clark is…
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April Movie of the Month: Laughing Sinners (1931)
Clark Gable is third billed in this syrupy drama behind Joan Crawford, naturally, and Neil Hamilton (who?) Unlike most of this roles of 1931–A Free Soul, Dance Fools Dance, Night Nurse–Clark is far from a thug; he plays the ultimate good boy out to save Joan Crawford’s soul. Clark is Carl, a saintly Salvation Army officer who rescues Ivy (Crawford), distraught over being dumped by her boyfriend (Hamilton), from jumping off a bridge. Under Carl’s influence, Ivy gives up her hard-drinking, hard-partying nightclub lifestyle and joins the Salvation Army. Temptation proves to be too great though, when her ex-lover returns and she falls back into old habits. If you are…
