"Fog Over Frisco" was the second movie in a row from 1934 I watched that was based in San Francisco. The other was "Wharf Angel."
"Fog Over Frisco" is a murder mystery that was a little more exciting than most of them at that time. A lot of that is thanks to Bette Davis. Firstly, it's Bette Davis in a significant role. She was one of the bigger stars of that era. Secondly, the role Bette Davis played was full of mystery and intrigue.
Ms. Davis played Arlene Bradford, a rich party girl who dabbled in stolen bonds. She was helping a gangster named Jake Bello (Irving Pichel) while everyone thought she'd cleaned up her act since being engaged to the respectable Spencer Carleton (Lyle Talbot). Meanwhile, she was deeply admired by her stepsister Val (Margaret Lindsay) while her stepfather, Everett Bradford (Arthur Byron), had had just about enough of her.
There was plenty going on in this flick full of well known names; names like Bette Davis, Lyle Talbot, Hugh Herbert, Arthur Byron, Robert Barrat, Irving Pichel, Douglass Dumbrille, and Gordon Westcott. Make sure to follow the bouncing ball as the plot takes you everywhere.
I thought the movie was firing on all cylinders until one part.
A reporter named Tony Sterling (Donald Woods), who was in love with Val Bradford, found her sister Arlene's dead body. Instead of telling Val like a decent human being, he left her to keep believing that Arlene was alive, which eventually led to Val being kidnapped.
I thought his true colors showed at that point and that there was nothing he could do to make up for it. I thought that he would be squarely in the doghouse with respect to Val from then on.
Imagine you believed your missing sibling was alive while your sweetheart knew your sibling was dead but kept it hidden for a big news story. Now add to that the fact that you were running headlong into trouble because you believed your sibling was still alive. What would be your feelings and attitude toward your burgeoning romantic interest once you found out he/she lied about something as important as your sister being dead?
Maybe I'm less forgiving than most, but we'd be done effective immediately.
Not so Val. Once she was saved from her kidnappers all was forgotten and forgiven. The movie ended with her in Tony's arms as if he didn't betray her for a stupid story. She didn't have one negative word to say to him.
That didn't sink the movie, but it sure had me grumbling.
Free on Odnoklassniki.
"Fog Over Frisco" is a murder mystery that was a little more exciting than most of them at that time. A lot of that is thanks to Bette Davis. Firstly, it's Bette Davis in a significant role. She was one of the bigger stars of that era. Secondly, the role Bette Davis played was full of mystery and intrigue.
Ms. Davis played Arlene Bradford, a rich party girl who dabbled in stolen bonds. She was helping a gangster named Jake Bello (Irving Pichel) while everyone thought she'd cleaned up her act since being engaged to the respectable Spencer Carleton (Lyle Talbot). Meanwhile, she was deeply admired by her stepsister Val (Margaret Lindsay) while her stepfather, Everett Bradford (Arthur Byron), had had just about enough of her.
There was plenty going on in this flick full of well known names; names like Bette Davis, Lyle Talbot, Hugh Herbert, Arthur Byron, Robert Barrat, Irving Pichel, Douglass Dumbrille, and Gordon Westcott. Make sure to follow the bouncing ball as the plot takes you everywhere.
I thought the movie was firing on all cylinders until one part.
A reporter named Tony Sterling (Donald Woods), who was in love with Val Bradford, found her sister Arlene's dead body. Instead of telling Val like a decent human being, he left her to keep believing that Arlene was alive, which eventually led to Val being kidnapped.
I thought his true colors showed at that point and that there was nothing he could do to make up for it. I thought that he would be squarely in the doghouse with respect to Val from then on.
Imagine you believed your missing sibling was alive while your sweetheart knew your sibling was dead but kept it hidden for a big news story. Now add to that the fact that you were running headlong into trouble because you believed your sibling was still alive. What would be your feelings and attitude toward your burgeoning romantic interest once you found out he/she lied about something as important as your sister being dead?
Maybe I'm less forgiving than most, but we'd be done effective immediately.
Not so Val. Once she was saved from her kidnappers all was forgotten and forgiven. The movie ended with her in Tony's arms as if he didn't betray her for a stupid story. She didn't have one negative word to say to him.
That didn't sink the movie, but it sure had me grumbling.
Free on Odnoklassniki.