Scratch a slinky, beautiful "other woman" of the pre-code era and chances are it will be Noel Francis. She was never a big star although with her looks she should have been but whenever she appeared it usually spelled trouble for whoever was trying to hold onto their man, she was particularly good in "Blonde Crazy". Noel was also pretty good at playing straight heroines but unfortunately whenever she was given a star part the studios had names like Tower, Remington or Chadwick.
This Tower production which had a similar plot to "Alias Mary Dow" has Noel as Lydia Johnson, an inmate of a woman's reformatory, who is given an early release - you don't ever find out why - her fast talking boyfriend skims over that. As played by the flip "Skeets" Gallagher, Joe Jones is a role made to order - no sooner has he given Lydia her first square meal in quite a while than they go into a pow-wow about his latest scheme. Obviously prison hasn't turned Lydia onto the straight and narrow, she now wants big time and big dough!! Joe works for Boss Keller (Robert Ellis who else?), a corrupt politician who is hoping to dig up some dirt on his rival Senator Puttman (Hale Hamilton), the people's choice. Keller hopes to have Lydia impersonate the Puttman's long lost daughter, Dorothy and while she creates a diversion, Keller and his goons can lay their hands on some incriminating evidence to blacken the "holier than thou" Senator's reputation.
Of course sentiment and deep feelings are not reckoned with but Lydia instantly falls under the spell of the good couple who so want to believe!! Noel proves she's more reformed girl than reform girl and she stands up to Keller when he calls her a "little tramp". A very solid story climaxing when Noel storms city hall to quell an angry mob as Puttman faces corruption charges.
"Skeets" Gallagher who always made every film better just through appearing in it didn't often get a starring role like this and he makes the most of it. (Even though he is top billed it is Noel's film all the way). Dorothy Peterson played "sincerity" and "motherliness" so well, even though she was often only a few years older than her on-screen sons and daughters. Also buried in the credits was Stanley Smith, only a few years previously the early talkies big hope but unfortunately soon to sink into oblivion. 1933 must have been a comeback year for him. Not only did he score the role of Francis' love interest (personally I would have gone for "Skeets" who was in love with her as well and at the end would prove his loyalty) but also got to work on what he thought would be his big comeback "Footlight Parade". He had learned all the songs and must have been extremely disappointed when Dick Powell proved well enough to carry on with his role - but that's showbiz!!!
This Tower production which had a similar plot to "Alias Mary Dow" has Noel as Lydia Johnson, an inmate of a woman's reformatory, who is given an early release - you don't ever find out why - her fast talking boyfriend skims over that. As played by the flip "Skeets" Gallagher, Joe Jones is a role made to order - no sooner has he given Lydia her first square meal in quite a while than they go into a pow-wow about his latest scheme. Obviously prison hasn't turned Lydia onto the straight and narrow, she now wants big time and big dough!! Joe works for Boss Keller (Robert Ellis who else?), a corrupt politician who is hoping to dig up some dirt on his rival Senator Puttman (Hale Hamilton), the people's choice. Keller hopes to have Lydia impersonate the Puttman's long lost daughter, Dorothy and while she creates a diversion, Keller and his goons can lay their hands on some incriminating evidence to blacken the "holier than thou" Senator's reputation.
Of course sentiment and deep feelings are not reckoned with but Lydia instantly falls under the spell of the good couple who so want to believe!! Noel proves she's more reformed girl than reform girl and she stands up to Keller when he calls her a "little tramp". A very solid story climaxing when Noel storms city hall to quell an angry mob as Puttman faces corruption charges.
"Skeets" Gallagher who always made every film better just through appearing in it didn't often get a starring role like this and he makes the most of it. (Even though he is top billed it is Noel's film all the way). Dorothy Peterson played "sincerity" and "motherliness" so well, even though she was often only a few years older than her on-screen sons and daughters. Also buried in the credits was Stanley Smith, only a few years previously the early talkies big hope but unfortunately soon to sink into oblivion. 1933 must have been a comeback year for him. Not only did he score the role of Francis' love interest (personally I would have gone for "Skeets" who was in love with her as well and at the end would prove his loyalty) but also got to work on what he thought would be his big comeback "Footlight Parade". He had learned all the songs and must have been extremely disappointed when Dick Powell proved well enough to carry on with his role - but that's showbiz!!!
