Upperworld

Upperworld (1934)

*** (out of 4)

Above average crime drama from Warner with direction by Roy Del Ruth. A ruthless businessman (Warren William) is getting bored with his wife (Mary Astor) who's only interested in climbing the social ladder so he starts a fling with a showgirl (Ginger Rogers) but this turns out to be a mistake when her manager (J. Carrol Naish) tries to blackmail him, which leads to a double murder. There's a lot to recommend here but the key thing is the performances from the fine cast, which shines throughout the film. William is his typical cool self and Astor is in good form in the few scenes that she's in. The real highlight is Rogers who gets to play a lot of sexuality in this Pre-Code and that includes one scene where she's in a short bathing suit and trips over a bed so that her behind can be facing the camera. Dickie Moore is also good as William's son and Naish nearly steals the film as the ruthless wannabe gangster. Sidney Toler, the future Charlie Chan, plays the cop out to break William. Andy Devine rounds out the cast. The story has a few plot holes along the way and the ending is a letdown but this is still highly entertaining.

As a big railroad tycoon, the imposing Warren William carries the film. Too bad this fine actor is largely unknown today, even to many movie buffs. I expect it's partly because he died relatively young (54) many years ago (1948). Nonetheless, he has the looks, bearing, and talent of an exceptional screen presence, and it's always a treat for me to catch him in a new movie.

The plot here is unexceptional— loyal husband Alex Stream (William), strays with chorus girl (Rogers) because wife (Astor) is preoccupied with high society. Problems arise when shady character (Naish) tries to blackmail Stream. Rogers is winning as the rather good-hearted lower class chorine; at the same time, her scenes with William manage a certain charm, though you know the romance has no chance.

Note the film was released in mid-1934. I expect the Production Code's shadow tamed down this screenplay in comparison with earlier William films, such as Employee's Entrance (1933) or Skyscraper Souls (1932). Those screenplays also have William playing a hard-driving businessman. But unlike here, he's also ruthless in dealings and unscrupulous with women. In short, he's got the kind of unpredictable edge that made those pre-Code films so interesting and so threatening to Depression-era big business.

On the other hand, his character here is basically sympathetic, more victim than victimizer. His business dealings remain peripheral, while the relationship with Rogers is more sweet than calculating or sexually provocative. In short, viewers will recognize familiar conventions from the 30-year Code era. The movie's smoothly done with an outstanding cast that includes a restrained Andy Devine, but is otherwise routine entertainment.

The Upperworld of railroad tycoon Warren William almost crashes into a show girl rather abruptly with his speeding power boat nearly running down a swimming Ginger Rogers.

Now more than likely she would have picked herself up, dusted herself off and started all over again as she did in a song she sung in a later film normally. But Warren William's marriage to Mary Astor is running into some rough seas itself. She's too busy being a socialite to have time for her husband and son, little Dickie Moore. Consequently William is ripe for a relationship with Rogers. One that her sleazy boyfriend J. Carrol Naish is ready to take advantage of.

One of the things I found fascinating with Upperworld is the rather rigid roles for the sexes that are defined. William is king of his castle and the wife is their for him. Astor is condemned for wanting something more than being the dutiful wife and mother, a career of her own is not even mentioned as a possibility. She's condemned for being social butterfly and later is properly repentant when tragedy strikes.

As for Rogers even though she gets into this quite by accident, she's still a homewrecker and a person in a not quite respectable profession of showgirl.

Upperworld is a story of tragedy and scandal and the leads are given a good group of supporting players fitting comfortably into roles they've all played before. Please make note of Andy Devine as the chauffeur and Robert Grieg as the butler to William and Astor. Both serve as confidantes at various times of the film to William. Also note Sidney Toler as the beat cop and righteous voice of working class America determined to bring Warren William down. His deductions are worthy of Charlie Chan.

This view of the mores of high society is what we get from Upperworld, a most typical product of the working class studio that was Warner Brothers back in the day.

I read another review and thought I would offer what I thought were the good points of this film. The film was a typical period B film of man finds girl when wife doesn't pay attention to him. The music is great and was later used as backdrop for short films. Also, we get to see Sidney Toler(who later became Charlie Chan) playing a Chan-like policeman; J. Carrol Naish, who starred as a gangster in many later films; Mary Astor, a star of "The Maltese Falcon", who showed some of the great facials she did in that film; and of course, and early Ginger Rogers. The dialogue is snappy and the direction more than adequate. Enjoy this one, it certainly isn't the greatest ever made, but it never claimed to be - just a film of the times. I gave it a 7 out of 10 for its overall against similar films.

Within the context of B-dramedies, this is undoubtedly a great movie, but within the overall context of movies as a whole, it falls just short. While it utilizes an "A" cast, led by the superb Warren William, the plot just loses too much steam at the end to really feel like it meets its potential. The build-up in the movie, especially the sharp dialogue that is given to the aforementioned William, makes the movie feel even shorter than its hour-plus running time. It certainly never drags, and the grey characterization given to the various roles even makes the film food for analytical fodder. Unfortunately, the trial and cop-out yacht cruise ending come so fast and non-furious that even the most accepting of viewers will feel at least a bit cheated. Nonetheless, if you ever stumble upon this on TCM and have a little time to spare, it is more than worth your while, and is remarkably non-dated.