Bad Guy (1937)

"Lucky" Walden is a power lineman-turned-criminal. He is due to go to the electric chair, which he helps prison electricians wire correctly, when his sentence is commuted for an act of ... See full summary »

Director:

Edward L. Cahn

Writers:

Earl Felton (screen play), Harry Ruskin (screen play),

Stars:

Bruce Cabot, Virginia Grey, Edward Norris

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Bruce Cabot	...	'Lucky' Walden
Virginia Grey	...	Kitty
Edward Norris	...	Steve Carroll
Jean Chatburn	...	Betty
Cliff Edwards	...	'Hi-Line'
Charley Grapewin	...	Dan Gray
Warren Hymer	...	'Shorty'
John Hamilton	...	Warden
Clay Clement	...	Bronson

Storyline

"Lucky" Walden is a power lineman-turned-criminal. He is due to go to the electric chair, which he helps prison electricians wire correctly, when his sentence is commuted for an act of heroism. But he finds the wrong side of the law more attractive, and returns to his nefarious ways.

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Plot Keywords:

prison | perjury | judge | witness | dance | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 August 1937 (USA)

Also Known As:

Black Lightning

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

69 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Cast lists records list Norman Willis (Edwards), but he was replaced by Russell Hopton. In addition, the following actors are also listed in records but did not appear in the film: Philip Sleeman (Convict), Harry Tyler (Convict), Monte Vandergrift (Candy Salesman), 'E. Allyn Warren' (Night Watchman), Jules Cowles (Bartender), Richard Cramer (Dr. Wilson), Barbara Bedford (Mrs. LeClair) and Baldwin Cooke (Spectator).

User Reviews

Good Bad Guy

The movies loved rogues in the old days. Whores with hearts of gold (though they couldn't call them that,--whores I mean), con men who were kind to widows and orphans, gangsters who were really robin hoods in fedoras and pin-striped suits. This was especially true in the economic hard times of the Depression. One saw fewer of such films after the war. Nowadays things are quite different, and the formula would seem ridiculously old-fashioned and corny. Maybe the rise of mass education had something to do with it. As people have become more middle class they are increasingly concerned about "respectability". In the days when most people worked with their hands or lived off the land the good bad guy thing was acceptable. But enough sociological musing. In this film the good bad guy is Bruce Cabot, who could play really bad guys quite well also, which gives his character added ambiguity. The setting is New York, the work is power lineman. Cabot is credible in both his good and bad aspects, which makes his nice guy attributes more effective than had his role been played by, say, Don Ameche. Director Eddie Cahn, a master of the short subject, directs this one for speed and beauty. It has plenty of both. The backlot cityscapes are something to see.