Her Man (1930)

Havana bar girl with tough "protector" falls for young sailor.

Director:

Tay Garnett

Writers:

Tom Buckingham (photoplay), Tay Garnett (story)

Stars:

Helen Twelvetrees, Phillips Holmes, Marjorie Rambeau

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Helen Twelvetrees	...	Frankie Keefe
Phillips Holmes	...	Dan Keefe
Marjorie Rambeau	...	Annie
James Gleason	...	Steve
Ricardo Cortez	...	Johnnie
Harry Sweet	...	Eddie
Slim Summerville	...	The Swede
Thelma Todd	...	Nelly
Franklin Pangborn	...	Sport
Stanley Fields	...	Al
Matthew Betz	...	Red
Mike Donlin	...	Bartender

Storyline

Havana bar girl with tough "protector" falls for young sailor.

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Plot Keywords:

havana cuba | underworld | waterfront | prostitutes | sailor | 

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Taglines:

The Supreme Dramatic Sensation of This Generation! (print Ad- Schenectady Gazette, ((Schenectady NY)) 10 December 1930)

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Romance

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Did You Know?

Trivia

The costs of shooting for four days in Havana were shared by MGM with the understanding that the studio could use atmospheric exterior shots in their upcoming production of "Cuban Love Song." The Cuban embassy later protested the Havana locations although the setting was supposedly a mythical island. American and British groups both objected to the heavy drinking and generally the film had its share of censorship problems.

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Connections

Featured in The Cuban Love Song (1931)

User Reviews

Frankie and Johnny

It's a variation of the Frankie and Johnny story with the same cast names and even a Nelly thrown into the mix courtesy of Thelma Todd. Bad guy Ricardo Cortez (Johnny) pimps out Helen Twelvetrees (Frankie) to steal from drunken visitors in a seedy dive on the waterfront in somewhere like Cuba. It's a rough bar that is frequented by sailors and people generally looking for a fight. Occasionally, if a customer gets too friendly with Helen, then that's the end for him - knife in the back.

As in the song - "He was her man and he was doing her wrong" - Cortez has a friendship with Todd. He doesn't seem too nice a person when he's around Twelvetrees. Into the bar strolls a new crop of sailors headed by Phillips Holmes (Dan) and it's love at first sight on his part leading him to dangerously pursue this 'taken' woman.

This film has a gritty, seedy setting which holds an interest with realistic characters. However, the film has to lose marks on 2 counts especially. The first is Phillips Holmes and his attempt to portray a tough sailor. He really doesn't need to puff out his chest when he walks. It's the blueprint for Popeye. Secondly, there was way too much attempted comedy with drunken sailors that just got tiresome. The women, in particular, in this film are good so it's a special mention for Twelvetrees, Todd and drunken lush Marjorie Rambeau (Annie).

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

21 September 1930 (USA)

Also Known As:

Her Man

Filming Locations:

Havana, Cuba

Company Credits

Production Co:

Pathé Exchange

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Photophone System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1