Big City Blues

BIG CITY BLUES (Warner Brothers, 1932), directed by Mervyn LeRoy, is a Depression era melodrama without the focus on the unemployed in breadlines or the homeless struggling to survive, but a cliché story about the survival of a country boy who ventures to the big city, the "Big Apple," better known as New York. Starring Joan Blondell, her role is actually secondary but crucial to the plot, while the Eric Linden, whose name comes below hers, is the central focus.

The story revolves around Buddy Reeves (Eric Linden), a naive country boy from Hoopersville, Indiana. After inheriting $1100, he decides to fulfill his dream by coming to live in the greatest city in the world, New York. Unable to take his dog, Duke, with him, Buddy offers the pooch to a Willow Junction station master (Grant Mitchell), who accepts the animal only as a loan, knowing full well, that he will do exactly what he did as a youth, by venturing to the big city only to return home disillusioned. However, Buddy believes different, especially since he only has a one way ticket. Upon his arrival at Grand Central Station, Buddy, as he carries his suitcases, strolls down with amazement the busy streets surrounded by the "rush, tension and crowds." He registers at the Hotel Hercules, room 3663, where his Cousin Gibbony (Walter Catlett) enters the scene to teach him the ropes in becoming a true New Yorker as well as fast-talking his way in acquiring some of his money. Gibbony, a comedic con-artist who claims to know the most important people in town, ranging from Mayor Jimmy Walker to actress Constance Bennett, arranges for the young lad to be introduced to a handful of his friends by having an all night party to take place in Buddy's hotel room. That evening, Buddy becomes infatuated with an attractive show girl named Vida Fleet (Joan Blondell). During this very active party, which consists of radio background music to current hit tunes as "My baby Just Cares for Me," Lem Sully (Lyle Talbot), actor and drunk, along with globetrotter Shep Atkins (Humphrey Bogart) get into an argument over the drunken Jackie DeVoe (Josephine Dunn), a Follies girl. A physical fight ensues, leading to a whiskey bottle being thrown across the room, hitting the head of Jackie, causing her death. Suddenly the room is quiet. All the guests make a hasty departure, especially Vida, leaving Buddy to be faced with a possible murder charge. Breaking away as Hummell, the house detective (Guy Kibbee) enters to discover the body, Buddy hides amongst the crowded city, hoping to avoid being arrested by Quelkin (Thomas Jackson) of the homicide squad, who is hot on his trail.

Others in the cast consist of Inez Courtney as Faun; Ned Sparks as Stackhouse; Jobyna Howland (in her Marjorie Rambeau-type performance) as Mrs. Cartlidge, the 55 Club speakeasy "madame", along with interesting assortment of notable actors assuming no screen credit, including Josephine Dunn (Al Jolson's co-star in 1928's THE SINGING FOOL); J. Carroll Naish as a bootlegger; Herman Bing as a German waiter; Clarence Muse as the black singing waiter vocalizing "Every Day Can Be a Sunday"; and the heard but not seen Dick Powell as the radio announcer advertising Yum Yum Popcorn.

Eric Linden is ideally cast as naive but vulnerable young lad, along with Blondell in her usual street smart, tough but loyal girlfriend performance. They would be reunited once more in race-car drama, THE CROWD ROARS (1932) starring James Cagney. Of the supporting players, it is Walter Catlett sporting glasses, derby and cigar (a cross between comedians Groucho Marx and Robert Woolsey), the scene stealer who livens things up.

With so much happening during its brisk and brief 65 minutes, BIG CITY BLUES moves as quickly as any speeding cars or pedestrians depicted on screen. Along with other then current New York sounding film titles, MANHATTAN PARADE (1931), CENTRAL PARK (1932), 42nd STREET (1933), just to name a few, no other movie studio like Warners captures the feel and essence of New York City life, and BIG CITY BLUES is no exception. Not as well known as the more famous New York movies of this period, it's worth catching whenever presented during the late night hours on Turner Classic Movies.(**1/2)

Big City Blues (1932)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

A rather predictable but mildly entertaining drama from Warner about a naive boy (Eric Linden) from Indiana who heads off to New York City and doesn't last long there. His first night there sees him lose all his money but even worse is that he is at a party where a woman gets killed and soon he's getting the blame as well as another innocent woman (Joan Blondell). Plot wise there's really nothing too original here but I did like the fact that the entire trip in NYC only takes place within 24 hours and I thought this added some charm to the film because a lot of plots like this take place over a longer period of time. I also think director Mervyn LeRoy does a nice job handling everything as he keeps the film moving well and manages to have some nice drama and even a few laughs. The screenplay keeps things fairly simple as nothing over the top ever happens and instead we're told a pretty straight-forward story from start to finish. I think the biggest problem with the film is that the lead character does some incredibly stupid things that you can't help but dislike him and not really care what happens to him. Just check out the sequence where he's gambling as this scene will certainly have most people wanting to strangle him. Linden is decent in the role but one can't help but wonder why he was selected when there was surely a lot more talent on Warner's lot. Blondell gets a pretty thankless role but she does a good job with it and certainly make it a lot better than I'm sure it was on the page. There are about twelve different actors shown during the opening credits but they left out Humphrey Bogart who has a pretty good role as one of the tough guys at the party who gets a fight started. I'm not sure why the studio kept his name off the credits considering it was a bigger role in the film than some of those who actually did get a credit. Fans of these low-budget Warner films from this era will certainly want to check this out but others might want to stay clear. At 63-minutes the film moves along quick enough and is entertaining enough if you've got the time to kill.

This comedy/drama from the olden days has quite a bit to recommend it.Young rube from Indiana moves to New York City,loses all his money,falls in love with a chorus girl(Joan Blondell),and attends a wild hotel party where the bathtub gin is flowing freely,all in the space of about 48 hours!Some interesting cinematography and that great 30's rapid-fire dialogue which seems to be a lost art these days.Joan Blondell has a very funny scene at a speakeasy craps table.Humphrey Bogart,who was still a starving actor himself at the time,appears briefly in an uncredited role,and as in most of his early roles,has that one moment of unleashed anger that served him so well in later years.Lots of fun.

"Big City Blues" stars Eric Linden as Bud Reeves, a small town kid from Hoopersville, Indiana who went to New York. While in New York he was taken for a ride and swindled by a man he referred to as Cousin Gibby (Walter Catlett). Bud was totally ignorant to the fact Cousin Gibby was bilking him, but getting fleeced by Cousin Gibby would become the least of his worries.

During a party a girl was killed with a champagne bottle and Bud would become the number one suspect. The only person he trusted in all of New York was a small town woman named Vida Fleet (Joan Blondell) and he was hoping that she could help him out.

"Big City Blues" is chiefly about how big cities chew up and spit out country bumpkins like Bud on a daily basis. Pie-eyed suckers like him flock to New York, L. A., and Chicago on a regular basis just to find out how cut-throat and vicious those places are. I liked the theme of the movie even if I didn't like Bud's character. He was too Mayberry. It was pathetic. I doubt any normal human being ever talked like Bud did.

Also of note in the movie was Humphrey Bogart. This was before he became a big star, hence he had a small part in the movie.

Eric Linden is "Bud", going to the big city NYC! Linden was only about 24, and would only be in hollywood about ten years. Some heavy hitters for co-stars: the awesome Ned Sparks, Guy Kibbee, Grant Mitchell.. and Walter Catlett is his cousin Gibby, who claims to know Constance Bennett. and Bud meets the young beautiful Vida (Joan Blondell ), and he falls for her. Gibby is always jabbering away, like a fast talking con man. keeps the pace moving. and it's still during prohibition, so part of the plot involves dealing with bootleggers. and an early, uncredited role for Bogart. about halfway through, there's a huge, drunken brawl, and when it hits the fan, here come the cops! the big city is a more dangerous place than Bud bargained for. good stuff, in the shortie from Warner Brothers. the resolution to the who-dunnit and the ending itself are a bit odd, but no biggie. directed by Mervyn LeRoy, nominated for Random Harvest. and directed so many other great films. check em out. Linden kind of disappeared after 1941. there's more info on him at wikipedia.