Times Square Lady (1935)

Director:

George B. Seitz

Writers:

Albert J. Cohen (story)
Albert J. Cohen (screenplay)

Release Date:

8 March 1935 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Music | Romance | Sport

Tagline:

Hear PINKIE TOMLIN -New Screen "Find" - Sing Hos Own Song Hit - "THE OBJECT OF MY AFFECTIONS" (original poster)

Plot:

Toni Bradley comes to New York City, from a small town in Iowa, to take over her late father's estate and sporting business...

Plot Keywords:

Fight | New York City | Gambling | Iowa | Vocalist

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Robert Taylor	...	Steven J. 'Steve' Gordon
Virginia Bruce	...	Toni Bradley
Pinky Tomlin	...	Pinky 'Pink' Tomlin of Durant Oklahoma
Helen Twelvetrees	...	Margo Heath
Isabel Jewell	...	'Babe' Sweeney
Nat Pendleton	...	Mack aka Red Nelson
Jack La Rue	...	Jack Kramer (as Jack LaRue)
Henry Kolker	...	Mr. Adam J. Fielding
Raymond Hatton	...	'Slim' Kennedy
Russell Hopton	...	Ed Brennan
Fred Kohler	...	'Dutch' Meyers
Robert Elliott	...	'Brick' Culver
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ed Brady	...	(scenes deleted)
G. Pat Collins	...	(scenes deleted)
Sam Hayes	...	Radio Announcer (scenes deleted)
Paul Hurst	...	(scenes deleted)
Treva Lawler	...	(scenes deleted)
Noel Madison	...	(scenes deleted)

Runtime:

68 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | USA:Approved (PCA #638)

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Soundtrack:

What's the Reason (I'm Not Pleasin' You)?

Any Time He Holds My Hand And Tells Me That He's Mine

Though he was hardly a name to put above the title as yet, Robert Taylor's first film in which he is first billed is Times Square Lady. He plays a Broadway sharpie who used to work for an entertainment/sports tycoon who has just died and left the whole enterprise to his daughter, Virginia Bruce. From what is described in the film, Virginia's father was a combination of Tex Rickard and Billy Rose.

He's left all kinds of businesses to his daughter, including a nightclub that Taylor runs. The rest of the gang consists of such various types of Hollywood villainy as Henry Kolker, Russell Hopton, Raymond Hatton, and Jack LaRue. The idea is for these guys to low ball the success and future prospects, get Bruce to sell to them and then turn around and sell the whole package to a rival promoter. Taylor's job is to romance Bruce which he undertakes and that of course is not seen in a good light by his girlfriend, Helen Twelvetrees.

The romance angle was easy for Taylor as he and Virginia Bruce were involved at the time. Virginia Bruce was in the process of getting divorced from John Gilbert when she and Taylor were kanoodling. Taylor does a fine job in the role, that major stardom was in his future was not even questioned.

But more than a big step up in Robert Taylor's career, Times Square Lady is the film in the song The Object Of My Affection was introduced by Pinky Tomlin who also wrote part of the lyric. This is an enduring classic, still as popular today as it was back then. Why it wasn't nominated in that second year of the Best Song category is a mystery.

A key film in the rise of a great career and an enduring popular song, most films don't have either of those things to their credit.