I wasn't as crazy about this movie as others on this board. Gary Cooper stars as Biff, a dentist in small town America during the depression. His mortal enemy, Hugo, back in town with the wife Biff wanted. The funniest part of the film for me was right in the beginning. Biff receives a call from the hotel, asking him to see Hugo. He agrees. Hugo enters, sees Biff, and becomes nervous. Biff puts him in the chair. "I want gas," Hugo says. Biff replies. "You'll get gas." I can only say that it was the most underplayed but somehow threatening line -- it made me laugh out loud.
While Hugo is under, Biff recounts to his friend the story of his friendship with Hugo, and its downfall. Basically they both were interested in the same girl, Virginia (Fay Wray), and Hugo married her. The woman he met at the same time, Amy (Frances Fuller) is crazy about Biff, and though he still has Virginia on his mind, Biff marries her. Later on, because of Hugo, Biff has to go to jail for two years. Biff and Virginia finally leave town, and Hugo makes it big. Now they're back for a visit.
The story is based on a popular play on Broadway at the time, and frankly, the characters aren't very pleasant, including the Cooper character. They undoubtedly seem more unpleasant today than they did back then. Biff thinks women should be told after they get married to mind their business. However, it has a nice moral and one always worth remembering: Be grateful for what you have, and don't envy others. You only think you know what's going on in their lives based on what they present to the world.
Hugo is played by Neil Hamilton, who became the Commissioner on TV's Batman. Fay Wray, as we know, had a date with a gorilla atop the Empire State Building.
While Hugo is under, Biff recounts to his friend the story of his friendship with Hugo, and its downfall. Basically they both were interested in the same girl, Virginia (Fay Wray), and Hugo married her. The woman he met at the same time, Amy (Frances Fuller) is crazy about Biff, and though he still has Virginia on his mind, Biff marries her. Later on, because of Hugo, Biff has to go to jail for two years. Biff and Virginia finally leave town, and Hugo makes it big. Now they're back for a visit.
The story is based on a popular play on Broadway at the time, and frankly, the characters aren't very pleasant, including the Cooper character. They undoubtedly seem more unpleasant today than they did back then. Biff thinks women should be told after they get married to mind their business. However, it has a nice moral and one always worth remembering: Be grateful for what you have, and don't envy others. You only think you know what's going on in their lives based on what they present to the world.
Hugo is played by Neil Hamilton, who became the Commissioner on TV's Batman. Fay Wray, as we know, had a date with a gorilla atop the Empire State Building.