Woman Wanted *** (1935, Maureen O’Sullivan, Joel McCrea, Lewis Stone, Louis Calhern, Edgar Kennedy, Adrienne Ames) – Classic Movie Review 6,722

The 1935 thriller film Woman Wanted is a mild but fun crime melodrama with good performances from a capable cast and enough extra twists and bright spots to keep it ticking over pleasantly. Maureen O’Sullivan and Joel McCrea both shine.

Director George B Seitz’s 1935 thriller Woman Wanted is a mild, short, familiar-feeling but fast paced and fun crime melodrama with good performances from a very capable, welcome cast and enough extra twists and bright spots to keep it ticking over pleasantly. Maureen O’Sullivan and Joel McCrea both shine and there is a goog support cast.

Maureen O’Sullivan stars as young and innocent Ann Gray, who is convicted for a murder, but escapes on her way to jail via a car accident.

Joel McCrea plays a nice guy young lawyer called Tony Baxter, who cannot believe that she could be guilty, so he helps her, hides her from the police, as well as his fiancée, with the help of his butler Peedles (Robert Greig) and sets out to clear her name. Meanwhile the mobsters who really committed the murder find and kidnap Ann, believing she knows where $250,000 in bonds are hidden, so Tony has to try to get her back.

The screenplay by Leonard Fields, David Silverstein and Otis Garrett is based on the story Get that Girl by Wilson Collison. It is quite well and busily plotted, with some good bantering dialogue for the actors to get their teeth into.

Also in the cast are Lewis Stone, Louis Calhern, Edgar Kennedy, Adrienne Ames, Noel Madison, William B Davidson, Richard Powell, Erville Alderson, Gertrude Short, Ernie Alexander, Stanley Andrews, Brooks Benedict, Margaret Bloodgood, Harry Bradley, Don Brodie, James P Burtis, Clay Clement, John Dilson, Billy Dooley, James Flavin, Ralf Harolde, Eddie Hart, Howard C Hickman, Al Hill, Arthur Houseman, Boyd Irwin, Eddie Kane, John Kelly, Charles Lane, Michael Mark, Charles Marsh, Harry McCoy, Sam McDaniel, Tom McGuire, Ivan Miller, Bob Murphy, Edward Norris, Dave O’Brien, Frank O’Connor, Paul Parry, Lee Phelps, Jack Rice, Hector Sarno, Frank Sheridan, Carl Stockdale, Harry Strang, Phil Tead, Charles Trowbridge and Gayne Whitman.

Woman Wanted is directed by George B Seitz, is made by MGM, is distributed by Loew’s Inc, runs 67 minutes, is written by Leonard Fields, David Silverstein and Otis Garrett, based on the story Get that Girl by Wilson Collison, is shot in black and white by Charles G Clarke, is produced by Phil Goldstone, is scored by William Axt and designed by Cedric Gibbons.

It was released on August 2, 1935 (US).

The cast are Maureen O’Sullivan as Ann Gray, Joel McCrea as Tony Baxter, Lewis Stone as District Attorney Martin, Louis Calhern as Smiley Gordon, Edgar Kennedy as Sweeney, Adrienne Ames as Betty Randolph, Robert Greig as Peedles, Noel Madison as Joe Metz, William B Davidson as Collins, Richard Powell as Lee, Erville Alderson as Constable, Gertrude Short as Gertie, Ernie Alexander, Stanley Andrews, Brooks Benedict, Margaret Bloodgood, Harry Bradley, Don Brodie, James P Burtis, Clay Clement, John Dilson, Billy Dooley, James Flavin, Ralf Harolde, Eddie Hart, Howard C Hickman, Al Hill, Arthur Houseman, Boyd Irwin, Eddie Kane, John Kelly, Charles Lane, Michael Mark, Charles Marsh, Harry McCoy, Sam McDaniel, Tom McGuire, Ivan Miller, Bob Murphy, Edward Norris, Dave O’Brien, Frank O’Connor, Paul Parry, Lee Phelps, Jack Rice, Hector Sarno, Frank Sheridan, Carl Stockdale, Harry Strang, Phil Tead, Charles Trowbridge and Gayne Whitman.

Granville Bates has his scenes deleted as Casey.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 6,722

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