Riffraff *** (1935, Jean Harlow, Spencer Tracy, Joseph Calleia, Una Merkel, Mickey Rooney, Victor Kilian) – Classic Movie Review 4,929

The likeable and fairly sparky 1935 romantic comedy crime drama film Riffraff boasts the appealing combination of Spencer Tracy and Jean Harlow as fellow workers organising a strike against the owners of a tuna cannery.

‘When a red-headed woman meets a red-headed man!’

Director J Walter Ruben’s likeable and fairly sparky 1935 MGM romantic comedy crime drama film Riffraff boasts the appealing combination of Spencer Tracy as trickster fisherman Dutch Muller and Jean Harlow as his tough, beautiful bombshell cannery co-worker Hattie Tuttle trying to hit it big in the tuna-canning business but ending up involved in criminal chicanery. Dutch, Hattie and their fellow workers organise a strike against the owners of a tuna cannery.

The stars are perfectly cast, sharing great screen chemistry, and their witty bantering squabbling is a treat. But alas this fishy tale goes a little bit belly-up some way before the end. What it needs to keep it afloat is a wittier screenplay than this one by Frances Marion, H W Hanemann and Anita Loos, from an original story by Frances Marion.

It may not be the best of Tracy and Harlow but nevertheless it is still quite entertaining though.

Riffraff co-stars Mickey Rooney as teenager Jimmy, uncle of two younger children, Joseph Calleia plays the cannery owner boss Nick Lewis, and J Farrell MacDonald plays the wise old head of the fishermen’s union, ‘Brains’ McCall, all three of them especially effective.

Jimmy and his nephews live with Hattie, Pops (Roger Imhof) and Aunt Lil (Una Merkel) in a small home on the wharf. Rich cannery owner boss Nick Lewis (Joseph Calleia) tries to romance Hattie with money and presents, but she chooses Dutch, who marries her. Dutch quits his poorly paid job to concentrate on getting better working conditions as union leader, but the members disagree with him and kick him out.

Also in the cast are Una Merkel, Victor Kilian, Roger Imhof, Juanita Quigley, Paul Hurst, Vince Barnett, Dorothy Appleby, Judith Wood, Wade Botelier, Al Hill, George Givot, Rafaella Ottiano and Stanley Price.

It uses 42 contract players, apparently the largest ever in an MGM picture.

It premiered on December 31, 1935 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, before its US release on January 3, 1936 and UK release on April 6, 1936.

Is MGM doing union bashing? The film’s depiction of organised labour led to controversy, being accused of propaganda against trade unions.

With tuna fish and trade unions not really a movie magnet, it flopped. The film cost $732,000 and earned $1,047,000 worldwide, resulting in a loss to MGM of $63,000.

MGM had other problems. The California State Industrial Welfare Committee brought a charge of negligence against MGM on behalf of the 40 elderly or frail women extras who were drenched in the prison rainstorm sequence. The crew was found to be understaffed and lacking supplies to warm and dry the extras between takes. They received an extra $15 as an initial compensation.

Critics praised Harlow’s new ‘natural’ look, as It was thought she darkened her hair to ‘brownette’ before the film went into production. However, actually, Harlow wore a wig during filming because her hair had been badly damaged by repeated bleaching.

It is the first of six films Spencer Tracy and Mickey Rooney made together.

Riffraff is directed by J Walter Ruben, runs 94 minutes, is made and released by MGM, is written by Frances Marion, H W Hanemann and Anita Loos, from an original story by Frances Marion, is shot by Ray June, is produced by Irving Thalberg, and is scored by Edward Ward.

The cast are Jean Harlow as Hattie Tuttle / Hattie Muller, Spencer Tracy as Dutch Muller, Una Merkel as Lil Bundt, Joseph Calleia as Nick Lewis, Victor Kilian as “Flytrap”, Mickey Rooney as Jimmy Thurger, J Farrell MacDonald as Brains McCall, William Newell as “Pete”, Roger Imhof as Pops Thurger, Juanita Quigley as Rosie Bundt, Paul Hurst as Red Belcher, Vince Barnett as fisherman Lew, Dorothy Appleby as waitress Gertie, Judith Wood as waitress Mabel, Arthur Housman as Ratsy, Wade Boteler as Detective Bert Scanlon, Helene Costello as Maizie, Rafaela Ottiano as Matron, Harry Cording as Joe, and Philo McCullough as Fisherman.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 4,929 

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