This film was one in the genre of movies that pointed the finger at families who treated aged members shabbily ("Over the Hill", "Emma" etc). Lee Kolmar, whose career consisted of mainly uncredited character parts, scored the best role of his career as kindly Papa Strauss, who is treated pretty badly by his family. All except sweet Lena (June Clyde) and you know she is sweet because she is the only one of his children who refuses to anglicize their name.
Papa Strauss has built up a successful dye company but now his sons think he is too old to be involved in the business and just too much in the way at home. With platinum menace Natalie Moorehead as one of the wives, you just know there are going to be rocky roads ahead for poor Papa. When Lena comes home after a visit to California she is horrified to find Papa is in an old folks home. Together with Joseph (William Collier Jnr), her fiancée, they find him a home and get him involved with Joseph's experiments with dye. They create a new dye works that takes over the old company that the sons, Louis and Hans, are trying to save.Soon Louis and Hans are facing bankruptcy - until the American Dye Works "mystery" partner, Papa, is revealed and bails them out. After that they can't do enough for Papa and the end scene shows Myrtle (Natalie Moorehead) lighting his pipe and smiling through the smoke!!! Natalie Moorehead - I don't believe it, where's her trademark smirk!!!
This movie is filled with a who's who of forgotten stars from the pre-code era. Leon Ames (Louie) had a much bigger career in the 40s with films like "The Postman Always Rings Twice" and "Lady in the Lake". William Collier Jnr with his handsome face was a much sought after leading man and in 1931 appeared in 10 films. Unfortunately, 1933 proved to be Natalie Kingston's (May) last year in movies but for 28 she had a long career with over 60 movies to her credit. Betty Jane Graham, who played Lena as a child, had several roles in early musicals and was Little Miss Vitaphone in the 1930 short. Where would pre-code movies be without Natalie Moorehead - trying to lure the hero away from the heroine.
Papa Strauss has built up a successful dye company but now his sons think he is too old to be involved in the business and just too much in the way at home. With platinum menace Natalie Moorehead as one of the wives, you just know there are going to be rocky roads ahead for poor Papa. When Lena comes home after a visit to California she is horrified to find Papa is in an old folks home. Together with Joseph (William Collier Jnr), her fiancée, they find him a home and get him involved with Joseph's experiments with dye. They create a new dye works that takes over the old company that the sons, Louis and Hans, are trying to save.Soon Louis and Hans are facing bankruptcy - until the American Dye Works "mystery" partner, Papa, is revealed and bails them out. After that they can't do enough for Papa and the end scene shows Myrtle (Natalie Moorehead) lighting his pipe and smiling through the smoke!!! Natalie Moorehead - I don't believe it, where's her trademark smirk!!!
This movie is filled with a who's who of forgotten stars from the pre-code era. Leon Ames (Louie) had a much bigger career in the 40s with films like "The Postman Always Rings Twice" and "Lady in the Lake". William Collier Jnr with his handsome face was a much sought after leading man and in 1931 appeared in 10 films. Unfortunately, 1933 proved to be Natalie Kingston's (May) last year in movies but for 28 she had a long career with over 60 movies to her credit. Betty Jane Graham, who played Lena as a child, had several roles in early musicals and was Little Miss Vitaphone in the 1930 short. Where would pre-code movies be without Natalie Moorehead - trying to lure the hero away from the heroine.