After watching several movies from the 30's I learned some things about movies of that era. I learned that they never say the word pregnant. You know a woman is pregnant because she has to go to the doctor then a few months later she has a baby, or she gives subtle clues until the lightbulb goes off in the head of the one she's talking to. I also learned that they never use the word prostitute. You know a woman is a prostitute, or is prostituting herself when she is on the street after hours by herself. You also know if she's in court with several other women getting six-month sentences.
Today I pieced together something else I hadn't really paid attention to. I found that there's a difference between high-society courtship and working class courtship. High-society courtship involves wining and dining, dinner and dancing, and some flowery words. It's very romantic and sophisticated. Working man courtship involves badgering or even harassing the woman until she goes out with the guy and falls in love. It's a very unromantic, even repulsive affair.
"Me and My Gal" was a working class movie. Danny Dolan (Spencer Tracy) was a cop who had the hots for Helen Riley (Joan Bennett). How did I know, because he would call her a "beesock" and she would answer his playful jabs with some light insults of her own. Had this been my first 1930's movie I would've thought she didn't like him and that he wasn't all that interested in her. I'm a veteran now, and I know better.
While Helen was falling in love, her sister Kate (Marion Burns) had to deal with a local gangster because she used to date his brother. Baby Face Castenega (Noel Madison) wanted Kate's help to rob the bank she worked at and she refused. But what would she do if her old beau, Duke Castenega (George Walsh), got out of prison?
"Me and My Gal" was light on drama and heavy on comedy, except it wasn't funny.
Free on YouTube.
Today I pieced together something else I hadn't really paid attention to. I found that there's a difference between high-society courtship and working class courtship. High-society courtship involves wining and dining, dinner and dancing, and some flowery words. It's very romantic and sophisticated. Working man courtship involves badgering or even harassing the woman until she goes out with the guy and falls in love. It's a very unromantic, even repulsive affair.
"Me and My Gal" was a working class movie. Danny Dolan (Spencer Tracy) was a cop who had the hots for Helen Riley (Joan Bennett). How did I know, because he would call her a "beesock" and she would answer his playful jabs with some light insults of her own. Had this been my first 1930's movie I would've thought she didn't like him and that he wasn't all that interested in her. I'm a veteran now, and I know better.
While Helen was falling in love, her sister Kate (Marion Burns) had to deal with a local gangster because she used to date his brother. Baby Face Castenega (Noel Madison) wanted Kate's help to rob the bank she worked at and she refused. But what would she do if her old beau, Duke Castenega (George Walsh), got out of prison?
"Me and My Gal" was light on drama and heavy on comedy, except it wasn't funny.
Free on YouTube.