Cross Streets

Somber little film from poverty row about how a man's life takes an unexpected turn for the worse after his girlfriend decides not to wait for him to establish himself as a physician. Instead, she runs off with a wealthy man, leaving Adam Blythe (Johnny Mack Brown), the man most likely to succeed, devastated.

His life spirals downward as he turns to drink and kills a patient during an operation. His life continues to disintegrate until he almost saves himself by saving a dog in a small town. Nearly 20 years have passed before he runs into an old college chum who tries to save him.

Attending a reunion, the chum builds up Blythe as a successful physician to runs a clinic in Germany. The chum almost gets Blythe established in the new medical clinic he's endowing on campus.

But Blythe has the misfortune to meet a beautiful young woman (Anita Louise) who reminds him of that long-ago girlfriend. Of course she's the daughter and threatens to marry Blythe in a rebellious moment. But the old girlfriend (Claire Windsor) is unhappy in her marriage and fancies running off with Blythe. The selfish woman threatens to expose Blythe as her daughter's father if he dares try to marry her. Blythe's bad luck continues to the surprising ending.

At a major studio this material could have made for a major motion picture. Here it's a stark tale told on a low budget. But that doesn't keep it from being a moving film with solid performances by Johnny Mack Brown and Anita Louise. Kenneth Thomson plays the old chum, Josef Swickard the old professor, Edith Fellows and Tommy Bupp are the small-town children, and Mary Gordon is the old lady.

Contrary to the listing here, this film is not lost.

Johnny Mack Brown is graduating from college. He'll go to to medical school, and Claire Windsor will wait for him. Until, that is, until she realizes she'll have to wait years, and marries Niles Welch, who can step into his father's successful business. Twenty years pass, and they all return for a reunion. He's offered a position at the new medical facility the college is building; not only is Miss Windsor willing to run away with him, but so is her daughter. Then Brown tells what he has been doing for the last score of years.

It's a surprisingly good film from Poverty Row producer George Batcheller, a trifle too sentimental for my taste, but solidly written and performed under the direction of Frank Strayer. With Anita Louise, Matty Kemp, Edith Fellowes, and Mary Gordon.

In the 30s and 40s, Johnny Mack Brown made a ton of low-budget westerns. The films were, by an large, enjoyable but slight films-- -quickie productions starring the manly yet genial Brown. He made about a hundred of them--so he was obviously a very popular star. However, with "Cross Street" yet get a rare chance to see him in something OTHER than a western...a romance! So is this cowboy star any good? Read along and see for yourself.

When the film begins, Adam (Brown) is in love. However, his fiancée Anne (Clair Windsor) is a bit stupid and one of Adam's 'friends' convinces her to break the engagement. Soon, Adam's life is a mess and he loses his job as a surgeon. He's a hobo and spends years doing nothing with his life. Much time passes and he's back on his feet and is finally making something of himself and staying sober. Now he meets a new woman--and she seems perfect until he learns the truth. Clara (Anita Louise) is his ex-fiancée's daughter!!! It sure makes for some awkward moments when he and Anne meet once again!!

So is this soap opera film any good? Well, I appreciated that the big twist (that Clara is his ex's daughter) is NOT held out to the end but is introduced more naturally. How everyone reacts and the repercussions make this worth seeing--especially the spiteful and vicious Anne. If you do see it, don't expect a perfect film. A couple times I think Brown could have done a better job (he's GREAT at playing nice but seemed a little less convincing when angry or hurt) and the film is a bit rushed since it's a B-movie. And, the ending was a bit over the top and too selfless! But the film is very interesting and could have made for a terrific A-picture--with more gloss and a longer run time.

By the way, the copy of this film on YouTube is absolutely horrid-- very, very blurry. This would be one best seen on a computer (due to the smaller screen) instead of a big TV like I used.