Men of Steel (1937)
"Bill Cracks Down" (original title)

When William Reardon, a steel magnate, dies and leaves a strange will. When his spineless and dandified heir and son returns home from living in Paris, he finds "Tons' Walker, a strong and ... See full summary »

Director:

William Nigh

Writers:

Morgan Cox (story), Owen Francis (story),

Stars:

Grant Withers, Beatrice Roberts, Ranny Weeks

Cast

Cast overview:
Grant Withers	...	'Tons' Walker
Beatrice Roberts	...	Susan Bailey
Ranny Weeks	...	Bill Reardon Jr., aka Bill Hall
Judith Allen	...	Elaine Witworth
William Newell	...	Eddie 'Porky' Plunkett
Pierre Watkin	...	William 'Bill' Reardon Sr.
Roger Williams	...	Steve, Mill Foreman
Georgia Caine	...	Mrs. Witworth
Greta Meyer	...	Hilda
Edgar Norton	...	Jarvis, the Butler
Harry Depp	...	Smalley, the Lawyer
Eugene King	...	Zimich
Landers Stevens	...	Dr. Colcord
Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson	...	Chauffeur (as Eddie Anderson)

Storyline

When William Reardon, a steel magnate, dies and leaves a strange will. When his spineless and dandified heir and son returns home from living in Paris, he finds "Tons' Walker, a strong and burly steel worker running the company, per his late-father's will request. He also finds that his father's will specifies the Junior will change his name to Bill Hall and work in the family steel mill for a year under the fake name. Walker's job is to make a man out of the son. The son is not overjoyed by this prospect. Neither is Walker.

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Plot Keywords:

son | steel | magnate | heir | steel mill | 

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 March 1937 (USA)

Also Known As:

Epikindyni klironomia

Company Credits

Production Co:

Republic Pictures (I)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

61 min 53 min (edited)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

"You Grow Sweeter Ev'ry Day"
Words and Music by Sam H. Stept and Ned Washington

User Reviews

Uneven

William Rearden Sr, who built the steel mill dies on the job and leaves the mill to his son, a painter in Paris, if he works in the mill for a year. In the meantime, it is in the hands of 'Tons Walker'.

It's an interesting idea for the story, and the steel mill sequences are shot with care and verve. Grant Withers as Tons is excellent, and Beatrice Roberts as the love interest is fine, but the rest of the cast is, at best, uneven and some are bad. Ranny Weeks as Bill Jr. is nasal and annoying. But he's not a patch on William Newell, playing his raccoon-coat-wearing, ukulele-strumming buddy, 'Porky' in an awful Jack Oakie imitation.

There are some potentially interesting plot complications added, but they are played by stiffs. If I were you, I wouldn't bother.