Times Square Playboy

I imagine Warner Bros. thought titling the film "Times Square Playboy" with Warren William starring would bring in more business than the title of the play upon which the movie is based - the more aptly named "The Home Towners", and they were probably right.

You can tell that after the production code era began in 1934 Warner Bros. just didn't know what to do with Warren William. William plays a 40ish man of means, Vic Arnold, who invites an old hometown friend (Gene Lockhart as Ben Bancroft) to be best man at his wedding in New York City, which is where Vic has been living all of these years. This is more a story of city cousin/country cousin than anything else. When Ben first arrives in New York from his rural hometown he finds the whole thing exciting, but after he meets Vic's fiancée's brother, Ben gets the idea that Vic's fiancée is just marrying his friend for his money and the financial support she can get can for her entire family rather than for love. I found this part of the film hard to follow because I really didn't see anything in the action or speech of the brother-in-law-to-be that would suggest he or anyone else was gold digging.

The rest of the film is just about all of the trouble caused by some misspoken insulting words from Ben to Vic's fiancée's family, and quite frankly it seemed like much ado about nothing. Lockhart was good in this rare leading role, but the character was just too obnoxious and true to his nickname of "pig-head" to like, and Warren William was just too easy going about the whole thing. That's the problem with these first production code era high society comedies - the censors took away all of their ammo, rendering them unable to develop some interesting misunderstandings with punch, and it would be two or three years more before the movies could adapt to this very un-brave new world.

I like Warren William a great deal, and I highly suggest the movies he made during 1934 and before for a taste of him at his precode best, and I also recommend the films he did as the Lone Wolf at Columbia in the late 30's and early 40's, by which time Hollywood figured out how to convey the sophisticated sassiness of Warren William without crossing the censors. This one just disappoints on all elements of substance. I give it five stars for having great style but a story that misses the bullseye completely and wastes Warren William's talent.

One touch that I really liked: Barton MacLane, usually playing a bad guy, as Vic's not so gentle gentleman's gentleman.

The nominal star attraction of "Times Square Playboy" is Warren William, but it's clear even before the halfway point that the real leading actor in this comedy of misunderstandings is Gene Lockhart, who gives a tour de force performance as a small town Joe Average who jumps to ill-informed conclusions when he and his wife come to New York City to attend the wedding of his oldest friend, business tycoon William.

Two other surprises in this 60-minute programmer are some moments of unfaked rough- housing by William and Barton MacLane (as his butler) and an extended one-take jogging scene in an actual park instead of a treadmill with back projection, which would have been more typical for a Warner Bros. cheapie of the period.

The plot, from a well-structured play by George M. Cohan, involves Lockhart's belief that the young cabaret singer William is engaged to marry (Jean Travis) is a golddigger whose family are cheats along for the ride to millions by marriage. Much farcical mayhem ensues. William gets to play a drunk scene, as he often does, and he does it as well as usual. But for sheer acting range it's Lockhart's picture.

Pitched about ten decibels too high as though that makes the lame material funnier, the shouted dialog from Vic (William) and Ban (Lockhart) had me reaching for earmuffs. That might be okay if there were enough comedy to relieve the aural assault. But there isn't. Then too the storyline is flat and repetitive, about a mix-up between Vic's best man Ban and his fiancee's family, putting them at loggerheads. Meanwhile, the mix-ups bounce around like pinballs with about that much credibility. The most interesting part is the mock wrestling between "butler" Casey (MacLane) and his uptown employer Vic. Seems Casey is also Vic's physical trainer, a good amusing touch. There's also a promising subplot of big city vs. small town that unfortunately goes under-developed. Fortunately, the movie does have the great Warren William—the main reason I tuned in. Plus, he gets a chance to play outside his usual high-class schemer roles. I'm just sorry that overall the material and direction add up to an over-the-top disappointment.

One critic wrote, "it's fifteen minutes for sure before there's an inkling of what the story's about." That's one of the elements that makes it so good: you can't figure it out. This is not formula, but a tightly written play from George M Cohan. The second scene has a clichéd conversation between two characters. Later, one player takes the chat and puts a totally negative spin on it. The other actors argue that everything he interpreted is opposite from the truth. This is like a good courtroom drama. Other elements that make it great are Gene Lockhart and Bart MacLane at their best. The comedy is funny, especially when Lockhart gets apoplectic. It has slapstick, and proves that a wrestling move taught in act 1 must be used in act 3. True screwball, the best of all movie genres.

Really ? The film I watched was about a girl, who gets accused of chasing a rich guy for his money! It's actually a remake of shakespeare's "much ado about nothing". Vic and beth are getting married, and they have invited old friend bancroft to be the best man. Things are over-heard, things are said. Misunderstandings galore, which happens when one is soused. (do they say that anymore?) can they all make up and straighten things out in time for the wedding? Warren william was the lone wolf and philo vance for years, in addition to so many roles in between. Co-stars gene lockhart and june travis. I don't know much about travis, but honestly, everyone else in the film talks about her character... travis doesn't really have many lines. Lockhart was oscar nominated for algiers. William died pretty young, but left a fun collection of films for us to enjoy. It's entertaining, but nothing real special. And they must have come up with the title over a three martini lunch... doesn't really have much to do with the story. This shows on turner classics.