The Beast of the City *** (1932, Walter Huston, Jean Harlow, Wallace Ford, Jean Hersholt) – Classic Movie Review 12,186

Jean Harlow in Red Headed Woman.

‘A thrilling drama of hunters – and hunted, in the city jungles!’

Director Charles Brabin’s 1932 American pre-Code film noir crime drama The Beast of the City [City Sentinels] stars Walter Huston, Jean Harlow, Wallace Ford, Jean Hersholt, Dorothy Petersen, Mickey Rooney, Tully Marshall, John Miljan.

The Beast of the City is a tough, downbeat but quite spectacular vintage MGM gangster thriller crime picture about a police captain Jim Fitzpatrick (Walter Huston), later police chief, over-zealously determined to bring in a racketeer gangster Sam Belmonte (Jean Hersholt) and his henchmen, leading to a particularly gloomy shootout ending.

But never mind the yarn, look at the sparky handling and the quality of the production and cast. Huston is superb as a doggedly honest cop whose feeble-minded, dishonest cop brother Ed Fitzpatrick (Wallace Ford) soon stumbles when he meets Hersholt’s gorgeous moll Daisy Stevens (Jean Harlow in her first MGM movie).

This rarely screened movie is undeservedly virtually forgotten, but stands up well against 30s Warner Bros gangster classics.

Storywriter W R Burnett was hired because he had written Little Caesar.

Screenwriter John Lee Mahin was later an Oscar nominee for Captains Courageous (1937) and Heaven Knows, Mr Allison (1957), shared with Walter Huston’s son John Huston.

Despite its emphasis on law and order, it is a very un-MGM movie, and MGM boss Louis B Mayer hated the picture because it was too violent, and wouldn’t let it be shown in his showcase cinemas, releasing it as the bottom feature on double bills. This is ironic because it all started with talks between Mayer and President Herbert Hoover, who wanted the US public to have more respect for police and law enforcement officials.

Indeed the film starts: ‘Instead of the glorification of cowardly gangsters, we need the glorification of policemen who do their duty and give their lives in public protection. If the police had the vigilant, universal backing of public opinion in their communities, if they had the implacable support of the prosecuting authorities and the courts – I am convinced that our police would stamp out the excessive crime – which has disgraced some of our great cities. – President Herbert Hoover.’

Harlow was rewarded with even better roles, leading swiftly to superstardom.

Mickey Rooney was just 11 in his first full-length sound feature when he played Walter Huston’s son. His character’s name is also Mickey and his first line is: ‘Say, those don’t look like pancakes!’

Also in the cast are Emmett Corrigan, Warner Richmond, Sandy Roth, J Carrol Naish, George Chandler, Nat Pendleton, Arthur Hoyt, Clarence Wilson, and Charles Sullivan.

It was shot from November to December 1931 at MGM’s studios in Culver City.

The cast are Walter Huston as Captain Jim Fitzpatrick, Jean Harlow as Daisy Stevens/ Mildred Beaumont, Wallace Ford as Detective Ed Fitzpatrick, Jean Hersholt as Sam Belmonte, Dorothy Peterson as Mary Fitzpatrick, Tully Marshall as Defense Attorney, Michaels, John Miljan as District Attorney, Emmett Corrigan as Police Chief Burt Burton, Warner Richmond as Police Lieutenant Tom, J Carrol Naish as Pietro Cholo, George Chandler as Reporter, Robert Homans as Policeman, Ethan Laidlaw as Nightclub Patron, Tom London as Policeman, Morgan Wallace as Police Captain, Leo White as Arrested Man, Mickey Rooney as Mickey Fitzpatrick, Sandy Roth, Nat Pendleton, Arthur Hoyt, Clarence Wilson, and Charles Sullivan.

© Derek Winnert 2022 Classic Movie Review 12,186

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