24 Hours

Clive Brook (Jim) and Kay Francis (Fanny) are an upper class married couple who no longer get along with one another. They are both having affairs and part ways. Clive heads off to a down-market bar where his mistress Miriam Hopkins (Rosie) entertains middle-aged men. It's not really entertaining, though. Have you heard her sing??!! See this film and you'll understand what I mean. Anyway, she is also married. Being a singer in a dive-bar, her husband is, of course, a no-good gangster type who murders people. Say hello to Regis Toomey (Tony). Their marriage is also in difficulty and whilst she wants rid of him, Toomey wants her to take him back and give him money. The focus of the story is on Clive's storyline as he gets drunk and hangs out with Hopkins.

Whilst there is plenty of plot that is covered during this short film, unfortunately, three out of the four main characters are annoying. Clive's drunk character never gives off any personality whatsoever. He just comes across as arrogant and his unpleasantness is impossible to relate to and so it's hard to sympathize with him as the leading man. Mr boring. That leads us to the impossible scenario of Kay Francis character being totally in love with him and willing to sacrifice her own happiness to fit in with his arrogant ways. No fricking way! Her character is poorly written. Then there is Regis Toomey - again, it's impossible to relate to such a stupid character. Imagine talking to landlady Lucille La Verne like that. Something may well tell you that she might get the last laugh! The men are awful in this film. Miriam Hopkins runs the show whilst she is on screen. So, because of the cast, I'm afraid the film gets dragged down in its entertainment value to no more than a passable 'ok' status.

Superb precoder that floored me. Very adult and unrelenting story about an adulterous couple (Clive Brook, Kay Francis), a nightclub singer (Miriam Hopkins) and her murderous husband (Regis Toomey).

Set during a 24-hour period and starting during a snowy night in New York City, this film is a wonder. We see the snowy skyline as we enter a posh living room where Brook and stunning Francis are basically calling it quits. He's drunk but proper and she's feeling guilty. He walks out into the night and witnesses a sidewalk murder. He stops off for more drinks before going to see Hopkins--an amazing performance as Rosie the singer (and 2 terrific songs)--and having more drinks. After stalling her bum husband (Toomey) she takes Brook home and puts him to bed. But Toomey breaks in and accidentally kills her in a fit of jealousy.

Next morning Brook wakes up to a dead Hopkins and is arrested for murder. Francis reads about it in the morning papers (fast journalism!) and rushes to him just as the police are finishing grilling him. The film ends as the clock ticks off the 24th hour.....

Brook is subtle and effective (as always); Francis is effective and never looked better in her furs and jewels; Hopkins gives one of her very best performances as hapless Rosie, and Toomey is actually good as well. Co-stars include George Barbier, Adrienne Ames, Charlotte Granville, Wade Boteler, and a great turn by Lucille LaVerne.

What a gem this one is. No Hollywood apologies, no big changes for the better. They are who they are. The camera shots are excellent and the pacing is brisk. This one is a "must see."

Clive Brooks and Kay Francis have a marriage that's falling apart. She is having an affair. He drinks heavily and is also having an affair with nightclub singer Miriam Hopkins. Hopkins in turn has a failing marriage to small time hood Regis Toomey. Toomey murders Hopkins while Brooks is asleep in the next room. Brooks is blamed. This pre-code crime melodrama fits a labyrinthine plot into just over an hour and still has time for Hopkins to sing two songs. They seriously do not make them like this anymore. This one's a load of fun with a batch of colorful characters all doing nasty stuff to each other. Lucille La Verne stands out as a rugged old battleaxe who does in Toomey. The film's title comes from the fact that the entire plot unfolds in only 24 hours.

What a remarkably good film! Considering the general dross that was around then, it is hard to believe that 1931 gave us something so intelligent and mature whilst still being fun to watch.

I have never yet seen an early 30s film from director Marion Gering that wasn't a cut above what most of his contemporaries were making. This early entry in his canon is no exception. Whilst his films do lack any particular identifying characteristic he constantly demonstrated sublime skill melding art with entertainment, turning imagery into storytelling and imagination into gritty realism.

This film, which all happens within a 24 hour period has everything: gangsters, adultery, snobbery, murder, alcoholism and greed all weaved moodily together as a set of intertwined love stories. Ostensibly the trials and tribulations of the four protagonists who are all from different strata of society seem very different but as this film reveals, they are all love stories. It might be love of another person, love of power, love of self of love of money but each of our four main characters discover for themselves what love is to them.

Credit must also go to cinematographer supremo Ernest Haller (who did everything in the 30s that Lee Garmes didn't! ...including GONE WITH THE WIND). With Gering he creates a wonderfully moody proto-Noir feel which changes subtly depending on which of the main protagonists' story is being told at the time to reflect the mood of that particular character - very clever.

Haller and Gering also use the camera to literally move the action forward by pushing it into the next empty set anticipating the action. This technique pioneered by Marion Gering, which was commonly used in Film Noir a decade later, gives this film a lovely fluidity which is fairly rare from the days of the early talkies

The star of this beautifully made action-romance-thriller-drama is really the sound and vision Gering and Haller give us. There are however actors! If there is one criticism it is that they are not the most charismatic bunch. They do however play their parts perfectly with complete credibility - even Kay Francis, who admittedly didn't have to do much, plays the usual Kay Francis character which is an ideal fit for this picture. Mr Gering knew the limitations of his cast so made sure none of them were out of their comfort zones.

Much of the problem with "24 Hours" might be because of when it was made. Many of the films from 1929-31 are a bit stilted and slow compared to ones made just a few years later. And, stilted and slow is definitely the way I'd sum up this film. This is really weird, however, as the film is filled with murders (one is particularly vivid and brutal), adultery and more....but the characters seem unperturbed and behave pretty much like like they are bored or talking about stamp collecting. This is definitely true of the leads, Kay Francis and Clive Brook...a couple who are cheating on each other yet there is no energy at all when they admit this to each other. There are some sparks from Regis Toomey and Miriam Hopkins...but not enough to recommend this rather boring film. And how they could make this plot boring is beyond me! The film could have definitely used an infusion of energy and zip!!