Not a typical Capra film by any means (and one that will undoubtedly disappoint even his most steadfast fans), this Columbia part-talkie (copyright 18 March 1929) comes over as a film noir in every sense of the word. The overall mood is decidedly black. Despite the melodramatic story (the heroine's husband, played by Rex Lease, gives himself up to the police instead of seeing a good lawyer who could easily have induced a judge to dismiss the main charge and simply impose a fine for staging a street concert without a license), Capra and his slow-moving players act it out in an overwhelmingly realistic manner. The conclusion is one of the most depressingly downbeat ever! Nonetheless, the film offers a rare chance to see the legendary Lina Basquette at her zenith. Jean Hersholt enthusiasts will not be disappointed either, although I thought he way overdid the schmaltz. The player who came off best, in my opinion, was ever-reliable Ricardo Cortez, who not only succeeded in being perfectly reprehensible but added more than a touch of sympathy to his characterization. At the final curtain, when I saw him, back to the camera, sitting alone in front of the ornate fireplace in his huge but now empty home, I couldn't help but feel overwhelmingly sorry for him.
Review of The Younger Generation
