The Crowd Roars (1932)

Director:

Howard Hawks

Writers:

John Bright (writer)
Niven Busch (writer)

Release Date:

16 April 1932 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Action

Plot:

Famous motor-racing champion Joe Greer returns to his hometown to compete in a local race. He discovers...

Plot Keywords:

Automobile | Sibling Rivalry | Motor Racing | Alcohol | Car Accident

Cast

James Cagney	...	Joe Greer
Joan Blondell	...	Anne Scott
Ann Dvorak	...	Lee Merrick
Eric Linden	...	Edward 'Eddie' Greer
Guy Kibbee	...	Pop Greer
Frank McHugh	...	Spud Connors
Billy Arnold	...	Bill, Himself
Leo Nomis	...	Jim
Fred Frame	...	Himself
Ralph Hepburn	...	Himself
Wilbur Shaw	...	Himself
Shorty Cantlon	...	Himself
Mel Keneally	...	Himself
Stubby Stubblefield	...	Himself

Runtime:

85 min | 70 min (TCM Print) | Germany:68 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Spain:13

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Stock footage was temporarily removed from this one to be used in the remake, Indianapolis Speedway (1939); when it was replaced back into The Crowd Roars (1932) negative, some of the Indianapolis Speedway (1939) footage got mixed in with it, so that you now see 1939 footage in a 1932 film, including shots of a late 1930's ambulance and automobiles as well as racing announcers Wendell Niles, John Conte, and Reid Kilpatrick who did not appear in the film as it was originally released.

Movie Connections:

Alternate language version of Foule hurle, La (1932)

It's best to stick with the original

Jimmy Cagney plays a race car driver who's at the top of his game. When he returns home to visit family, he's shocked to find that his much younger brother has also taken up racing. Despite Jimmy loving his work, he knows it's dangerous and wants better for his kid brother. This sets the stage for a major falling out between them and eventually the young whippersnapper actually surpasses Cagney--leading to a dandy conclusion.

This is a very good, though not especially great film by Jimmy Cagney towards the beginning of his career. The acting, writing and direction are competent. However, just seven years later, the studio remade this movie--practically word-for-word in places and even using some of the same auto racing footage!!! Considering that the remake wasn't quite as good, lacked originality and lacked Cagney, I say it's best to stick with the original.

By the way, remaking movies--often using pretty much the original script--was a common practice in the 1930s--especially at Warner Brothers. Again and again, films were recycled--sometimes only a couple years later!