The Little Giant (1933)

When Prohibition ends, a beer baron sees the writing on the wall, quits the rackets, and tries to break into California society.

Director:

Roy Del Ruth

Writers:

Robert Lord (original screen play), Wilson Mizner (original screen play)

Stars:

Edward G. Robinson, Mary Astor, Helen Vinson

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Edward G. Robinson	...	James Francis 'Bugs' Ahearn
Mary Astor	...	Ruth Wayburn
Helen Vinson	...	Polly Cass
Russell Hopton	...	Al Daniels
Kenneth Thomson	...	John Stanley
Shirley Grey	...	Edith Merriam
Berton Churchill	...	Donald Hadley Cass
Don Dillaway	...	Gordon Cass (as Donald Dillaway)
Louise Mackintosh	...	Mrs. Dudley Hadley Cass

Storyline

Prohibition is ending so bootlegger Bugs Ahearn decides to crack California society. He leases a house from down-on-her-luck Ruth and hires her as social secretary. He rescues Polly Cass from a horsefall and goes home to meet her dad who sells him some phony stock certificates. When he learns about this he sends to Chicago for mob help.

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Plot Keywords:

diamond ring | year 1932 | reference to franklin d roosevelt | reference to herbert hoover | male male relationship | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

20 May 1933 (USA)

Also Known As:

Aristokratis gangster

Filming Locations:

Hotel Del Monte, Monterey, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$197,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

First National Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

76 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Bugs says he has $1.25M "salted away". That would equate to $21.55M in 2017.

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Quotes

Albert J. 'Al' Daniels: Boy, am I glad to screw out of that morgue. Three days and we don't even get a tumble.
James Francis 'Bugs': Yeah, you're right. A lot of half-witted chumps riding around on Shetland ponies, knockin' a little ball. And a lot of high hat baboons sittin' on horses - all swelled up with themselves. Won't talk to nobody! Horses!

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Connections

References The Public Enemy (1931)

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Soundtracks

How Dry I Am
(uncredited)
Traditional
Played during the opening photo credits

User Reviews

Movin' On Up

Prohibition ends and gangster boss Bugsy Ahearn, like so many during the depression, finds himself unemployed. What to do? Fortunately, he has laid aside much of his ill-gotten gains and has no money worries. So he decides to improve himself, to acquire some culture and move in elite circles. And therein lies a very funny story.

Edward G. Robinson shows a flair for comedy and shows off some of his immense talent as a social climber who decides to shoot the moon. He moves from Chicago to the West Coast, buys a mansion and falls for a lady from a family of swindlers, and generally falls into a series of mishaps, each one funnier than the last. He gets excellent support from Mary Astor, who becomes his guide to the finer points of becoming 'quality'.

You will gain great respect for Robinson if you've only seen him in tough-guy roles, as he carries the picture as a society naif in this written-for-the-screen comedy. There are no dead spots, either, as the story moves along briskly in an enjoyable 75 minutes. It was shown at Cinefest, Columbus, O., 6/13.