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Storyline
Johnny Ramirez rises from bouncer to partner in Charlie Roark's border town casino. Charlie's wife Marie loves Johnny, but Johnny loves society woman Dale. Marie kills her husband, making it look like suicide. She tells Johnny she committed murder for him and, still rejected, tells the police that she and Johnny murdered Charlie. She goes crazy in court and Johnny goes free. Dale runs from Johnny and dies in an auto crash. Johnny sells the casino. Written by
Ed Stephan <stephan@cc.wwu.edu>
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Did You Know?
Trivia
Nella Walker is on record for the part of Mrs. Elwell, but she did not appear in the film. 'Henry O'Neill' is on record for the part of Mr. Elwell, but he played the role of Attorney J.L. Chase. A modern source lists
Eddie Shubert as Marketman, but he was not seen in the print.
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Goofs
Camera shadow on Johnny and Dale when they are dancing at the opening of Johnny's casino.
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Soundtracks
"I Wish I Had Wings"
(1932) (uncredited)
Music by
Harry M. Woods
Played at the Silver Slipper
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Paul Muni was an East European Jew, so naturally he was cast as a Hispanic Californian.
Well, heck, to name just one, Leo Carrillo, a native Hispanic Californian, was cast as everything from Greek to French to Italian to Latino, and so many other "ethnic" actors played various nationalities besides their own heritages.
Muni apparently wore dark makeup for this role, but it wasn't a stereotype; it was, in fact, a very sympathetic character.
Bette Davis never looked lovelier. For years, I have tried to spread my conspiracy theory that she was not made up, but made down, that she was, in fact, a very lovely lady and the Westmore family apparently had it in for her and put the make up on in such a way that her looks were coarsened, and she was aged long before her time.
She was such a great actress that her looks didn't matter, but she was very attractive and I find it a shame she wasn't allowed to show her natural beauty.
The female, though, who stole this movie, both in looks and in animated characterization, was Margaret Lindsay. She was absolutely fascinating in this role as spoiled rich girl, an almost good guy. In fact, she made this movie worth seeing.
The presence of a genuine Hispanic, Soledad Jiménez, gives one pause to wonder why more genuine Hispanics weren't cast in movies like this. She was just great.
The ending was rather puzzling, perhaps a sop to somebody's nativism, but the story was a good one, the acting was generally great, and all of that, with Archie Mayo's directing, make this one worthwhile.