The Widow from Chicago

Polly (Alice White) infiltrates a group of gangsters headed by Dominic (Edward G Robinson) in order to find out who killed her brother Jimmy (Harold Goodwin).

The plot develops at a pace which just about allows you to keep up with the story. It's a bit complicated at the beginning but things fall into place so keep watching. Alice White is super cute and likable but I'm not convinced about her ability to survive in the underground world. She'd be dead if she wasn't mixing with lightweights such as Neil Hamilton who plays "Swifty". It comes as a surprise when she ruthlessly shoots a policeman although there is a twist that runs alongside this. Another lightweight is Harold Goodwin - the film gets off to a good start when he gets shot. Overall, this film holds an interest but it is nothing special.

"The Widow From Chicago" (1930), stars Alice White as Polly and Neil Hamilton (Commissioner Gordon in the "Batman" series). It was originally filmed as a musical, but the public pre-"42nd Street" was tiring of musicals, so all of the numbers were cut. The script is uninteresting, and Dominic is taken down by a really stupid ploy; I won't spoil it. Its main interest is that it is a precursor to the classic gangster films soon to come.

Polly's brother impersonates gangster Swifty Dorgan and gets killed for his trouble. To get revenge on the gangster, Edward G. Robinson as Dominic, pre-"Little Caesar"who ordered the hit, Alice poses as the widow Dorgan to get in good with Robinson and eventually turn him over to the police. But then the real Swifty shows up! For some reason he agrees to continue the pose!

The best part by far is the climax, well staged and well shot by director Eddie Cline. Robinson acts everyone off the screen, even in such a rote part. Hamilton is okay. But Alice White? She is awful. And I mean awful. This vehicle was supposed to make her a star but her career went down the tubes. The New York Times praised Robinson and panned White.

And I'll support that conclusion. However, I must preface my commentary by acceding to a predilection for Alice White's performances. I adore her no-apologies-for-pert, straight-ahead style that was the antithesis of 'real' actors who rolled their R's and eyes at every opportunity.

We are introduced to Polly (Alice White) and Jimmy (Harold Goodwin) as new tenants by the neighbors' gossiping. Are they married? The question remains unanswered until just before Jimmy, the precinct's newbie detective, leaves for work. The clever script puts a smile on your face just as Jimmy waves at his sister, Polly from the street, and becomes a drive-by shooting victim.

The scripts' powerful counterpoints and wit are enhanced by director Edward Cline's smart pacing and Sol Polito's brilliant photography. The avenging Polly, masquerades to mob boss Dominic (Edward G. Robinson) as the widow of a dead associate of the gang. But she becomes trapped in his office when the 'widow's husband returns from the dead. When Dominic goes out to meet him, we are left with a great insert of the edge of the office door. Slightly ajar, we watch it in anticipation while Dominic meets Polly's 'dead' husband. Will she make a break for it? Will Swifty confront her? Your mind races as the camera holds on that door. It's bravura filmmaking, and Cline keeps it coming. By the way, Polly embraces her 'husband' whispering "go along, I'm on the spot". The excitement's just beginning, Swifty is only too happy to go home with his 'wife'.

Neil Hamilton handles his role as Swifty Dorgan with effective menace, and Polly goes from being on the spot in Dominic's office to being in a spot behind her own (now locked) door. Frank McHugh's got a fine bit as one of Dominic's hentchmen 'Slug', and advises his fellow thug, Mullins, to give up the girl he can't get along with. Slug's smugness melts, however, when Mullins returns the girl's key only to discover the key is to Slug's girlfriend's apartment.

Earl Baldwin's script has plenty of sparks left, and Polito takes the shootout in the dark to a new level when a spotlight is introduced: not only being shot at, but everything its prowling eye touches gets killed. You'll wonder why Little Caesar is famous after seeing this terrific gangster film.

Ruthless gangster Dominic (Edward G. Robinson) bumps off a young detective impersonating Swifty Dorgan. The detective's sister (Alice White) sets out to get revenge. She passes herself off as Swifty's wife in order to infiltrate the gang. But then the real Swifty (Neil Hamilton) shows up.

Pre-Little Caesar gangster movie for Robinson, his first at Warner Bros. Also very early role for Frank McHugh, who already seems to be perfecting his screen persona. Alice White is pretty bad. She says every line the same way, regardless of what emotion she's supposed to be displaying. It's an early talkie so there's the expected amount of creakiness. Watchable, particularly for Robinson fans, but nothing special. Believe it or not, this was originally a musical!

Widow from Chicago, The (1930)

** (out of 4)

Early gangster film from Warner has Alice White playing Polly Henderson, a woman who sees her brother get gunned down by a bunch of thugs. The woman pretends to be the widow of another gangster who is presumed dead and she crashes in on thug Dominic (Edward G. Robinson) to try and find out who killed her brother. THE WIDOW FROM CHICAGO is a fairly entertaining film that's going to mainly play to those who want to see Robinson in the role of a gangster a year before he became a star with LITTLE CAESAR. There's really nothing to compare in terms of the two performances as it's clear Robinson was still trying to find it acting chops. He's certainly good here but it's easy to see why this film didn't make him a star. It should go without saying but there's very little going on with the screenplay other than a few twists and turns that most viewers are going to pick up on long before they happen. The screenplay itself is pretty silly as there are all sorts of wacky things that happen including the entire bit with the real gangster (Neil Hamilton) who's supposed to be dead showing back up and throwing a wrench in the plans of White. The twist in what happens to Robinson is downright silly and so far-fetched that you almost have to laugh at it. As for White, she's certainly not in the same league as the legends from this era and while her performance is far less from what I'd consider good, there's no doubt that she has a presence on the screen. Her and Robinson do fine work together and certainly help the weak material. The supporting cast offers up Frank McHugh playing the comic bit but he doesn't get a chance to do too much. In the end this is a pretty forgettable film but the addition of Robinson makes it worth viewing for fans of his or the genre.