User Reviews

A woman is suspected of murdering the prosecutor who convicted her brother of a crime for which he was executed. A dogged policeman, a wisecracking reporter and a rich playboy come to her aid and seek to prove her innocence. It's a film that has little plot and is slow, particularly when the film concentrates on the awkward romance between Joan and Buddy. Their spoony dialogue seems written by a ten-year old. There's not much of a mystery concerning the identity of the murderer. The cast go through the motions and Midnight the cat has only a walk on role. More of the cat would have been nice. The only lively spark is Gwen Lee as Blossom.

Some pretty snappy dialogue helps rise this poverty row crime drama to acceptable level even though it's obvious that the studios sound equipment was not up to par with even the lowest of the B studios at the time. Loving the quote about ping pong by the butler of the murdered man, I loved the response of the police even more. Blanche Mehaffey is Joan, using the alias Mary Smith, suspect in the murder of the prosecutor who sent her brother to the electric chair, disregarding evidence she brought him that may have ultimately proved him innocent. She's certain that a criminal named Snowey (Matthew Bentz) was the one responsible, and with the help of playboy John Darrow, gets legal help in spite of the fact that evidence seems to be piling against her.

It's obvious that the reporter played by Raymond Hatton (with the far too obvious name of Scoop) was modeled after the grouchy characters played by Ned Sparks, the Walter Matthau of his day. Pre-code vamp Gwen Lee get some great lines as a hard boiled friend of the heroines. Veteran actors Henry B. Walthall and Alec B. Francis seem to be slumming with their presence in this movie which has to be seen for such audacious dialogue as "What do you think this is? A nut house?", spoken by a ridiculously hard boiled detective. This is going to be acquired taste for people who can easily tolerate the snap crackle and pop of early talkie film soundtracks, but most others will be dreadfully bored even though the plot is stronger than normal.

Blanche Mehaffey was a sweet faced girl, one who was really helped by her 1924 Wampas Baby win. Her career gained momentum when talkies came in and 1931 proved her busiest year with 10 films including a serial.

"Alias Mary Smith" was a shoe string crime movie with all the old poverty row regulars including Alec B. Francis, Henry B. Walthall, Gwen Lee an MGM starlet fallen on hard times and John Darrow a young actor who never broke out of the cycle of programmers although he later became an acclaimed press agent.

For all that a very boring movie in which nothing happens. Well something happens after the first scene which shows a nervous "Mary Smith" going to the police station to retrieve her stolen purse. She hesitantly gives her name which leads the police to believe it is an alias but her protector, rich young man about town Buddy Hayes (Darrow) believes in her and asks her out for a meal. The next scene shows him sporting a black eye and he spends the rest of the movie apologizing for his behaviour!!! What happened??? Also not shown is the murder of Marco Hahn in which "Mary" is also implicated. Talk about a shoestring budget!! There seems to be only 2 sets - the police station and a flat (for all of 10 minutes). "Mary's" real name is Joan Wentworth and she had an appointment with Hahn to give him proof that her brother, who went to the electric chair, was innocent of the crime he was tried for. Now, thanks to the real killer, Snowy Hoagland (Matthew Betz) leaving part of an incriminating letter she wrote near the murdered man, she is facing the same fate as her brother.

"Is it a nice jail?", "that's the girl, be brave" are just two of the cringe making lines that probably would have sounded better coming from Gwen Lee who is really the best thing about this pretty awful movie!!