Picture Snatcher (1933)

Director:

Lloyd Bacon

Writers:

Daniel Ahern (story)
Allen Rivkin (adaptation) ...

Release Date:

6 May 1933 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Crime

Tagline:

His camera takes 'em from love nests to Page One before they can bat an eye---or put on a negligee!

Plot:

Ex-convict Danny Kean decides to become honest as a photographer for a paper. He falls in love with Patricia...

Plot Keywords:

Photographer | Execution | Automobile Accident | Chase | New York City

Cast

James Cagney	...	Danny Kean
Ralph Bellamy	...	J.R. 'Al' McLean
Patricia Ellis	...	Patricia 'Pat' Nolan
Alice White	...	Allison
Ralf Harolde	...	Jerry the Mug
Robert Emmett O'Connor	...	Lieutenant Casey Nolan
Robert Barrat	...	Grover, Graphic News Owner
G. Pat Collins	...	Hennessy the Fireman (as George Pat Collins)
Arthur Vinton	...	John, the Head Keeper
Tom Wilson	...	Leo

Runtime:

77 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Not Rated

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

The scene of Danny photographing an execution is based an actual incident in which Chicago-based crime photographer Tom Howard (who was the grandfather of 'George Wendt') surreptitiously snapped the famous photo of convicted murderess Ruth Snyder's January 12, 1928 execution in the electric chair at Sing Sing for the New York Daily News.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the car chase after Danny has left the execution at Sing Sing, the car loses its' left rear tire. However, in a couple of shots from the front of the vehicle as it careens out of control, the left rear tire is visibly intact.

Quotes:

[Danny is giving a tour of his newspaper's printing room]
Journalism Student: Yes, here it is - white wood pulp, plain white... Why, today it's raw, but tonight it's cooked with printer's ink, photographic art, the sweat of creative effort. Tomorrow it goes out and hundreds of thousands of men and women feed their starving, mediocre souls on the indiscretions and adventures of others. And then, a little while later, what is it?
Danny Kean: Don't you know? They use it to wrap herring.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Female (1933)

Soundtrack:

For You

Good fun with Cagney trying to go straight.

At seventy-seven minutes in length, "Picture Snatcher" contains just enough action and comedy to support this little trifle.

Cagney is terrific as a former mobster who gets released from prison and tries to make a go of it as a photographer for a local newspaper rag, which is edited by Ralph Bellamy.

This film is from the first scene, where Cagney shows affection for the guards and warden, has a ridiculous story line all the way thru to the end. But it moves along at a breakneck pace and has several very good performances, so although we might know it's ridiculous, we really don't care.

Alice White is terrific as a gun moll on the make for Cagney. Bellamy is good as Cagney's drunken editor.

But the film belongs to Cagney, who turns in another terrific, under - appreciated performance.

7 out of 10