Looking for Trouble (1934)

Joe and Casey trouble-shoot for the phone company. They try to prove that Joes's girl Ethel's boss Dan is a crook but are trapped by criminals and left in a burning building.

Director:

William A. Wellman

Writers:

Leonard Praskins (screenplay), Elmer Harris (screenplay),

Stars:

Spencer Tracy, Jack Oakie, Constance Cummings

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Spencer Tracy	...	Joe Graham
Jack Oakie	...	Casey
Constance Cummings	...	Ethel Greenwood
Morgan Conway	...	Dan Sutter
Arline Judge	...	Maizie Bryan
Paul Harvey	...	James Regan
Judith Wood	...	Pearl La Tour
Joe Sawyer	...	Henchman Max Stanley (as Joseph Sauers)
Robert Elliott	...	Police Captain Flynn
Franklyn Ardell	...	George Martin, Troubleshooter
Paul Porcasi	...	Cabaret Manager
Charles Lane	...	Switchboard Operator (as Charles Levinson)

Storyline

Joe and Casey trouble-shoot for the phone company. They try to prove that Joes's girl Ethel's boss Dan is a crook but are trapped by criminals and left in a burning building.

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Plot Keywords:

long beach california | los angeles california | earthquake

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 March 1934 (USA)

Also Known As:

Trouble Shooter

Filming Locations:

Iverson Ranch - 1 Iverson Lane, Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

20th Century Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Noiseless Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The earthquake footage from this film has been used in documentaries on both earthquakes and filmmaking.

User Reviews

Crackling Depression era programmer.

Tracy aces the Bell Telephone Company trouble shooter hero character. Incident is piled high as Spence takes a night time 'phone emergency, with new side kick Okie in tow, and gets mixed in with the speak easy low lifes at the club, where he's repairing the 'phone. Misunderstandings follow with switch operator lady friend Cummings and rival gone to the bad Conway, involving wire tapping and a bank job. Throw in the 1933 Long Beach earth quake no less.

They go on too long past the fire scene, which should be the climax and major talents like director Wellman, Tracy and Cummings must have regarded this as light duties but they seem to be in their element and deliver lively entertainment for the undemanding.