Huddle (1932)

Writers:

Francis Wallace (story)
Robert Lee Johnson (adaptation) ...

Release Date:

14 May 1932 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

Tony, the son of Italian immigrants, works in a smoky steel mill in Gary, Indiana. He wins a company...

Plot Keywords:

College | Scholarship | Gary Indiana | Steel Mill | Italian Immigrant

Cast

Ramon Novarro	...	Antonio 'Tony' Amatto
Madge Evans	...	Rosalie Stone
Una Merkel	...	Thelma
Ralph Graves	...	Coach Malcolm Gale
John Arledge	...	Jim 'Pidge' Pidgeon
Frank Albertson	...	Larry Wilson
Kane Richmond	...	Tom Stone
Martha Sleeper	...	Barbara Winston
Henry Armetta	...	Mr. Amatto
Ferike Boros	...	Mrs. Amatto
Rockliffe Fellowes	...	Mr. Stone (as Rockcliffe Fellowes)
Joe Sawyer	...	Orville Slater (as Joe Sauers)

Also Known As:

The Impossible Lover (UK)

Runtime:

103 min (Turner library print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:TV-G (TV rating)

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Some archive footage of football games were incorporated into the football sequences. Variety's review reported seeing 2 well-known football players at the time: Albie Booth and Barry Wood.

Soundtrack:

Pomp and Circumstance March No.1 in D Major, Op.39

Ramon Novarro Gets Tackled at Yale

Ramon Novarro (as Tony Amatto) works in a steel mill; he is the son of Italian immigrants, and seems likely to remain a member of the working class. Then, as luck would have it, he wins a college scholarship. At Yale, Mr. Novarro becomes a football star; but, he still faces class discrimination.

Don't miss the opening sequence of this film; it's a terrific introduction to the film, and defines Novarro's character: Novarro is seen in his "working class" job; he gets into a fistfight, encounters a beautiful woman, and ends up under a pile of rubble. The woman with the irresistible legs is Madge Evans (as Rosalie Stone); she is both beautiful, and "upper class". Novarro re-encounters her later in the film, along with Una Merkel (as Thelma) and Martha Sleeper (as Barbara Winston). Novarro's nemesis is Ms. Evans' brother Kane Richman (as Tom Stone); and, his roommates are John Arledge (as Jim "Pidge" Pidgeon) and Frank Albertson (as Larry). Silent star Ralph Graves is a sound coach Malcolm Gale.

Mr. Arledge, as Novarro's second roommate "Pidge" is the best supporting performer (beating off some stiff competition). "I've lived with twelve fellas in my time and only liked three of them," Arledge explains, after Novarro chases him around the dorm, trying to get some first aid down his pants.

The film is a little too long for its own good; and, it wavers too far from the main story of a poor working class youth winning a chance to attend college, and break class barriers. It's difficult to determine what Novarro is actually learning at Yale. He already knew how to fight, and doesn't seem to have accumulated too many career options - though, he is certainly better off with a Yale diploma. Novarro (#44) and the cast are certainly appealing, even when the story wavers. The end game plays well.

****** Huddle (1932) Sam Wood ~ Ramon Novarro, John Arledge, Madge Evans