NRA cheerleader Frank Capra condenses FDR's march out of the depression with this hokey drama about keeping faith in the banking industry which in 1932 were collapsing daily throughout the country. Bank President Thomas Dickson is a typical Capra idealist, friend of the little man and bane to the greedy board of directors whom he suggests (anti-semitically?) are "acting like pawnbrokers". When the bank is robbed by an insider, the chief teller, an ex-con hired by the trusting Dickson is the primary suspect. Meanwhile in a well edited montage a run on the bank ensues as a rumor runs amok on the size of the banks loss. Dickson gallantly attempts to keep the institution solvent but is suddenly blindsided by the strong possibility his wife has been sleeping with one of his officers. Close to being crushed by both sides of his existence Dickson, like all Capra heroes begins the Sisyphean task of recovering.
Of all thirties Hollywood pantheon directors, Frank Capra's work has aged as poorly as any with its saccharine sentimentality and noble, naive protagonists. In his day though he provided a depression era audience with an upbeat message and faith in mankind that made him right for the times. He had an armful of Oscar's to prove it. There's a bumper crop of corn in Madness but it moves along at a decent pace with reliable performances from Walter Huston, Pat O'Brien and Constance Cumming. Twenty-eight year old Kay Johnson looks fifty and Gavin Gordon's bank officer predates the metro sexual by nearly 70 years.
The photography of the highly underrated cinematographer Joseph Walker is the film's most attractive element. The opulent bank is lovingly phototgraphed with the vault taking on a role as important as any of the characters, giving it an almost Hal like quality. Walker also provides the chiaroscuro portraits work that helped make the Capra everyman in his films so compelling. Overall American Madness is a liberal leaning, well intentioned good looking fairy tale.
Of all thirties Hollywood pantheon directors, Frank Capra's work has aged as poorly as any with its saccharine sentimentality and noble, naive protagonists. In his day though he provided a depression era audience with an upbeat message and faith in mankind that made him right for the times. He had an armful of Oscar's to prove it. There's a bumper crop of corn in Madness but it moves along at a decent pace with reliable performances from Walter Huston, Pat O'Brien and Constance Cumming. Twenty-eight year old Kay Johnson looks fifty and Gavin Gordon's bank officer predates the metro sexual by nearly 70 years.
The photography of the highly underrated cinematographer Joseph Walker is the film's most attractive element. The opulent bank is lovingly phototgraphed with the vault taking on a role as important as any of the characters, giving it an almost Hal like quality. Walker also provides the chiaroscuro portraits work that helped make the Capra everyman in his films so compelling. Overall American Madness is a liberal leaning, well intentioned good looking fairy tale.