filmsfan38 Review of An American Tragedy

An American Tragedy (1931)

This should be on DVD by now. An oldie but Goodie.

[10/10 · 11 April 2008]

Its time this well acted and good story older little known gem to be released on DVD. I saw it on TV years ago but never saw it again. It was made in 1931 and the mores of the day are outdated, but the story and consequences could be the same today as they were then. The acting is well done with Phillips Holmes as the male star Clyde. Holmes died when he was only 35 in a plane collision, cutting short a promising life and film career. Sylvia Sydney plays the part of Clyde's very pretty girlfriend Roberta. Everything goes well till Roberta finds herself in a situation she doesn't want to be in and for sure, Clyde doesn't want her to be in. Clyde has big plans for his job, he is ambitious but also selfish. He begins to feel trapped and thinks what he can do to be free of the situation as he doesn't want to be held back. So he plans a solution which has sad consequences and doesn't work out the way he planned. The movie is close to Theodore Dresser's book of "An American Tragedy". The acting is well done by the two stars. I was surprised that a movie made in 1931 could be so good. It didn't seem out of date at all to me. In my view, the acting of the stars in the 1931 film and the movie itself is a lot better than the remake called "A Place in the Sun" with Clift Montgomery and Elizabeth Taylor.I think a lot of classic type film buffs would like this movie. I'd be the first to get it on DVD.