User Reviews

Realizing that as a classless brute with no breeding that even being responsible for the building of those huge skyline penthouses, he won't get an invitation for cocktails, burly George Bancroft decides to try to learn some manners as he pursues the pretty Mary Astor, a society matron ironically with the name of Mrs. Howell. Separated from a husband she despises (Fredric March), Astor welcomes the change of pace from the square jawed mannered upper crust, with one acquaintance declaring as to why, "Ladies love brutes." Indeed, she may find him refreshing, she does agree to go out with him, but love? Probably not. It comes down to gratitude when he saves her son from a kidnapping scheme he put into motion gone wrong; His own son is kidnapped along with Astor's after he arranged the boy to be taken away for a "holiday", and enemies of Bancroft's discover this and step in his way to get some high society dough for themselves. Bancroft, having been politely dumped by Astor, pays her a visit, and vows to her and March that he will get their son back, no matter what. She promises that if he does, she will divorce her husband and marry him, unaware of his part in the scheme.

Just one of many forgotten leading men of the 1920's and 30's, George Bancroft was a fine actor who turned character acting into an art, making what would normally be a supporting player into a lead. He might be uncouth in typical terms, but when you dig through the harsh street accent and find who he is underneath, you really see the big teddy bear he really is, which is obviously what Ms. Astor's character sees. The plot device of Bancroft arranging for the son to be kidnapped in order to try to win Astor back through his heroism seems rather desperate, but in the nature of this film, it is necessary in order to resolve the plot the way it is. Astor is fantastic, a truly lovely heroine, filled with class yet not snobbish. March is completely wasted in his part, obviously just taken to fulfill contract obligations with Paramount, and a role many lesser actors could have played. There's only one scene where he gets to show any emotion other than a man dealing with a loveless marriage. At any rate, it's Bancroft who wins the plaudits for this film, an interesting comedy of manners that switches the "Pygmalion" theme to focus on a male character rather than the cockney British flower girl of the George Bernard Shaw play.

Just found this movie online and was so glad I was able to view. The movie stars George Bancroft, Mary Astor and Fredric March who are all excellent in their roles. The story begins as Joe Forziati (Bancroft), an Italian immigrant who has battled his way to success as a New York building contractor, decides to embark on a social career. Wyndham, his lawyer, arranges for him to be a guest at the home of socialite Mimi Howell (Astor), but his son Joey and his grandmother view his flashy new wardrobe dubiously. Mimi, who is on the verge of a divorce from her husband, Dwight (March), falls under the spell of Joe. Mike Mendino, a labor agitator whom Joe has defeated, plots revenge by arranging for Slip, one of his gang, to become Joe's chauffeur. Mimi breaks off their relationship because of their unequal social positions, but Joe has Slip kidnap her child so that he may return the boy himself. His own son is kidnapped by the gang, but after a battle with them, the child is retrieved. Mimi is reunited with her husband, and Joe, realizing the impossibility of his aspirations, returns home with his son. All 3 performances shine throughout and the supporting performers come off well too in this early talkie drama.

The title of the movie is "Ladies Love Brutes" (LLB). In the movie one of the aristocratic men said those words in regards to Mimi Howell's taking a liking to Joe Forziati (George Bancroft), the brute. What I noticed is that he said "ladies love brutes" and not "women love brutes." The indication was that the cultured, debonair, and sophisticated of the female sex go for their opposites.

Joe Forziati was a self-made millionaire. He made his money building high rises and apartments. He wasn't above climbing the steel skeletons of his buildings and putting in the last rivet. To some that may have made him seem like a down-to-earth, real guy. To the billionaire boys club that made him a commoner.

He wanted to gain entrance into high society so he went to one of his kinder business associates named George Windham (Lawford Davidson) for advice. Joe's first act was to get fitted at a 5th Avenue tailor. In the meantime, George called Mimi Howell (Mary Astor), a well-known socialite, and asked her to invite Joe to her party. This would be Joe's ticket into high society if he played his cards right.

Joe was instantly smitten by Mimi and even took a liking to her little boy Jackie (Freddie Burke Frederick). The two began a relationship that started to get a little serious. When the question of marriage came up Mimi abruptly broke things off. It was one thing for her to be in love with a man like Joe, it was another thing for Joe to be Jackie's father. Jackie needed a cultured society man as a father figure so he could grow into the role he was to play in society.

Joe devised a ridiculous plan to get Mimi to marry him. He staged a kidnapping for which he would rescue Jackie and bring him back to Mimi. All was going according to plan until he found out that his old nemesis Mike Mendino (Stanley Fields) interfered with his ploy. Mike had the Howell kid AND Joe's son Joey (David Durand). Mike's deal to Joe was that he could leave with one kid but not both, meaning that Joe could either be the hero to Mimi and leave his own son with bad men or rescue his son and leave Mimi's son in Mike's possession. Well, Joe did his badass act and rescued both children.

While LLB showed the shallowness and discrimination of socialites, it also threw harpoons at blue collar folks as well. Joe, who was representative of all blue collar folks, was tied to gangs and thuggery. Joe couldn't just be an unrefined man with a clean background, he had to have criminal ties as well and be fond of fighting. I thought the movie was very elementary and a little didactic. I think there are a lot better movies out there showing someone trying to gain entry into a different societal class and all that goes with that ("Can't Buy Me Love" immediately comes to mind).

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