The Penalty

Slick B picture from MGM starring two of the all-time greats, Edward Arnold and Lionel Barrymore. Arnold plays the humorously named criminal Stuff Nelson, who has an even more humorously named son, Roosty (Gene Nelson). After he's captured, Roosty is sent to work on a farm. Eventually Stuff comes looking for his stuff and the boy must choose between a life of crime or a life on the farm.

Barrymore and Arnold are top notch as anyone familiar with their work might expect. Sadly Barrymore isn't in this as much as I would have liked. I would have preferred he run the farm instead of Robert Sterling, but I suppose that would have changed the ending some. Gene Nelson does fine with the part he's given, which is pretty corny. Richard Lane takes a break from harassing Boston Blackie to play the investigator hot on Arnold's trail. Marsha Hunt has a thankless role as Sterling's girlfriend. Features one of the cleverest bank robberies ever filmed. I'm not saying I would ever rob a bank but if I did this is how I would want to do it. One final thing, I love the movie poster. Talk about a lost art form.

A very good film, with actors ranging from Lionel Barrymore to Edward Arnold, but this film really hinges on the acting ability of Gene Reynolds. Mr. Reynolds dominates this film and for a teen actor, he carries the film very well. I found this film to be very good and really kept this viewer's attention from beginning to end. Be sure and catch this film the next time it is on television--another "small" film that is worth seeing!!

"The Penalty" is really about the character played by Gene Reynolds. It's a role similar to the one he had in "The Get-Away," another excellent film. He was a fascinating, intense young actor. He was sort of a teen-aged John Garfield. (I understand that the actor went on to win numerous Emmys producing for television. That's fine. Who knows how he would have matured and what sort of roles, if any, he would have got had he remained with acting.) The movie begins with the fine Edward Arnold in his usual genial manner. He is hiring men for a job, assuring them in a fatherly manner that they'll be paid well. But quickly we see that they are being hired as his stooges for a bank robbery. And that he yes, is fatherly: He is the father of the Reynolds character, who worships him.

Arnold plays one bitter, nasty guy. And he's teaching his son to be as cold and cynical as he is. His girl friend, played by the entertaining Veda Ann Borg, may not worship him. But she worships the furs and other finery his ill-gotten money buys her.

The bulk of "The Penalty" takes place on a farm where Reynolds is sent while dad is on the lam. No more about the plot other than to mention the people in this new home: Robert Sterling is excellent as the farmer. Marsha Hunt is appealing as his lady friend, the local schoolteacher. Lionel Barrymore is her father. As he often did, he plays variations on his standard persona: When he's talking about young Reynolds or young Sterling, he could as easily be speaking of young Dr. Kildaire.

The movie has a little of everything: It's exciting and suspenseful. It's funny at times. And it's sad. I recommend it very highly.

But all his acting abilities are given short shrift by a tale that purports to be a crime melodrama with EDWARD ARNOLD as his father, a bank robber who's always one step ahead of the police. RICHARD LANE is the detective on his trail, VEDA ANN BORG is Arnold's moll girlfriend, GENE REYNOLDS is his street smart son, and RALPH BYRD is an unfortunate police officer.

Trouble is, none of the story rings true. It all his a very fabricated MGM look, the kind of programmer they turned out to fill a double feature program without any headliners in starring roles. I never bought jovial EDWARD ARNOLD as the criminal type and this bit of miscasting prevents the story from any real sense of credibility.

It's a good forty minutes before ROBERT STERLING and MARSHA HUNT show up as a farm couple willing to take reform school reject GENE REYNOLDS under their wing. He's a fallen sparrow who needs all the nurturing they can give.

Fifty minutes into the story, LIONEL BARRYMORE and GLORIA DE HAVEN show up, with Barrymore as a Grandpa who smokes a pipe and talks like Dr. Gillespie except that he's full of kindly sentiments instead of bitter complaints about mankind.

Did I say the story was dated? Marsha Hunt talks about a schoolteacher making $85 a month.

Summing up: Unpredictable at the start, the story soon turns into a conventional "crime doesn't pay" drama with Reynolds doing a complete reformation in time for a happy ending. The only saving grace is that it's not as preachy as it might have been.

Summing up: The faults far outweigh the virtues.

Trivia note: Watch for PHIL SILVERS (without specs) in a one minute bit as a hobo.

Fans of Brother Orchid and The Life of Jimmy Dolan might want to check out the lesser known The Penalty, starring Edward Arnold and Gene Reynolds. Edward's opening scene is incredible! It's no wonder he got typecast as a villain. He's a lumberjack and hires a dozen men in town for a week's work, and when one asks how they can trust he's good for the money, he comes up with a solution: they can all accompany him to the bank and watch him withdraw the funds. When he reaches the teller window, he hands over a piece of paper: "This is a stick-up. Don't start anything or my twelve men will finish it. Hand over all your cash and hurry!" Isn't that brilliant? He tells his hired hands he'll be right back, leaves the bank, changes his clothes, steals a different car, and escapes. You almost hope he gets away with it, with such a brilliant set-up!

Edward has a devoted young son, Gene, who idolizes him and obeys his every order. He also has a moll, Veda Ann Borg, with a penchant for fur coats. The Feds are on their tail, and the trio go on the lam. I've seen a lot of gangster movies, and I gasped three times during this movie. It's not one you would have heard of, but it's worth watching. Good acting, a solid story, and lessons that teach what's really important in life. Although he receives second billing, Lionel Barrymore doesn't show up until forty-nine minutes in. You'll also see Robert Sterling, Marsha Hunt, Emma Dunn, Richard Lane, Gloria DeHaven, Grant Mitchell, and a young Phil Silvers.