American Madness (1932)

It's the 1930s, the Depression era, and the Board of Directors of Thomas Dickson's bank want Dickson to merge with New York Trust and resign. He refuses. One night, Dickson's bank is robbed... See full summary »

Director:

Frank Capra

Writer:

Robert Riskin (story)

Stars:

Walter Huston, Pat O'Brien, Kay Johnson

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Walter Huston	...	Dickson
Pat O'Brien	...	Matt
Kay Johnson	...	Mrs. Dickson
Constance Cummings	...	Helen
Gavin Gordon	...	Cluett
Arthur Hoyt	...	Ives
Robert Emmett O'Connor	...	Inspector (as Robert E. O'Conner)

Storyline

It's the 1930s, the Depression era, and the Board of Directors of Thomas Dickson's bank want Dickson to merge with New York Trust and resign. He refuses. One night, Dickson's bank is robbed of $100,000. The suspect is Matt Brown, an ex-convict whom Dickson hired and appointed Chief Teller. Brown, who's very loyal to Dickson, refuses to say where he was that night. He actually has two witnesses for his alibi, Mrs. Dickson and fellow worker Cyril Cluett, but Brown is protecting Dickson from finding out that Mrs. Dickson was with Cluett having a romantic evening. Cluett, who has a $50,000 gambling debt, is actually responsible for the robbery, but lets Brown take the rap. Will Brown's loyalty to Mr. Dickson pay off, or send him back to prison?

---

Plot Keywords:

cashier | depression | debt | alibi | neglected wife | 

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 August 1932 (USA)

Also Known As:

Faith

Filming Locations:

453 S Spring St, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

75 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Walter Huston (on loan from MGM) worked 4 weeks and 6 days on this production. Louis B. Mayer exercised a provision in his 1931 contract extending it for his participation in this film.

---

Goofs

During the robbery scene, a cable can be seen protruding from the guard's trousers.

---

Quotes

[last lines]
Thomas Dickson: Matt! I want you both to take the day off, go downtown, get a license, and get married right away.
[Matt starts to protest]
Thomas Dickson: I don't want to hear any more about it. If you don't get married I'm going to fire the both of you. Helen, while you're downtown, you might stop in and make reservations for the bridal suite on the Berengeria, sailing next week.
Matt Brown: Gee, thanks, Mr. Dickson.

---

Connections

Featured in Brother Can You Spare a Dime (1975)

---

Soundtracks

"Prelude No.11"
(uncredited)
Music by Karl Hajos

User Reviews

Preachy, but brilliant

Walter Huston is supposed to be the star of this movie, and he does a fine job, as always. But wait..... watch for the moment when the panic on the bank begins, and in less than thirty seconds, the bank goes from almost empty to a scene of madness, the American Madness of the title. It's one of the most brilliantly choreographed and directed scenes in the entire history of the movies.