How much you like "Riffraff" depends on whether you're a fan of Jean Harlow or Spencer Tracy. Fans of Jean Harlow will find a lot to like. For fans of Tracy, not so much. Harlow is cute and sexy in her playful innocent way, while Spencer Tracy is strident and overbearing as the union organizer of a fishing fleet. His onscreen persona was not yet solidified and here he strikes a discordant note with his dogmatic portrayal of Dutch Muller, a man who is never wrong. He marries dock denizen Harlow in a wedding that misfires - due mainly to Tracy's intransigence.
It is not really a good story and at times is a chore to watch. A bright spot is Joseph Calleia, the boss and owner of the fishing fleet. He speaks with an Italian accent and is very funny as he mangles the English language. Good cast support from Mickey Rooney, Una Merkel and J.Farrell MacDonald among others. Outside of the good cast it is a potboiler with minimal interest. It plays like a B picture.
5/10 - Website no longer displays my star rating.
It is not really a good story and at times is a chore to watch. A bright spot is Joseph Calleia, the boss and owner of the fishing fleet. He speaks with an Italian accent and is very funny as he mangles the English language. Good cast support from Mickey Rooney, Una Merkel and J.Farrell MacDonald among others. Outside of the good cast it is a potboiler with minimal interest. It plays like a B picture.
5/10 - Website no longer displays my star rating.