Young America (1932)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Frank Borzage

Writers:

John Frederick Ballard (play)
William M. Conselman (writer)

Release Date:

17 April 1932 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Already in trouble with the law, Arthur and his friend Nutty break into a drugstore to get medicine for Nutty's grandmother...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Play

Cast

Spencer Tracy	...	Jack Doray
Doris Kenyon	...	Edith Doray
Ralph Bellamy	...	Judge Blake
Tommy Conlon	...	Arthur Simpson (as Tom Conlon)
Raymond Borzage	...	Edward 'Nutty' Beamish
Beryl Mercer	...	Grandma Beamish
Sarah Padden	...	Mrs. Mary Taylor
Robert Homans	...	Patrolman Weems
Anne Shirley	...	Mabel Saunders (as Dawn O'Day)
Betty Jane Graham	...	Cassie Taylor
Louise Beavers	...	Maid
Spec O'Donnell	...	Bull Butler
William Pawley	...	Bandit
Eddie Sturgis	...	Bandit

Also Known As:

We Humans (UK)

Runtime:

70 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Fox Film Corporation

Tracy Adds Some Salt

This Borzage soaper about the trials and tribulations of a youngster on the edge of being sent to reform school -- Ralph Bellamy plays the juvenile court judge in a relaxed, almost boneless manner. He was a fine actor and before he got typecast as the dull guy who loses the girl to Cary Grant, he gave a bunch of interesting performances in a wide variety of roles. According to legend, he was offered a script with another loser role, saw that the character was labeled as a Ralph Bellamy type, and quit the movies, going back to more interesting roles on Broadway.

Borzage manages to get some interesting performances out of the young actors: Tom Conlan, whose character is labeled as the worst boy in town, keeps getting into thoughtless scrapes. In fact, that's the best part of the script: the boys are not bad, but they just don't think of consequences.

The other thing about this movie that makes it better than average is, unsurprisingly, Spencer Tracy's performance. In the midst of all the sweet characters and one outright stinker, he adds a lot of salt to the stew as the grouchy pharmacist. His scene with Bellamy in which he continually gets fined for contempt of court is very funny. While not among Borzage's best work, this movie, as always, has enough points to make it worth your time.