Thrill of Youth (1932) User Reviews

Grandma understands; grandpa doesn't.

[mark.waltz · 4/10 · 20 May 2021]

Ah, the flame of 30's youth. June Clyde is the equivalent of Joan Crawford from the 20's, furiously dancing to the latest craze and driving two brothers crazy, so much that they get into physical fights. Allen Vincent and Matty Kemp haven't exactly been brought up in the most moral of households, at least with father George Irving guiding them. Grandparents Lucy Beaumont and Tom Ricketts are guests at a party and comment on their differing feelings of the flaming youth. Ricketts finds Clyde's dancing to be a bit risque while Grandma Beaumont indicates that she used to do similar dances although you couldn't see the moves because of the number of clothes she was wearing. If only they realized what was going on in their own household.

A reel has been cut from this pre-code drama so perhaps vital information is missing in regards to the sins of the father and the sins of one of the sons. Outside of Grandma Beaumont, these characters aren't really very interesting, and the plot line itself is rather lame. It takes forever for the plot line to result in any type of repercussion and then it is resolved far too easily. But at 48 minutes, I'm not going to complain about wasted time. I just wish that more of the time had some of the juiciness of what makes pre-code films so good.

June Clyde saves the day - almost!

[JohnHowardReid · 4/10 · 20 January 2018]

Two Poverty Row titles starring June Clyde, Thrill of Youth (1932) and Forgotten (1933) (both formerly available on one VintageFilmBuff DVD) certainly deserve mention in this section. The first isn't too bad - despite screenplay writer Edward T. Lowe's penchant for introducing promising plot ideas which he never bothers to develop. They either fizzle out or - even worse! - just disappear.

In fact, the muddled script has so many look-alike characters, it's impossible to keep track of them. A lousy sound track doesn't help either.

But the movie's one redeeming factor is a lively young lady, named June Clyde, who certainly makes a spectacular entrance. Alas, it's all downhill from there!

And Richard Thorpe's indifferent direction sure doesn't help.

I have reviewed the second movie, "Forgotten", in a separate posting.

Cheap, boring and not exactly exploitational!

[planktonrules · 2/10 · 21 January 2021]

"Thrill of Youth" is a great example of the expression 'All tease and no please' as it purports to be a sleazy exploitation film but really isn't. Sure, some of the subject matter is a bit adult for 1932, but this was the Pre-Code era and so showing a fully dressed couple lying on a bed or a subplot about adultery is pretty tame stuff for the time. After all, the film's poster boasts 'Brothers Torn Apart with Lust for the Same Woman' and 'Trapped by Forbidden Pleasures' It also shows a VERY scantily clad woman in a very compromising scene...and you'd think it would be pretty steamy stuff...which it isn't.

Apart from being deliberately mis-marketed as an exploitation film, "Thrill of Youth" is a tough movie to watch because it's poorly made and dull. Most of the actors are no-namers and when you see the film, you can see why.

June Clyde Struts Her Stuff!!

[kidboots · 6/10 · 6 December 2010]

June Clyde was one of the many stage performers who were bought to the movies in those early singy, dancey days. She was pretty enough and could carry a song in films like "Tanned Legs", "Hit the Deck" and "The Cuckoos" but when musicals went out of fashion - about a year later - unlike a lot of ingenues, she didn't go away. She even managed a couple of exploitation movies before settling in England.

"The Thrill of Youth" was one of those films whose title promised much but just didn't deliver. At around 50 minutes characterization was not going to be a priority but apart from a "wild" opening dance and a tepid fist fight nothing much happens. A lot of plots are left up in the air. Big game hunter, Chet Thayer (Matty Kemp) returns to his family and the loving arms of his long suffering sweetheart Marcia (Caryl Lincoln). It is instantly established that he is not the faithful type and he soon falls under the spell of the town vamp Jill Fenwick (June Clyde). She is the "swellest, liveliest girl in town" according to dependable Jack (Allen Vincent) who is crazy about her. Jill is a complete flirt and soon becomes engaged to Chet.

Then there is the "older lovers" plot - Sheena (Dorothy Peterson) has fallen in love with Jeff (George Irving), Jack and Chet's father, who holds her in high esteem - she wants a divorce from her spendthrift husband, Colby. He is not too keen to sever his meal ticket and threatens to kill Jeff if Sheena persists in seeing him. Don't hold your breath waiting for this plot to eventuate - nothing happens. You don't see Colby (Bryant Washburn) again.

The most exciting development is when Jack and Jill (very corny!!) become stranded in a mountain cabin. The day before Chet and Jill announce their engagement so of course Jill spends the next day with Jack - planning to tell him of her engagement so she says!!! Sheena and Jeff also visit the cabin and find Jill there - Jack is sleeping off a hangover in the bedroom. Once back home recriminations fly thick and fast (Marcia has told Chet just where Jill spent the night) and after a pretty lame fist fight all the problems are resolved.

Aside from June Clyde and Dorothy Peterson, the cast is filled with the names of people who didn't quite make it. Like Allen Vincent who was the original band singer in the movie "Crooner" before David Manners took over and became a celebrity. And Matty Kemp, a pretty dismal actor who couldn't even hold his own along side Rin Tin Tin ("The Million Dollar Collar"). Ethel Clayton, who played Mrs. Fenwick, had made it though, back in the early days of movies. She never stopped working - even if it was only bits in movies like "The Thrill of Youth" and "The Crooked Circle".