Own the rights?
This is a flawed, but fascinating adaptation of the short story with a complete about-face in characterization by Farrell and Gaynor. They handle the sometimes silly dialogue and abrupt transitions in character with grace, which makes the sometimes-unbelievable narrative of the story seem more realistic. Kudos to them for playing against type and doing it so well. The scene in the opium den is particularly affecting--watch it without sound and you can see their old silent chemistry at work.The direction by Raoul Walsh is jumpy and overly talky, not surprising for 1931.Not my favorite Farrell/Gaynor but a fascinating film to watch.
You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.
