George Bancroft is a widower with a young son and a thriving construction business. Stanley Fields is a gangster who wants a piece, but Bancroft beats him down.
With success comes money, and connection to the upper classes, and the need for a new wardrobe. And with those comes Mary Astor, a society matron with a young son of her own and an estranged husband in Frederic March. Bancroft respects the marriage bonds, but Miss Astor is willing to play.... until Bancroft becomes serious, whereupon she says it won't work.
The story goes on from there, with Fields getting involved, and a terrific fight sequence. Unfortunately, under the direction of Rowland V. Lee, it all proceeds at too slow a pace to maintain much interest. The script by Waldemar Young and Herman J. Mankiewicz from a play by Zoe Akins has some serious things to say about class divisions as they existed a century ago, and deftly combines serious drama, action, and humor, but the dialogue is so slowly enunciated that it was hard to maintain interest.
With success comes money, and connection to the upper classes, and the need for a new wardrobe. And with those comes Mary Astor, a society matron with a young son of her own and an estranged husband in Frederic March. Bancroft respects the marriage bonds, but Miss Astor is willing to play.... until Bancroft becomes serious, whereupon she says it won't work.
The story goes on from there, with Fields getting involved, and a terrific fight sequence. Unfortunately, under the direction of Rowland V. Lee, it all proceeds at too slow a pace to maintain much interest. The script by Waldemar Young and Herman J. Mankiewicz from a play by Zoe Akins has some serious things to say about class divisions as they existed a century ago, and deftly combines serious drama, action, and humor, but the dialogue is so slowly enunciated that it was hard to maintain interest.