I first saw this film over ten years ago and I had forgotten most of it. Except I remembered Charles Bickford's standout performance. Nobody is as tough and gruff as him. I love his self-assuredness. One gets the impression that you do not mess with him on screen or off.
Mr. Bickford is third-billed but has the lead "romantic" role. RKO studio star Robert Armstrong is second-billed as the villain, selling poor Helen Twelvetrees a false bill of goods, more than once...which leads her to do a few desperate things. Miss Twelvetrees gets top billing and for all intents and purposes it is a vehicle designed to display her considerable dramatic talents. But again, Bickford is so good that they both dominate the picture in a highly unusual tug-of-war that leads to happily ever after, or so we can assume.
It starts in modern day New York City, with Bickford tracking Twelvetrees to a speakeasy. He wants to talk, and she'd rather he go away. He's a rich oilman from Central America, and they have a volatile past. Over a few drinks- and there is a lot of drinking in this film- they reminisce about how they met in a Panama saloon and what happened afterward.
She was a chorus girl out of work and down to her last dime, when Bickford came into Sadie's Place with a thick bankroll. The proprietress (Maude Eburne) and another gal (Marjorie Peterson) convince Twelvetrees to scam Bickford. Though she has never done such a thing before, she needs money to get back to the U. S., since her aerial photographer boyfriend (Armstrong) left her stranded. The women conspire to get Bickford drunk and fleece him. These scenes are full of energy and highly amusing. Especially with the delightful Miss Eburne leading the pack...a great, underrated character actress.
Of course, things don't go as planned. Bickford isn't too drunk to realize he's been scammed. He grabs Twelvetrees by the wrist, pulls her outside and forces her to take him to her flat where the other girl is supposed to waiting with the money. Only the other girl has run off with all the dough. To avoid jail, Twelvetress agrees to go with Bickford to his plantation and work off her debt as his housekeeper.
There is a lot of smoldering sexual tension at the plantation. In the best precode tradition, a lot is spelled out that while she insists on working off what she owes, remaining on her feet, he intends to take her to bed. This is very pronounced in scenes where he is drinking and making passes. She protects herself with a gun she stole from him, but a native female (Reina Velez) who was Bickford's previous ahem housekeeper- make of that what you will- helps steal back the gun for him.
Just when it looks like Bickford will have his way with Twelevetrees, they are interrupted by the arrival of a pilot. You guessed it- the dude who smooth-talked Twelvetrees earlier in the movie and ditched her.
The middle section of the film is a proper triangle, with Armstrong and Twelvetrees pretending they don't know each other. Meanwhile, Bickford has to deal with local natives that have grown restless. Before Armstrong whisks Twelvetrees back to Panama, he intends to get his hands on some maps that show where a hidden oilfield is located. Of course, he needs Twelvetrees' help and smooth talks her again. Only this time she realizes he is using her, that he doesn't intend to really marry her, he's a crook, and that Bickford for all his roughness, is actually the more honorable guy.
There is a shocking scene where Armstrong is killed. Bickford and Twelvetrees cover up the killing with Bickford making it look like Armstrong was shot down in his plane. Bickford then sends Twelvetrees back to the U. S., and that is how she wound up in New York at the beginning of the movie with him tracking her down to make a proper go of their relationship.
This is a film that works as a meditation on fate, and how two unlikely people are destined to be together. The situations in the film are incredibly dramatic. On the surface, most of the characters are crude and detestable. Still the viewer can't help but root for Twelvetrees and Bickford to unite at the end.
Mr. Bickford is third-billed but has the lead "romantic" role. RKO studio star Robert Armstrong is second-billed as the villain, selling poor Helen Twelvetrees a false bill of goods, more than once...which leads her to do a few desperate things. Miss Twelvetrees gets top billing and for all intents and purposes it is a vehicle designed to display her considerable dramatic talents. But again, Bickford is so good that they both dominate the picture in a highly unusual tug-of-war that leads to happily ever after, or so we can assume.
It starts in modern day New York City, with Bickford tracking Twelvetrees to a speakeasy. He wants to talk, and she'd rather he go away. He's a rich oilman from Central America, and they have a volatile past. Over a few drinks- and there is a lot of drinking in this film- they reminisce about how they met in a Panama saloon and what happened afterward.
She was a chorus girl out of work and down to her last dime, when Bickford came into Sadie's Place with a thick bankroll. The proprietress (Maude Eburne) and another gal (Marjorie Peterson) convince Twelvetrees to scam Bickford. Though she has never done such a thing before, she needs money to get back to the U. S., since her aerial photographer boyfriend (Armstrong) left her stranded. The women conspire to get Bickford drunk and fleece him. These scenes are full of energy and highly amusing. Especially with the delightful Miss Eburne leading the pack...a great, underrated character actress.
Of course, things don't go as planned. Bickford isn't too drunk to realize he's been scammed. He grabs Twelvetrees by the wrist, pulls her outside and forces her to take him to her flat where the other girl is supposed to waiting with the money. Only the other girl has run off with all the dough. To avoid jail, Twelvetress agrees to go with Bickford to his plantation and work off her debt as his housekeeper.
There is a lot of smoldering sexual tension at the plantation. In the best precode tradition, a lot is spelled out that while she insists on working off what she owes, remaining on her feet, he intends to take her to bed. This is very pronounced in scenes where he is drinking and making passes. She protects herself with a gun she stole from him, but a native female (Reina Velez) who was Bickford's previous ahem housekeeper- make of that what you will- helps steal back the gun for him.
Just when it looks like Bickford will have his way with Twelevetrees, they are interrupted by the arrival of a pilot. You guessed it- the dude who smooth-talked Twelvetrees earlier in the movie and ditched her.
The middle section of the film is a proper triangle, with Armstrong and Twelvetrees pretending they don't know each other. Meanwhile, Bickford has to deal with local natives that have grown restless. Before Armstrong whisks Twelvetrees back to Panama, he intends to get his hands on some maps that show where a hidden oilfield is located. Of course, he needs Twelvetrees' help and smooth talks her again. Only this time she realizes he is using her, that he doesn't intend to really marry her, he's a crook, and that Bickford for all his roughness, is actually the more honorable guy.
There is a shocking scene where Armstrong is killed. Bickford and Twelvetrees cover up the killing with Bickford making it look like Armstrong was shot down in his plane. Bickford then sends Twelvetrees back to the U. S., and that is how she wound up in New York at the beginning of the movie with him tracking her down to make a proper go of their relationship.
This is a film that works as a meditation on fate, and how two unlikely people are destined to be together. The situations in the film are incredibly dramatic. On the surface, most of the characters are crude and detestable. Still the viewer can't help but root for Twelvetrees and Bickford to unite at the end.