1935's "Bad Boy" qualifies as a long forgotten quickie programmer, not even seen on the Fox Movie Channel (AMC last aired it in the 90s). At 56 minutes, it shows evidence of being rushed through editing, but fortunately succeeds in its own modest way of providing entertainment for undiscriminating audiences. James Dunn, future Oscar winner for "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn," stars as expert pool shark Eddie Nolan, whose incredible prowess with a pool cue appears to be genuine, no fakery before the camera's discerning eye, much to the chagrin of his prize pigeon (John Wray), who only plays for relaxation. Eddie's sweetheart is Sally Larkin (Dorothy Wilson), anxious to have him meet her folks, with Beulah Bondi typecast as the mother, John Wray's frustrated pigeon the surprised father, forbidding his daughter from seeing that 'hoodlum' ever again. Instead of goodbyes the two exchange wedding vows, keeping their marriage a secret from her disapproving parents, forcing Eddie to make a go of respectability for the sake of his loving bride. Unable to gain employment as either a salesman or a radio singer, he decides it best to abandon pretense and leave Sally to wed the prominent, well to do Bob Carey (Allen Vincent), a desperate phone call saving his marriage and turning his life around for the better. Not the swiftest hour long feature, yet full of charming moments that make such little films a viewing pleasure. One sequence at the 32 minute mark sees Eddie fixing the buzzer system in his apartment building, succeeding only too well in having a staircase full of angry tenants, among them unbilled saxophone player John Carradine, soon to become a full time player at 20th Century-Fox, only four months away from character stardom in John Ford's "The Prisoner of Shark Island," going from pool sharks to real sharks!
Review of Bad Boy
