This predecessor of The Petrified Forest (criminals on the lam change the lives of assorted characters at an isolated lunchroom) shows its origin as a Broadway play, but it's faster moving, less pretentious, and a lot less talky than the better known movie. The large cast is wonderful, especially the great Aline MacMahon; their characters well defined; and the direction and cinematography are crisp and professional. It's well worth the hour it takes to watch it.
25 Reviews
Strong B-picture with precode interest
goblinhairedguy6 February 2006
A fine example of minimalist film-making, this Warners B-pic offers a proto-feminist scenario delivered with some swell precode attitude. Two sisters (one world-weary, the other innocent) run a service-station-cum-caravansary on an isolated desert highway. Every passerby kids them about how dull and lonely this existence must be, but in the space of one night they serve host to a pair of criminals on the run, a couple of gold-diggers on the way back from Reno with their swag (and with a wise-guy chauffeur), plus a large family of Mexicans on the way to a fiesta.
The main thrust of the film is melodramatic, as even in their isolation the women cannot avoid mistreatment by treacherous men. However, it's also filled with neat little comic bits and clever wisecracks. Director Mervyn Le Roy creates plenty of atmosphere with few resources, and the cheap-jack desert-palms backdrop (with the Mexican father tenderly serenading his family in the background) sticks in the memory. Le Roy uses an almost slow-motion tracking shot to great effect to show the hallucinatory influence of an ex-lover on the older sister as he intrudes into this sweaty environment. And it's pretty clear that there's a lot of casual sleeping around going on -- a lot of the jokes and situations probably wouldn't have survived the censors if this were a more prominent picture (and definitely not a year later). But the picture never flaunts its raciness -- sex is just part of the fabric of life.
Though consistently enjoyable, the movie never builds up enough intensity to be classed with the immortal second features like Detour (though the climax does pack a punch). Surprisingly, the two leads never really click. Aline MacMahon and Ann Dvorak were always marvelously idiosyncratic in supporting roles, but here the former's baroque style seems overdone for the milieu, and the latter doesn't have much opportunity to vent her repressed passion (maybe the censor trimmed that bit). Overall, though, the performances from the many familiar faces are excellent, my particular favorite occurring in the opening scene featuring Edgar Kennedy as the henpecked spouse of Jane Darwell.
Definitely worth seeking out for aficionados (but hard to find). Some might compare it to The Petrified Forest, but it gives me a bit of an offbeat Shack Out on 101 vibe, too.
The main thrust of the film is melodramatic, as even in their isolation the women cannot avoid mistreatment by treacherous men. However, it's also filled with neat little comic bits and clever wisecracks. Director Mervyn Le Roy creates plenty of atmosphere with few resources, and the cheap-jack desert-palms backdrop (with the Mexican father tenderly serenading his family in the background) sticks in the memory. Le Roy uses an almost slow-motion tracking shot to great effect to show the hallucinatory influence of an ex-lover on the older sister as he intrudes into this sweaty environment. And it's pretty clear that there's a lot of casual sleeping around going on -- a lot of the jokes and situations probably wouldn't have survived the censors if this were a more prominent picture (and definitely not a year later). But the picture never flaunts its raciness -- sex is just part of the fabric of life.
Though consistently enjoyable, the movie never builds up enough intensity to be classed with the immortal second features like Detour (though the climax does pack a punch). Surprisingly, the two leads never really click. Aline MacMahon and Ann Dvorak were always marvelously idiosyncratic in supporting roles, but here the former's baroque style seems overdone for the milieu, and the latter doesn't have much opportunity to vent her repressed passion (maybe the censor trimmed that bit). Overall, though, the performances from the many familiar faces are excellent, my particular favorite occurring in the opening scene featuring Edgar Kennedy as the henpecked spouse of Jane Darwell.
Definitely worth seeking out for aficionados (but hard to find). Some might compare it to The Petrified Forest, but it gives me a bit of an offbeat Shack Out on 101 vibe, too.
Women Of The Desert
bkoganbing14 March 2010
Heat Lightning was an early work by George Abbott, written and directed by him in 1933 it had only a run of 44 performances in that anemic Depression Era season on Broadway. It was not the best work Abbott was ever associated with, but I'm sure he was grateful that Warner Brothers bought the screen rights in those cash strapped times.
It stars Aline McMahon and Ann Dvorak as a pair of sisters running a filling station, automobile camp out in the American west, very similar to the one Bette Davis and her family was running in The Petrified Forest. They're both a bit antsy being stuck out in the desert without the attention of the male of the species. But McMahon's been around the track a little too often and she tries to steer Dvorak right.
The guy who gave her that ride a few times is Preston Foster and he's shown up with pal Lyle Talbot. On the lam as it turns out, but the sisters don't know it. Foster's putting the moves on Dvorak and McMahon ain't having any of that. Truth be told she's got a bit of a yen still left and the desert isolation ain't curing the yen.
Some other characters pop up in this drama, a pair of would be divorcées heading for Reno with their 'chauffeur' played by Glenda Farrell, Ruth Donnelly and Frank McHugh. Also at the beginning Edgar Kennedy and Jane Darwell are a married couple going west. I wish we could have seen more of them. In fact I'm surprised that Jack Warner didn't recognize a good potential comic team there and made more films with them.
As you can see there are a lot of similarities to The Petrified Forest, but I think that even with the tragedies that befall both Humphrey Bogart and Leslie Howard there, The Petrified Forest is a more optimistic play. Bette Davis does get her chance to leave and see the wider world. Not quite what happens here, but I can't say more.
As compared to some of the legendary work George Abbott was associated with on stage Heat Lightning is definitely minor league. Yet it's not a bad piece of work, definitely in keeping with the times. Mervyn LeRoy did a good job in filling the screen and striking a nice balance between the comic and the dramatic. Very typical of what came from the working man's studio.
It stars Aline McMahon and Ann Dvorak as a pair of sisters running a filling station, automobile camp out in the American west, very similar to the one Bette Davis and her family was running in The Petrified Forest. They're both a bit antsy being stuck out in the desert without the attention of the male of the species. But McMahon's been around the track a little too often and she tries to steer Dvorak right.
The guy who gave her that ride a few times is Preston Foster and he's shown up with pal Lyle Talbot. On the lam as it turns out, but the sisters don't know it. Foster's putting the moves on Dvorak and McMahon ain't having any of that. Truth be told she's got a bit of a yen still left and the desert isolation ain't curing the yen.
Some other characters pop up in this drama, a pair of would be divorcées heading for Reno with their 'chauffeur' played by Glenda Farrell, Ruth Donnelly and Frank McHugh. Also at the beginning Edgar Kennedy and Jane Darwell are a married couple going west. I wish we could have seen more of them. In fact I'm surprised that Jack Warner didn't recognize a good potential comic team there and made more films with them.
As you can see there are a lot of similarities to The Petrified Forest, but I think that even with the tragedies that befall both Humphrey Bogart and Leslie Howard there, The Petrified Forest is a more optimistic play. Bette Davis does get her chance to leave and see the wider world. Not quite what happens here, but I can't say more.
As compared to some of the legendary work George Abbott was associated with on stage Heat Lightning is definitely minor league. Yet it's not a bad piece of work, definitely in keeping with the times. Mervyn LeRoy did a good job in filling the screen and striking a nice balance between the comic and the dramatic. Very typical of what came from the working man's studio.
Was There Anyone Quite Like Aline MacMahon??
kidboots29 March 2012
Warning: Spoilers
...the answer is NO!! There wasn't much heat lightning going on in this movie either!! Ann Dvorak had been one of the most exciting new talents to emerge in the early thirties but her rebellious attitude with studio heads made sure her talent was kept under a rock and her role as Myra in this film was a part any contract actress could have played. It was just another nail in the coffin of Ann's once promising career. It was up to good old Aline MacMahon to give some vitality to her role as Olga, the older sister, who has managed to keep her passions hidden for many years.
This movie appears more like a very watered down version of "The Petrified Forest" without the psychological undertones and the powerhouse performance of Humphrey Bogart. Preston Foster had shown he could give dynamic performances (his Killer Meares in "The Last Mile") but unfortunately not in this movie. Olga and Myra run a road side diner 1,000 miles from anywhere, smart and efficient Olga servicing the cars, Myra yearning to get away. Poor Ann spends most of the movie with her head in her arms. For a service station, stuck in the middle of nowhere, it does a brisk trade, there is a bickering older couple, two would be starlets (lively Muriel Evans is billed as a blonde cutie), two freshly divorced gals on their way back from Reno (Glenda Farrell and Ruth Donnelly) and Jerry (Preston Foster) and his jittery sidekick (Lyle Talbot) on the run from a bank holdup. Jerry knows Olga from years before, he is the man she is trying to forget. When he overhears Mrs. Tifton (Farrell) discussing her jewelry he decides to play on Olga's pent up emotions - and have his friend rob the divorcée, but plans are changed when the women decide to put the jewelry in the safe. Not only does Olga realise she has been played for a fool but Myra comes home from the party that she had been forbidden to go to a bit the worse for wear.
For all the "action" (and I use the term loosely) the movie doesn't seem to go anywhere but amazingly Aline MacMahon gets a part she can really sink her teeth into. Her Olga is no nonsense and all business but when her past catches up with her she displays vulnerability and longing in a very real way!!! There was no one like Aline!!!
This movie appears more like a very watered down version of "The Petrified Forest" without the psychological undertones and the powerhouse performance of Humphrey Bogart. Preston Foster had shown he could give dynamic performances (his Killer Meares in "The Last Mile") but unfortunately not in this movie. Olga and Myra run a road side diner 1,000 miles from anywhere, smart and efficient Olga servicing the cars, Myra yearning to get away. Poor Ann spends most of the movie with her head in her arms. For a service station, stuck in the middle of nowhere, it does a brisk trade, there is a bickering older couple, two would be starlets (lively Muriel Evans is billed as a blonde cutie), two freshly divorced gals on their way back from Reno (Glenda Farrell and Ruth Donnelly) and Jerry (Preston Foster) and his jittery sidekick (Lyle Talbot) on the run from a bank holdup. Jerry knows Olga from years before, he is the man she is trying to forget. When he overhears Mrs. Tifton (Farrell) discussing her jewelry he decides to play on Olga's pent up emotions - and have his friend rob the divorcée, but plans are changed when the women decide to put the jewelry in the safe. Not only does Olga realise she has been played for a fool but Myra comes home from the party that she had been forbidden to go to a bit the worse for wear.
For all the "action" (and I use the term loosely) the movie doesn't seem to go anywhere but amazingly Aline MacMahon gets a part she can really sink her teeth into. Her Olga is no nonsense and all business but when her past catches up with her she displays vulnerability and longing in a very real way!!! There was no one like Aline!!!
Wonderful Little Film
SumBuddy-324 April 2008
After reading several reviews that enjoyed the film, I almost did not write a comment.
However, after reading the one comparing it to a poor man's Petrified Forest, I wanted to say that's just plain unfair.
I, was not around for the New York Times drab review in 1934, like the previous reviewer, but I can form my own opinion. I really liked the movie. Aline McMahon, pulled off the difficult character of playing a woman mechanic/business owner, and Preston Foster played the crook on the lam quite believable for the situation he was in.
I personally wish Ann Dvorak had more of a developed part, I always like her, but sadly hers was the least developed of the several interesting characters in the film. Obviously made on a small budget, it's just unfair to compare this to Petrified Forest. They are not the same film at all.
However, after reading the one comparing it to a poor man's Petrified Forest, I wanted to say that's just plain unfair.
I, was not around for the New York Times drab review in 1934, like the previous reviewer, but I can form my own opinion. I really liked the movie. Aline McMahon, pulled off the difficult character of playing a woman mechanic/business owner, and Preston Foster played the crook on the lam quite believable for the situation he was in.
I personally wish Ann Dvorak had more of a developed part, I always like her, but sadly hers was the least developed of the several interesting characters in the film. Obviously made on a small budget, it's just unfair to compare this to Petrified Forest. They are not the same film at all.
Decent...but it ends very well.
planktonrules9 September 2014
In many ways, this film reminds me of another Warner Brothers film made just a few years later, "The Petrified Forest". Both are set at isolated gas stations in the desert and both involve gangsters who come there to seek shelter. However, the films are certainly different enough to make it worth seeing them both.
Olga (Aline MacMahon) is a world-weary soul who has chosen to move into the middle of nowhere because she's tired of people. Her sister, Myrna (Ann Dvorak), however, isn't tired of people and yearns for excitement and men-- and the pair couldn't be more different. Into their very dull and predictable lives come an assortment of folks to stay at their gas station/motor court. One pair are a couple of divorcées on their way from Reno after their latest conquest. Another are a pair of crooks on the run from the law. In a coincidence you'll only see in a play or movie, it turns out the boss (Preston Foster) was once Olga's lover! What's next? See the film.
There are two main things going for this film--Foster and MacMahon. Their characters are interesting and the final scene between them is something to see! Unfortunately, Dvorak's role is very whiny and annoying--and the character significantly impairs the film with her overwrought performance. Overall, it is worth seeing but is far from brilliant work from the studio.
Olga (Aline MacMahon) is a world-weary soul who has chosen to move into the middle of nowhere because she's tired of people. Her sister, Myrna (Ann Dvorak), however, isn't tired of people and yearns for excitement and men-- and the pair couldn't be more different. Into their very dull and predictable lives come an assortment of folks to stay at their gas station/motor court. One pair are a couple of divorcées on their way from Reno after their latest conquest. Another are a pair of crooks on the run from the law. In a coincidence you'll only see in a play or movie, it turns out the boss (Preston Foster) was once Olga's lover! What's next? See the film.
There are two main things going for this film--Foster and MacMahon. Their characters are interesting and the final scene between them is something to see! Unfortunately, Dvorak's role is very whiny and annoying--and the character significantly impairs the film with her overwrought performance. Overall, it is worth seeing but is far from brilliant work from the studio.
Wonderful...
horsegoggles17 June 2014
I was very fortunate to DVR a pristine copy of this many years ago on TCM and I have watched it probably 30 times since.
My dad made several auto trips across the US in the twenties and earlier. Though this was 1934, it provides me with a visual perspective on some of what he may have encountered before there was a national system of highways, or many paved roads for that matter.
My enjoyment of this film comes mostly from the glimpses into early motoring. As a kid in the early fifties I made many a trip from California to Iowa with my folks on route 66. Motoring was not all that sophisticated even in the early fifties and that plays into it as well.
This review/comment is not so much about the finer points of the movie as it is a statement on how enjoyable it is for me because of the time in which it was made.
The fact that there is a great little drama playing out and lots of ventures into quirky personalities and side plots, is just icing on the cake.
My dad made several auto trips across the US in the twenties and earlier. Though this was 1934, it provides me with a visual perspective on some of what he may have encountered before there was a national system of highways, or many paved roads for that matter.
My enjoyment of this film comes mostly from the glimpses into early motoring. As a kid in the early fifties I made many a trip from California to Iowa with my folks on route 66. Motoring was not all that sophisticated even in the early fifties and that plays into it as well.
This review/comment is not so much about the finer points of the movie as it is a statement on how enjoyable it is for me because of the time in which it was made.
The fact that there is a great little drama playing out and lots of ventures into quirky personalities and side plots, is just icing on the cake.
Under a hot tin roof
1930s_Time_Machine6 October 2023
If you like a subtle and mature superbly acted drama with just enough humour to keep it light, you should enjoy this. Although an awful lot happens, the action somehow manages to seem inconsequential compared with the oppressive mundanity of the desert.
This film has a very modern feel to it. Set in an isolated oasis in the Nevada desert there's little to tie it down to a particular time - were it not for the old cars, it could be now. The other thing which makes this timeless is the acting, specifically that of Aline MacMahon whose character is the focus of this film. Being from the 'method school' her characterisation is much more natural than was typical in the early thirties. It's an outstanding performance.
She plays Olga who runs this little 'service station' isolated from the outside world, isolated, as we'll discover, from something in her past. We never quite find out what led her here, dragging her reluctant and resentful sister along and that's one of the things which makes this so intriguing. Whatever it was, she's not going to let it happen to her sister whom she keeps a tight rain on which in her sister's mind means stopping her having any fun.
She's content hiding from the world where her only interaction with people is with the strangers passing through. She's content hiding from who she was, hiding from being a woman until a sinister face from the past re-enters her life. When her mask slips, we perhaps get an idea of why she abandoned that former life.
It's totally addictive viewing but at the time you're not sure why. When it's over you realise that it's one of those pictures that you will always remember. Although the skies are bright and clear, the atmosphere is as thick as soup infused with something undefined but dark and dangerous. Its unrelenting oppressive heat permeates through the screen into your own world, you can taste the desert yourself - such is the brilliance of LeRoy's direction.
This film has a very modern feel to it. Set in an isolated oasis in the Nevada desert there's little to tie it down to a particular time - were it not for the old cars, it could be now. The other thing which makes this timeless is the acting, specifically that of Aline MacMahon whose character is the focus of this film. Being from the 'method school' her characterisation is much more natural than was typical in the early thirties. It's an outstanding performance.
She plays Olga who runs this little 'service station' isolated from the outside world, isolated, as we'll discover, from something in her past. We never quite find out what led her here, dragging her reluctant and resentful sister along and that's one of the things which makes this so intriguing. Whatever it was, she's not going to let it happen to her sister whom she keeps a tight rain on which in her sister's mind means stopping her having any fun.
She's content hiding from the world where her only interaction with people is with the strangers passing through. She's content hiding from who she was, hiding from being a woman until a sinister face from the past re-enters her life. When her mask slips, we perhaps get an idea of why she abandoned that former life.
It's totally addictive viewing but at the time you're not sure why. When it's over you realise that it's one of those pictures that you will always remember. Although the skies are bright and clear, the atmosphere is as thick as soup infused with something undefined but dark and dangerous. Its unrelenting oppressive heat permeates through the screen into your own world, you can taste the desert yourself - such is the brilliance of LeRoy's direction.
It's a Small World
stoneyburke14 March 2010
Warning: Spoilers
I enjoyed this film. I posted a Spoiler Alert just in case I say too much. First of all besides the setting I didn't think it was like The Petrified Forest. The Petrified Forest is a better film and story but this little mostly unknown flick is good. Olga (MacMahon) is now running a "next gas 200 miles" kind of a rest-stop/motel in the lonely dreary and hot desert. Unlike Gabriel, where Davis' character who was filled with optimism, Olga had seen that done that. She's somewhat jaded but still has that spark of something positive. Preston Foster and Lyle Talbot are on the lam. It's that "of all the gin joints she walks into mine" kinda thing. Foster and MacMahon were lovers at one time. Foster isn't the nicest fella but when MacMahon sports a dress and some make-up he with all his smarmy charm shows an inkling of interest. However he's so awful that it's best that MacMahon not really pursue this. Enough said. Poor Myra, Olga's younger sister, Dvorak, bored to the gills and wants to have some fun in life. She meets a self-sided loser and is of course saddened even tho' Olga warned her about men. Glenda Farrell, Ruth Donnelly and Frank McHugh show up who are mainly a diversion even though parts are paramount to the plot and I'm not divulging same. A family of Mexicans stop by just for atmosphere in my opinion. What happens near the end is something you'll have to see. Again, the running time of this film is short, good actors, a bit of comic relief and do not expect The Petrified Forest and enjoy.
great collection of characters
SnoopyStyle26 July 2021
In the Mohave Desert, Olga and her younger sister Myra run a gas station with diner in the middle of nowhere. Olga is perfectly happy with the isolation but Myra would like to go someplace, any place. The remote outpost gets a surprising number of visitors over a day's time including two bank robbers. One of them is Olga's former boyfriend Jerry and she knows he's up to no good. Then two rich dames stop by when their driver schemes for a rest.
I like the chaos of people keep showing up at this little place. I would like the filming to take place in the openness of the desert. It could have been epic in cinematography. I would also like for a more epic shootout. The story builds up so much possibility. It's almost anti-climatic but there is a bit of poetry in its execution. I really like the width of characters in this movie, even with some of side characters. From the first bickering couple to the two female hitchhikers, this movie is filled with great characters. I would love to see this remade with more noir touches.
I like the chaos of people keep showing up at this little place. I would like the filming to take place in the openness of the desert. It could have been epic in cinematography. I would also like for a more epic shootout. The story builds up so much possibility. It's almost anti-climatic but there is a bit of poetry in its execution. I really like the width of characters in this movie, even with some of side characters. From the first bickering couple to the two female hitchhikers, this movie is filled with great characters. I would love to see this remade with more noir touches.
a favorite
westerfieldalfred15 January 2019
Heat Lightning is tied with The Adventure of Robins Hood as my favorite Warner's film. It's always a pleasure to watch Aline MacMahon, but here I think she gives an Oscar worthy performance. She and Preston Foster smolder! Aline's slowly changing attitude is wondrous to behold. Her final scene with Foster is memorable. A lot of the Warner's stock company come and go throughout the film, always giving freshness to their roles. The daytime location and cinematography perfectly capture the feel of the desert. (I live near Tucson.) The night time scenes, although well matched, are shot on a sound stage, and so, are not as effective. But I suppose they were necessary for the lightning effects. This a film that will stay with you. And make you want to watch it again.
No more rat race
jarrodmcdonald-19 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Mervyn LeRoy has directed a compelling drama for Warner Brothers. Two things come to mind when watching this film. First, its use of exteriors is so well done, you cannot tell what was filmed on location and what was done on the studio. Backlot. Related to that is its outdoor lighting, especially during scenes where heat lightning occurs. This creates a glowing sort of ambience, at odds with the dark natures and internal struggles of the characters.
Though the story is based on a Broadway play, it feels very much opened-up and not at all stagey the way THE PETRIFIED FOREST does, which is also set in a southwestern desert region. Also, there are realistic touches in the dialogue where we hear about the extreme heat and how these people try to take refuge in the shade.
The second thing that comes to mind is the fact that as one of the last real precodes, its content is quite shocking. HEAT LIGHTNING was condemned by the Catholic church. There is a murder at the end, where a crook on the run (Preston Foster) is shot down by the heroine (Aline MacMahon). She compares getting rid of him like one would get rid of an unwanted rat. Her declaration of homicide is touted as part of the movie's advertising. It wasn't exactly justifiable homicide, and she does get away with it.
Besides the killing she has slept with the cad without benefit of marriage. At the same time, her kid sister (Ann Dvorak) has lost her virginity to another cad that carted her off to a local dance.
These gals are literally screwed over and have nothing good to show for their trouble. Running their roadside gas station, lunch counter and motor court is what keeps them going in the middle of nowhere. It's all they have, besides each other.
Meanwhile there are two other gals in the story (Glenda Farrell and Ruth Donnelly) with issues of their own. They are recent divorcees fresh from a stay in Reno, who are spending the night with all their money and jewels. Farrell and Donnelly play their roles to the hilt, bordering on camp.
A strange triangle involves them and their somewhat henpecked chauffeur (Frank McHugh). The bickering and jealous banter between them provides some comic relief. Though you do have to wonder why McHugh hasn't disappeared into the sunset since they make him wait on them hand and foot, at all hours, and the poor sap doesn't get a break!
In addition to the these travelers, there are locals who stop by...such as the sheriff, who is looking for Foster the bank robber and his accomplice (Lyle Talbot). And we also see that there is a guy from a nearby village (Williard Robertson) who is sweet on MacMahon and will remain by her side, even after she's killed Foster.
The film ends with Miss MacMahon returning to turn life as normal. She and her sister will continue to occupy themselves by providing service to those who need it. In this desolate setting, amid the Joshua trees, happiness can be found where there isn't any trace of the rat race.
Though the story is based on a Broadway play, it feels very much opened-up and not at all stagey the way THE PETRIFIED FOREST does, which is also set in a southwestern desert region. Also, there are realistic touches in the dialogue where we hear about the extreme heat and how these people try to take refuge in the shade.
The second thing that comes to mind is the fact that as one of the last real precodes, its content is quite shocking. HEAT LIGHTNING was condemned by the Catholic church. There is a murder at the end, where a crook on the run (Preston Foster) is shot down by the heroine (Aline MacMahon). She compares getting rid of him like one would get rid of an unwanted rat. Her declaration of homicide is touted as part of the movie's advertising. It wasn't exactly justifiable homicide, and she does get away with it.
Besides the killing she has slept with the cad without benefit of marriage. At the same time, her kid sister (Ann Dvorak) has lost her virginity to another cad that carted her off to a local dance.
These gals are literally screwed over and have nothing good to show for their trouble. Running their roadside gas station, lunch counter and motor court is what keeps them going in the middle of nowhere. It's all they have, besides each other.
Meanwhile there are two other gals in the story (Glenda Farrell and Ruth Donnelly) with issues of their own. They are recent divorcees fresh from a stay in Reno, who are spending the night with all their money and jewels. Farrell and Donnelly play their roles to the hilt, bordering on camp.
A strange triangle involves them and their somewhat henpecked chauffeur (Frank McHugh). The bickering and jealous banter between them provides some comic relief. Though you do have to wonder why McHugh hasn't disappeared into the sunset since they make him wait on them hand and foot, at all hours, and the poor sap doesn't get a break!
In addition to the these travelers, there are locals who stop by...such as the sheriff, who is looking for Foster the bank robber and his accomplice (Lyle Talbot). And we also see that there is a guy from a nearby village (Williard Robertson) who is sweet on MacMahon and will remain by her side, even after she's killed Foster.
The film ends with Miss MacMahon returning to turn life as normal. She and her sister will continue to occupy themselves by providing service to those who need it. In this desolate setting, amid the Joshua trees, happiness can be found where there isn't any trace of the rat race.
Blowsy character-driven piece with some sharp dialogue...though it should have been grittier
moonspinner5515 March 2010
Interesting drama which bristles with pungent, often very amusing dialogue. Two sisters (a homely, bossy man-hater and a restless younger beauty who likes to kick up her heels) battle amongst themselves while running a filling station/diner/motel in the California desert; a pair of casual-acting bank robbers stop in one afternoon on their way to the border, one of whom knows the elder sister very well. Adaptation of Leon Abrams and George Abbott's play ran into trouble with the Catholic Legion of Decency in 1934--one presumes over the frank talk and implications of man-woman intimacy--yet the most surprising thing about this piece is the fact Aline MacMahon's plain, resentful Olga has a romantic past at all! Possibly conceived at one point as a lesbian, the character of Olga (who trades in her head-bandanna and dungarees for make-up and a frilly dress) is the story's central focus, and yet she doesn't emerge as a convincing, fully thought-out creation. The material goes noticeably soft at the halfway mark to accommodate Olga's actions, making the censorship stories even more ridiculous in hindsight. Still, the film has a quick pace and a lively cast, colorful patter between the guests, and a satisfying finish. **1/2 from ****
Somebody Turn Up the Heat in Here
wes-connors14 March 2010
Grease monkey Aline McMahon (as Olga) runs a "Service Station and Auto Camp" in the California desert, with help from attractive little sister Ann Dvorak (as Myra). Ms. MacMahon takes care of gas and gaskets (outside), while Ms. Dvorak serves cold beer and Coca-Cola (inside). MacMahon has sworn off cabarets, after a bad relationship - but, innocent Dvorak wants to go out and have fun. There are opportunities in the middle of the desert, as frequent travelers abound.
While discouraging Dvorak, MacMahon has second thoughts about the male gender after old flame Preston Foster (as George, but MacMahon still calls him "Jerry") chances by the station, with "peeping Tom" pal Lyle Talbot (as Jeff). The pair are on the lam, after a bank heist and double-murder. MacMahon covers for Mr. Preston, when the sheriff comes looking for the crooks. MacMahon seems ready to re-succumb to Preston's masculine charms, but may want to reconsider Everyone pretends to be hot, but Mervyn LeRoy's "Heat Lightning" is all subtest, and no steam. The cast is fun, though.
***** Heat Lightning (3/3/34) Mervyn LeRoy ~ Aline MacMahon, Preston Foster, Ann Dvorak, Lyle Talbot
While discouraging Dvorak, MacMahon has second thoughts about the male gender after old flame Preston Foster (as George, but MacMahon still calls him "Jerry") chances by the station, with "peeping Tom" pal Lyle Talbot (as Jeff). The pair are on the lam, after a bank heist and double-murder. MacMahon covers for Mr. Preston, when the sheriff comes looking for the crooks. MacMahon seems ready to re-succumb to Preston's masculine charms, but may want to reconsider Everyone pretends to be hot, but Mervyn LeRoy's "Heat Lightning" is all subtest, and no steam. The cast is fun, though.
***** Heat Lightning (3/3/34) Mervyn LeRoy ~ Aline MacMahon, Preston Foster, Ann Dvorak, Lyle Talbot
Aline at her peak, and that's all I need to know
marcslope22 August 2023
A flop George Abbott play gets a very respectable Warners filming in this 1934 B, which is boosted by two of the strongest women then on the lot, Aline MacMahon and Ann Dvorak. They're sisters, one butch and practical and the other feminine and yearning, running an out-of-the-way garage/cafe/hotel in the Southwest, not far from the Mexican border. Warners contract players keep dropping in, from Glenda Farrell to Frank McHugh to Ruth Donnelley, but bad news enters in the form of Preston Foster and Lyle Talbot. Dumb luck puts them there, in the first of a couple of unlikely coincidences, for it turns out Foster, generally an uninteresting actor who's unusually heated and virile here, had a long-ago tryst with MacMahon, and now he and Talbot have just robbed a bank and killed a couple of clerks. A short movie, it's a little light on plot but soaked in convincing studio atmosphere, with the titular heat lightning going off in the distance, and firmly steered by Mervyn LeRoy. MacMahon, "one of the screen's few perfect actresses," as film historian David Shipman had it, sinks her teeth into a meaty part and says more with an eyebrow than most actresses could say with pages of dialogue, and Dvorak is appealing in a somewhat hackneyed part. The rest of the Warners stock company do their usual things: Donnelley is haughty, Farrell flirty, McHugh the comic relief. But that's not to say they're unwelcome.
Great fun!
blerpnor1 August 2023
Nice, noir-ish 1934 quickie, with a highly likeable Lyle Talbot in the lineup, no less. The switch from location shooting to stage settings is a bit jarring, but no less so than most TV shows of the 1960s and 1970s, which went from on-site filming to a fake backdrop, sometimes within the same scene (from Gunsmoke to Mannix to the Wild, Wild West). And the sets, while not convincing, are quite artistically conceived, with a memorable heat lightning effect. The swift pacing is rather remarkable for the era, and Aline MacMahon gives a mesmerizing performance, though her character seems to shift from weak to iron-willed a little too casually. But that's where the swift pacing makes any doubtful character motivation irrelevant--the viewer is too caught up in the fascinating, nonstop story (laced with comedy bits which have held up amazingly well). Lyle Talbot makes a superb wimpy sidekick, though a couple of times he seemed to be on the verge of laughter. A gem!
A LITTLE TRIP ACROSS THE CALIFORNIA DESERT!
tcchelsey1 April 2024
I agree with the last reviewer, this is definitely a time capsule of the early days of motoring cross country, particularly in the desert. And what a tale.
10 Plus Stars, for the cast alone.
The dynamic Warner Brothers roster of guest stars is worth a look. Popular character actress Aline MacMahon goes solo here, playing Olga, a struggling young woman who runs a filling station in the middle of the desert with her sister, Myra (well played by Ann Dvorak).
This story, based on the play by Leon Abrams, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Greg Abbott (DAMN YANKEES), is way ahead of its time, focusing on women in business, a rare thing back in the day, and quite realistic. Beautifully filmed at Lancaster, CA, a remote area back in the day.
Olga, a jack of all trades, still has her hands full operating a gas station and all the people problems that come with it. A terrific story within a story, co-starring big tough guy Preston Foster, Lyle Talbot (as Jeff), comedian Frank McHugh, and not to forget Glenda Farrell and funny Ruth Donnelly as Mrs. Ashley.
The gang's all here. Yes, this film WAS banned by the National League of Decency. Case in point, Foster leaving Olga's room, buttoning his coat and saying a few interesting comments.
Outstanding direction by the master, Mervyn LeRoy, who had previously directed the classic Marie Dressler comedy/drama TUGBOAT ANNIE.
Thanks to Warner Brothers, now on remastered dvd and blu ray. A must for 30s classic film collectors. Also thanks to TCM for rerunning this diamond in the rough which has been re-discovered.
10 Plus Stars, for the cast alone.
The dynamic Warner Brothers roster of guest stars is worth a look. Popular character actress Aline MacMahon goes solo here, playing Olga, a struggling young woman who runs a filling station in the middle of the desert with her sister, Myra (well played by Ann Dvorak).
This story, based on the play by Leon Abrams, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Greg Abbott (DAMN YANKEES), is way ahead of its time, focusing on women in business, a rare thing back in the day, and quite realistic. Beautifully filmed at Lancaster, CA, a remote area back in the day.
Olga, a jack of all trades, still has her hands full operating a gas station and all the people problems that come with it. A terrific story within a story, co-starring big tough guy Preston Foster, Lyle Talbot (as Jeff), comedian Frank McHugh, and not to forget Glenda Farrell and funny Ruth Donnelly as Mrs. Ashley.
The gang's all here. Yes, this film WAS banned by the National League of Decency. Case in point, Foster leaving Olga's room, buttoning his coat and saying a few interesting comments.
Outstanding direction by the master, Mervyn LeRoy, who had previously directed the classic Marie Dressler comedy/drama TUGBOAT ANNIE.
Thanks to Warner Brothers, now on remastered dvd and blu ray. A must for 30s classic film collectors. Also thanks to TCM for rerunning this diamond in the rough which has been re-discovered.
Out in the desert
nickenchuggets7 February 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Right before Hayes Code started being enforced more severely starting in 1934, a movie called Heat Lightning was released. Because it was made right as the pre code era was just ending, it has some moments in it that definitely would not be allowed later on, due to their sexual or violent connotations. The movie is quite good despite only having one setting for the most part. Two sisters, Olga (Aline MacMahon) and Myra (Ann Dvorak) own a gas station in the middle of nowhere (technically the desert of the southwestern US). One day, Myra says she wants to go to a dance with a guy named Steve, but Olga doesn't allow it. Later that day, Olga's ex-boyfriend George (Preston Foster) shows up, who is the last person on earth she wants to see. George and his friend Jeff are secretly trying to escape justice after they tried to rob a bank earlier and killed 2 people. George and Jeff plan to stay for only a few hours until they can sneak across the border into mexico, but they later decide to stay after two wealthy women show up. Mrs. Tifton (Glenda Farrell) and Ashton-Ashley both have a large amount of jewels, which catches George's attention. Later, the two rich women want to store their jewels in a safe because they don't want to leave them unguarded in a secluded area like this, and George finds out they're in there. He tries to get on Olga's good side again, reminding her of all the time in oklahoma they spent together, and he eventually sleeps with her. This allows him to lower her guard so that he won't be suspected of opening the safe. When Jeff tries to get it open, Olga overhears George say he was only nice to her to make himself not look like a criminal. Olga gets a pistol and kills George, but allows Jeff to escape. This is one of the shortest movies I've seen in a while, but it still manages to be interesting and exciting. The only thing I didn't like is the rather stupid ending. Olga kills George and then immediately regrets pulling the trigger, since she remembers they were friends once. Other than that, it's pretty memorable. The girl who plays Mrs. Tifton reminds me of Jean Harlow, and she's later caught off guard by someone who's watching her bathe outside (good example of a pre code moment). The plot in this movie isn't particularly strong and is quite linear, but I still enjoyed Heat Lightning because it was one of the last indecent movies to be produced before the enforcement of the code.
high desert caper... in the joshua trees
ksf-216 March 2010
... must have been filmed around Joshua Tree or Lone Pine.. unfortunately, no locations listed as of March 2010. Warner Brothers shortie... but TCM host Robert Osborne mentioned that the Catholic League wanted changes made, so I wonder if the original play was longer or even naughtier. Also loved seeing Frank McHugh & Aline MacMahon... McHugh was toned way down for this part...he's funnier and louder in some of his other roles; MacMahon was the big star of this one.... as one of the female mechanics (sisters) that run the gas station ( one comes REAL close to being lesbian, whether or not that was the intention)... Jerry, her ex says: "you're right... you changed plenty!" and when Myra goes out with a guy, her sister Olga gives her hell when she gets back. When the folks in the car insist it'll take a "darn good man" to get the radiator cap off, Olga opens it, no problem. Fun, quick story, even if i'm not really sure what we learned.. I thought it had a lot in common with Key Largo, but lesser known actors in this one. and years earlier. Very Good!
Great Cast Brings Material Up
Michael_Elliott30 July 2011
Heat Lightning (1934)
** 1/2 (out of 4)
Sisters Olga (Aline MacMahon) and Myra (Ann Dvorak) run a small gas station in the Arizona desert where they fight about the youngest sisters wants when it comes to a different life. Throughout the day a wide range of people stop by the shop including a couple thugs (Preston Foster, Lyle Talbot) who are wanted for killing a couple men and one of them has a past relationship with Olga. This crime picture from Warner certainly isn't among their best but the nice cast and short 64-minute running time makes it a nice little gem as long as you don't go in expecting too much. The first starts off with quite a bit of innuendo around the older sister Olga and her constantly putting men down. The way she dresses, talks and acts, it really does seem like this could have been shown during TCM's look at gay and lesbian images in early Hollywood. Her behavior is explained as the film goes along but that is certainly one thing that really jumped out. For the most part the characters really aren't all that interesting and the only reason one would pay close attention to them is because the studio cast some very familiar faces and especially to those who enjoy their "B" movies. Both MacMahon and Dvorak are good in their parts of the battling sisters and both Foster and Talbot could play heavies in their sleep. The four have some pretty good scenes together and especially MacMahon and Foster when it comes to talking about their past. The cast also includes Glenda Farrell playing a sexy idiot, Frank McHugh her driver and we even get Ruth Donnelly and Edgar Kennedy in small bits. The screenplay is full of the typical stereotype characters you'd expect in a film like this but the most disappointing thing is that not much happens throughout the running time. The movie is certainly leading up to final showdown but nothing ever really happens and there just aren't enough twists or turns to keep any sort of drama going. The movie does include a terrific looking set as I thought the diner was good enough to offer up some terrific shots and especially those where the camera just looks around the insides and there being windows everywhere. This allows one to get a 360-look around the place. Some pre-Code elements add to the fun but the main draw here are the actors.
** 1/2 (out of 4)
Sisters Olga (Aline MacMahon) and Myra (Ann Dvorak) run a small gas station in the Arizona desert where they fight about the youngest sisters wants when it comes to a different life. Throughout the day a wide range of people stop by the shop including a couple thugs (Preston Foster, Lyle Talbot) who are wanted for killing a couple men and one of them has a past relationship with Olga. This crime picture from Warner certainly isn't among their best but the nice cast and short 64-minute running time makes it a nice little gem as long as you don't go in expecting too much. The first starts off with quite a bit of innuendo around the older sister Olga and her constantly putting men down. The way she dresses, talks and acts, it really does seem like this could have been shown during TCM's look at gay and lesbian images in early Hollywood. Her behavior is explained as the film goes along but that is certainly one thing that really jumped out. For the most part the characters really aren't all that interesting and the only reason one would pay close attention to them is because the studio cast some very familiar faces and especially to those who enjoy their "B" movies. Both MacMahon and Dvorak are good in their parts of the battling sisters and both Foster and Talbot could play heavies in their sleep. The four have some pretty good scenes together and especially MacMahon and Foster when it comes to talking about their past. The cast also includes Glenda Farrell playing a sexy idiot, Frank McHugh her driver and we even get Ruth Donnelly and Edgar Kennedy in small bits. The screenplay is full of the typical stereotype characters you'd expect in a film like this but the most disappointing thing is that not much happens throughout the running time. The movie is certainly leading up to final showdown but nothing ever really happens and there just aren't enough twists or turns to keep any sort of drama going. The movie does include a terrific looking set as I thought the diner was good enough to offer up some terrific shots and especially those where the camera just looks around the insides and there being windows everywhere. This allows one to get a 360-look around the place. Some pre-Code elements add to the fun but the main draw here are the actors.
This potboiler is a poor man's "Petrified Forest"...
Doylenf18 April 2008
If you can get over the unlikely pairing of ALINE MacMAHON and PRESTON FOSTER as former lovers and stand the desert heat at a motor court stranded in the middle of nowhere, you may be able to accept some of the melodramatics of HEAT LIGHTNING.
Nevertheless, I have to agree with The N.Y. Times when it summed it up as: "Drab melodrama with occasional flashes of forced comedy." The forced comedy is supplied by RUTH DONNELLY and GLENDA FARRELL as two rich dames being chauffeured by FRANK McHUGH, and in an early scene, JANE DARWELL and EDGAR KENNEDY as a bickering married couple who stop by for car repair and a coke. Otherwise, it's pretty dreary stuff, with Foster trying to con McMahon and her sister (ANN DVORAK) out of some money in their safe.
The downbeat ending only emphasizes the dreariness of the plot which seems to go nowhere fast.
Nevertheless, I have to agree with The N.Y. Times when it summed it up as: "Drab melodrama with occasional flashes of forced comedy." The forced comedy is supplied by RUTH DONNELLY and GLENDA FARRELL as two rich dames being chauffeured by FRANK McHUGH, and in an early scene, JANE DARWELL and EDGAR KENNEDY as a bickering married couple who stop by for car repair and a coke. Otherwise, it's pretty dreary stuff, with Foster trying to con McMahon and her sister (ANN DVORAK) out of some money in their safe.
The downbeat ending only emphasizes the dreariness of the plot which seems to go nowhere fast.
Lightning Is Nearer Than It Sounds
boblipton26 July 2021
Sisters Aline MacMahon and Ann Dvorak run an auto stop out in the middle of the Mojave Desert, with the nearest town 26 miles away. Miss MacMahon seems busy and contented. Miss Dvorak wants boys and excitement. She think so, anyway. When Miss MacMahon's old lover, gangster Preston Foster shows up on the run from a bank robbery and murder, various threads and other peoples' stories get tangled for a night.
It's from a play co-written by George Abbott, and the sets likely used for several plays for several seasons on Broadway. It's far less philosophical, poetic and pretentious than THE PETRIFIED FOREST, which is the show that jumps to mind, but it ultimately becomes a bit of a Woman's Problem movie, carried on the capable shoulders of Miss MacMahon. There's plenty of performers to help her, including Glenda Farrell, Frank McHugh, Ruth Donnelly, Jane Darwell, Edgar Kennedy, and Chris-Pin Martin.
It's from a play co-written by George Abbott, and the sets likely used for several plays for several seasons on Broadway. It's far less philosophical, poetic and pretentious than THE PETRIFIED FOREST, which is the show that jumps to mind, but it ultimately becomes a bit of a Woman's Problem movie, carried on the capable shoulders of Miss MacMahon. There's plenty of performers to help her, including Glenda Farrell, Frank McHugh, Ruth Donnelly, Jane Darwell, Edgar Kennedy, and Chris-Pin Martin.
A Movie About Nothing
GManfred10 August 2011
That was how the cast of 'Seinfeld' described their show. But they were beaten to the punch in 1934 by Warner Bros. with the release of "Heat Lightning", a static and unfunny comedy/drama taken from the Broadway show of the same name.
The beginning was the best part, with Edgar Kennedy and Jane Darwell as a bickering married couple. It made you think that the best was yet to come, but no. The rest of the film is loaded with unnecessary, awkward situations and with the actors seeming ill at ease and mouthing stilted and clumsy dialogue which often falls flat. I cannot believe George Abbott had a hand in the movie script and must have been credited since he wrote the play, because this script is poorly written and lacking humor in humorous situations.
This was a shame because Warners had assembled a great cast but saddled them with a boring story which lacks action and energy. Ann Dvorak, an excellent actress, comes off as whiny and annoying and Ruth Donnelly could have sued the script writer, her comic lines were so prosaic. And a contributor mentioned 'Key Largo'?! There is no similarity at all. "Heat Lightning" ran only 44 performances on Broadway for a reason, and I'll bet it wasn't the depression. The four rating points are for the cast despite the fact they were mistreated.
The beginning was the best part, with Edgar Kennedy and Jane Darwell as a bickering married couple. It made you think that the best was yet to come, but no. The rest of the film is loaded with unnecessary, awkward situations and with the actors seeming ill at ease and mouthing stilted and clumsy dialogue which often falls flat. I cannot believe George Abbott had a hand in the movie script and must have been credited since he wrote the play, because this script is poorly written and lacking humor in humorous situations.
This was a shame because Warners had assembled a great cast but saddled them with a boring story which lacks action and energy. Ann Dvorak, an excellent actress, comes off as whiny and annoying and Ruth Donnelly could have sued the script writer, her comic lines were so prosaic. And a contributor mentioned 'Key Largo'?! There is no similarity at all. "Heat Lightning" ran only 44 performances on Broadway for a reason, and I'll bet it wasn't the depression. The four rating points are for the cast despite the fact they were mistreated.
1930's movies don't stand the test of time
billsoccer5 August 2021
Only watched this because of the high rating it had. What a mistake! Everything you associate with good movie making hadn't come into being yet, or wasn't in this movie, especially a decent script and decent acting. I'm so over watching them now.
Olga was Weak
view_and_review29 February 2024
Warning: Spoilers
"Heat Lightning" fancied itself having a strong female lead character.
I don't think so.
The lead character was a woman named Olga (Aline MacMahon). Olga and her sister Myra (Ann Dvorak) lived in the California desert. Based upon some of the context clues, they were in or near the Mojave Desert. Olga was a mechanic and ran her own service station. She wore overalls and a bandana and no make-up. She didn't talk of men, fashions, or nightlife, and she tried to keep her younger sister from those things. She conveyed a tough, no-nonsense, strong image.
Then an old flame came to town.
George (Preston Foster) and Jeff (Lyle Talbot) were passing through California on their way to Mexico to escape the law. They'd done a bank job and killed a guard or two in the process. While George was at the little pit stop he recognized his old flame Olga. At first she was very standoffish, but you wondered how long the posturing would last.
She told George that she had a new life now. She wasn't the showgirl he knew back in Tulsa whose looks were everything to her. She didn't want anything to do with him or that life, and she sounded very convincing. She didn't waver, she didn't look away to hide her true feelings, she didn't show any signs that she was just trying to convince herself that she was over him.
Then George said something that you'd think only worked on children. It was the lamest bit of reverse psychology you'll ever witness.
"Don't you worry about me trying to get you back, cuz there ain't a chance in the world sweetheart," George told her. It was such a childish comment. He even said it like a third grader on the school yard. It sounded fake like he was saying it to hurt her feelings more than state an actual fact.
Then Olga walked away to go inside the house; and the way she walked away you knew something was off. You knew that that comment may have just hit a nerve, but surely it didn't rattle her enough to make her change her demeanor and change her appearance?
The next time we saw Olga the overalls, bandana, and attitude were discarded and replaced with a dress, make-up, and feminity. But, did she do it to prove a point--to prove that George would desire her, because she wanted some male company for the night, or was it that she really wanted him back?
I couldn't tell you why she changed her appearance because she didn't change her general behavior towards George. One thing is for sure: she did want George to desire her, because when George stopped her to kiss her she put up no resistance. The next thing we saw, George was leaving her bedroom in the wee hours of the morning. This was a perturbing occurrence for me as a viewer and Olga's sister, Myra, who also saw George leaving Olga's room.
I was perturbed because Olga was another female character that talked tough, but was really seeking a man underneath it all. She was hiding in the desert from the temptations in the male form because she just couldn't trust herself around them (or at least George).
Myra was perturbed because all she ever heard was Olga's preaching and chastising about men, yet she fell for the charms of a man in just one night.
Before it was all over Olga had snapped back to her senses. Kind of. What happened was she overheard George telling his partner in crime, Jeff, to open the safe and that he "didn't spend all that time with that dame for nothing," in reference to charming Olga to perhaps lower her guard. That is what really woke her up.
When she awoke to what she'd done and what George was all about, she shot him--which led to more questions. Did she shoot him because he was stealing or did she shoot him because she was devastated? She'd betrayed herself and her sister then she heard the man she betrayed herself for state that he only spent time with her as a tactic. I'm sure her self-worth was at penny stock level at that point. As smart, savvy, and tough as she was, she wound up being used by a man just as easily as her sister was (Myra had just gotten unceremoniously dropped off after spending the night with her crush).
Olga was a conundrum and shooting George didn't make her stronger, it only made her weaker. Here was a woman whose bark was worse than her bite--a woman who was so weak she fell for a trick she knew was coming--and instead of facing facts, she shot the man she blamed for her downfall.
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I don't think so.
The lead character was a woman named Olga (Aline MacMahon). Olga and her sister Myra (Ann Dvorak) lived in the California desert. Based upon some of the context clues, they were in or near the Mojave Desert. Olga was a mechanic and ran her own service station. She wore overalls and a bandana and no make-up. She didn't talk of men, fashions, or nightlife, and she tried to keep her younger sister from those things. She conveyed a tough, no-nonsense, strong image.
Then an old flame came to town.
George (Preston Foster) and Jeff (Lyle Talbot) were passing through California on their way to Mexico to escape the law. They'd done a bank job and killed a guard or two in the process. While George was at the little pit stop he recognized his old flame Olga. At first she was very standoffish, but you wondered how long the posturing would last.
She told George that she had a new life now. She wasn't the showgirl he knew back in Tulsa whose looks were everything to her. She didn't want anything to do with him or that life, and she sounded very convincing. She didn't waver, she didn't look away to hide her true feelings, she didn't show any signs that she was just trying to convince herself that she was over him.
Then George said something that you'd think only worked on children. It was the lamest bit of reverse psychology you'll ever witness.
"Don't you worry about me trying to get you back, cuz there ain't a chance in the world sweetheart," George told her. It was such a childish comment. He even said it like a third grader on the school yard. It sounded fake like he was saying it to hurt her feelings more than state an actual fact.
Then Olga walked away to go inside the house; and the way she walked away you knew something was off. You knew that that comment may have just hit a nerve, but surely it didn't rattle her enough to make her change her demeanor and change her appearance?
The next time we saw Olga the overalls, bandana, and attitude were discarded and replaced with a dress, make-up, and feminity. But, did she do it to prove a point--to prove that George would desire her, because she wanted some male company for the night, or was it that she really wanted him back?
I couldn't tell you why she changed her appearance because she didn't change her general behavior towards George. One thing is for sure: she did want George to desire her, because when George stopped her to kiss her she put up no resistance. The next thing we saw, George was leaving her bedroom in the wee hours of the morning. This was a perturbing occurrence for me as a viewer and Olga's sister, Myra, who also saw George leaving Olga's room.
I was perturbed because Olga was another female character that talked tough, but was really seeking a man underneath it all. She was hiding in the desert from the temptations in the male form because she just couldn't trust herself around them (or at least George).
Myra was perturbed because all she ever heard was Olga's preaching and chastising about men, yet she fell for the charms of a man in just one night.
Before it was all over Olga had snapped back to her senses. Kind of. What happened was she overheard George telling his partner in crime, Jeff, to open the safe and that he "didn't spend all that time with that dame for nothing," in reference to charming Olga to perhaps lower her guard. That is what really woke her up.
When she awoke to what she'd done and what George was all about, she shot him--which led to more questions. Did she shoot him because he was stealing or did she shoot him because she was devastated? She'd betrayed herself and her sister then she heard the man she betrayed herself for state that he only spent time with her as a tactic. I'm sure her self-worth was at penny stock level at that point. As smart, savvy, and tough as she was, she wound up being used by a man just as easily as her sister was (Myra had just gotten unceremoniously dropped off after spending the night with her crush).
Olga was a conundrum and shooting George didn't make her stronger, it only made her weaker. Here was a woman whose bark was worse than her bite--a woman who was so weak she fell for a trick she knew was coming--and instead of facing facts, she shot the man she blamed for her downfall.
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