In the early 1930s Helen Twelvetrees was under contract to RKO-Pathe, and during that time she made some noteworthy pictures. One of the more memorable examples is this romantic crime yarn from 1931. In the story she plays a sheltered woman who has found love with a handsome lawyer (John Garrick). Opening shots show her and a bunch of pals on a pleasure yacht owned by her brother (Frank Conroy). A plane flies to the area, and Garrick hops off the aircraft and joins Twelvetrees and the others on the boat. They are enamored with each other, and he proposes to her. She accepts the proposal without verbally saying 'yes.'
What Miss Twelvetrees' character doesn't know, and neither does the audience, is that Garrick is a mouthpiece for the mob. He works for a narcissistic hood played by Ricardo Cortez. Mr. Cortez pulls out all the stops with his role, bossing underlings around and plotting to take whatever he wants whenever he wants it.
Cortez hasn't met Twelvetrees but has heard about her. He learns of Garrick's impending marriage...but instead of discouraging it, he condones it as it will bring two warring sides together. This is when we learn Twelvetrees' brother is a rival mobster, and the union will forge a truce between the two groups. The irony is that while Twelvetrees is being 'offered up,' in such a way, she has no idea that her brother is a hood, and that her husband-to-be works for another hood in town. Talk about naive! But hey, she's in love.
Cathedral scenes follow, and a glorious wedding occurs. It is attended by assorted gangsters from both sides. It's amusing to see some of the men rolling dice, gambling during the ceremony. Off to the side Cortez is secretly lusting after Twelvetrees. After everyone leaves the church, he stands alone inside and repeats the line 'till death do us part,' which suggests he plans to kill Garrick so he can have the bride all to himself.
After the honeymoon, Cortez sends fancy gifts to the newlyweds. Most of these expensive tokens of affection are intended for Twelvetrees. She is still in the dark about the nefarious business activities of the men in her life. She does not stray, since she truly loves Garrick. However, Cortez is getting restless and wants Garrick out of the way.
When Cortez learns that a cop (Harry Carey) plans to ambush him along a pier one evening, he calls Garrick and sends him to the spot instead. Sure enough, Garrick goes down in a spray of bullets but he miraculously survives. There's a fantastic sequence, part dream and part nightmare, experienced by Twelvetrees' character where she learns about her husband's shooting and flashes back over the early days of their idyllic courtship, as well as their wedding.
While convalescing at the hospital, Garrick vows to get better and walk again. Meanwhile Twelvetrees' brother realizes Garrick took bullets meant for Cortez. He ends up confessing to Twelvetrees that he's deep in the rackets. She is horrified to learn her husband is also involved with the gangsters, and had basically become one of them himself. She has trouble wrapping her brain around this fact.
At the same time Cortez calls Twelvetrees to his penthouse apartment. He thinks Garrick will die soon, and he's ready to put the moves on a grieving widow. But Twelvetrees does not accept the invitation to engage in a tryst. She has a pistol tucked inside her coat pocket, and she intends to do what Carey and the other coppers failed to do-- rub out this despicable low-life.
Because this is a precode, Twelvetrees gets away with killing Cortez. She will evade justice and be able to spend the rest of her life in bliss with a husband who has recovered and gone legit. This is a fascinating film with excellent performances. The way Twelvetrees' character evolves from sheltered society girl to vengeful wife is a masterclass in acting.
What Miss Twelvetrees' character doesn't know, and neither does the audience, is that Garrick is a mouthpiece for the mob. He works for a narcissistic hood played by Ricardo Cortez. Mr. Cortez pulls out all the stops with his role, bossing underlings around and plotting to take whatever he wants whenever he wants it.
Cortez hasn't met Twelvetrees but has heard about her. He learns of Garrick's impending marriage...but instead of discouraging it, he condones it as it will bring two warring sides together. This is when we learn Twelvetrees' brother is a rival mobster, and the union will forge a truce between the two groups. The irony is that while Twelvetrees is being 'offered up,' in such a way, she has no idea that her brother is a hood, and that her husband-to-be works for another hood in town. Talk about naive! But hey, she's in love.
Cathedral scenes follow, and a glorious wedding occurs. It is attended by assorted gangsters from both sides. It's amusing to see some of the men rolling dice, gambling during the ceremony. Off to the side Cortez is secretly lusting after Twelvetrees. After everyone leaves the church, he stands alone inside and repeats the line 'till death do us part,' which suggests he plans to kill Garrick so he can have the bride all to himself.
After the honeymoon, Cortez sends fancy gifts to the newlyweds. Most of these expensive tokens of affection are intended for Twelvetrees. She is still in the dark about the nefarious business activities of the men in her life. She does not stray, since she truly loves Garrick. However, Cortez is getting restless and wants Garrick out of the way.
When Cortez learns that a cop (Harry Carey) plans to ambush him along a pier one evening, he calls Garrick and sends him to the spot instead. Sure enough, Garrick goes down in a spray of bullets but he miraculously survives. There's a fantastic sequence, part dream and part nightmare, experienced by Twelvetrees' character where she learns about her husband's shooting and flashes back over the early days of their idyllic courtship, as well as their wedding.
While convalescing at the hospital, Garrick vows to get better and walk again. Meanwhile Twelvetrees' brother realizes Garrick took bullets meant for Cortez. He ends up confessing to Twelvetrees that he's deep in the rackets. She is horrified to learn her husband is also involved with the gangsters, and had basically become one of them himself. She has trouble wrapping her brain around this fact.
At the same time Cortez calls Twelvetrees to his penthouse apartment. He thinks Garrick will die soon, and he's ready to put the moves on a grieving widow. But Twelvetrees does not accept the invitation to engage in a tryst. She has a pistol tucked inside her coat pocket, and she intends to do what Carey and the other coppers failed to do-- rub out this despicable low-life.
Because this is a precode, Twelvetrees gets away with killing Cortez. She will evade justice and be able to spend the rest of her life in bliss with a husband who has recovered and gone legit. This is a fascinating film with excellent performances. The way Twelvetrees' character evolves from sheltered society girl to vengeful wife is a masterclass in acting.