High Pressure (1932)

Director:

Mervyn LeRoy

Writers:

Aben Kandel (play)
Joseph Jackson (screen version)

Release Date:

30 January 1932 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Gar Evans is a con artist, who pretents to be the owner of a "Golden Gate Artificial Rubber Company"...

Plot Keywords:

Rubber | Inventor | Pep Talk | Business Competition | Steam Bath

Cast

William Powell	...	Gar Evans
Evelyn Brent	...	Francine Dale
George Sidney	...	Colonel Ginsburg
John Wray	...	Jimmy Moore
Evalyn Knapp	...	Helen Wilson
Guy Kibbee	...	Clifford Gray
Frank McHugh	...	Mike Donahey
Oscar Apfel	...	Mr. Hackett - Better Business Bureau Manager
Ben Alexander	...	Geoffrey Weston
Harold Waldridge	...	Gus Vanderbilt (as Harold Waldrige)
Charles Middleton	...	Mr. Banks
Harry Beresford	...	Dr. Rudolph Pfeiffer

Runtime:

73 min (Turner library print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Aben Kandel's play, "Hot Money," opened on Broadway in New York City, New York, USA on 7 November 1931 and closed later that month after only 9 performances. The opening night cast included Leo Donnelly as Gar, Dorothy Vernon as Francine, Robert Fischer as Mr. Ginsberg and Peggy Conklin as Helen.

Movie Connections:

Version of Hot Money (1936)

Soundtrack:

Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Kit Bag and Smile, Smile, Smile!

fun William Powell vehicle prior to Thin Man

High pressure was based on the play "Hot Money" by Aben Kandel. Seems to be the first thing he did in "show biz"... The leads, William Powell, Evelyn Brent, George Sidney, Evalyn Knapp had all been making films for years, although Powell is probably best known for the "Thin Man" series, a couple years after this one. The girlfriend, lovely, 25 year old Knapp certainly was a busy girl; she was in twelve films in 1932 alone! Lots of clever jokes written into this con-man farce, and the timing is great. Show has a fast pace, mixups like taxi-drivers and taxidermists, and fun characters like Alison Skipworth , who plays the rich, silly Mrs. Miller, (who had worked with W.C. Fields on FOUR films... I was guessing she might have worked with the Marx brothers, but it appears not) They all keep this Warner Brothers shortie (72 minutes) moving right along! A jealous girlfriend, a competitor, Mr. Banks, and the Attorney General all keep Gar Evans (Powell) on his toes. Of course, what madcap show is complete without a zany professor?? Can Powell get out of trouble with the law? and it all stays pretty clean, in spite of being made prior to enforcement of the Hays code. Fun!