A not so early talkie for rising star Jean Arthur who had well over half a dozen films that year, playing the frightened circus trapeze artist who runs off after jealous partner Paul Lukas kills the man who loves her in an accident and fears he might do the same for newcomer Charles "Buddy' Rogers. Lukas, darkly handsome and minus his mustache, may indeed remind viewers of a young Bela Lugosi, his fellow Hungarian actor and friend, and it's one of the future Oscar winning actor's few villain roles.
Having spent time with Rogers' family (including his fun bratty brother Michael Stuart), Arthur followed him back to the circus to warn him, and it potentially puts him in more danger. Helen Ware as the fortune teller and Oscar Apfel as her sidekick are pretty wild in support, with Irving Bacon also familiar. It's directed by Broadway producing and directing legend George Abbott during his days as a hopeful in film, and for an early talkie moves pretty fast and is quite melodramatically intense. The trapeze acts are well done. Lukas is ferocious in his psychosis, and Stuart steals every scene he's in. One of Arthur's best early performances.
Having spent time with Rogers' family (including his fun bratty brother Michael Stuart), Arthur followed him back to the circus to warn him, and it potentially puts him in more danger. Helen Ware as the fortune teller and Oscar Apfel as her sidekick are pretty wild in support, with Irving Bacon also familiar. It's directed by Broadway producing and directing legend George Abbott during his days as a hopeful in film, and for an early talkie moves pretty fast and is quite melodramatically intense. The trapeze acts are well done. Lukas is ferocious in his psychosis, and Stuart steals every scene he's in. One of Arthur's best early performances.