by Allan Fish
(USA 1933 92m) not on DVD
When it’s on the strict QT
p Darryl F.Zanuck, Raymond Griffith, William Goetz d Raoul Walsh w Howard Estabrook, James Gleason novel Michael L.Simmons, Bessie Roth Solomon ph Barney McGill ed Allen McNeil m Alfred Newman art Richard Day
Wallace Beery (Chuck Connors), George Raft (Steve Brodie), Fay Wray (Lucy Calhoun), Jackie Cooper (Swipes), Pert Kelton (Trixie Odbray), George Walsh (John L.Sullivan), Lillian Harmer (Carrie A.Nation), Herman Bing (Max Herman), Harold Huber (Slick), Oscar Apfel (Ivan Rummel), Ferdinand Munier (Honest Mike), Irving Bacon (Hick), John Kelly (Lumpy Hogan), Charles Lane (doctor), Charles Middleton (detective), Lucille Ball, Paulette Goddard,
In his film guide Leonard Maltin says of The Bowery that it has something to offend just about anyone. When it showed in New York recently, a friend asked me why this film was not available on DVD and I could only say to him whether he stayed awake during the film or not. In a US where Song of the South still cannot be given a legitimate release, how would the politically correct brigade feel about a film which, in a matter of minutes, features a young boy on the run from Chinamen after throwing a rock through their window? His guardian takes him to one side and talks to him. “Now listen here, Swipesy, you’ve got to stop throwing them rocks through Chinamen’s windows or I’m gonna have to throw you out…” to which the kid responds “but Chuck, it was only a Chink’s window.” Only a few minutes later and said guardian is lecturing him once again in his bar, firstly about his swapping his cigarette cards of hard men for those of Lillian Russell and co., to which the kid replies “they aint good lookin’ like the skoits!” He is then told to go home, only to protest “I promised to stop by Nigger Joe’s”; so the guardian takes him to task again; “what have I told you about that coon?” Indeed, the first image you see in the film is the window to some dive with the words Nigger Joe’s on it. Even now, you’re left uncomfortable.
Said guardian is Chuck Connors, who runs his own saloon in the eponymous rough area of New York in the late 1880s and who looks after Swipes, a small boy who he picked up out of the gutters eating from garbage cans. Chuck’s big rival is Steve Brodie, and both have set up rival fire brigades and fight to claim ownership by getting to fires first. One such fire erupts after Swipes throws another rock through a Chinaman’s window and starts the fire by hitting a gas lantern. Brodie’s lot get there first, but Swipes hides the fire hydrant so Connors’ crew can use it, and then the two fight over who gets to put the fire out while the poor Chinamen remain trapped in the inferno. Then the rivalry really comes to the boil when Lucy Calhoun turns up and Chuck falls for her, only for her to fall for Steve. And then when Steve bets Chuck he can jump off the Brooklyn Bridge and Chuck loses his saloon and everything else to his rival when he does.
As one can easily see, it’s deeply offensive stuff taken from the viewpoint of the 21st century, but also quite hilarious in a guilty pleasure sort of way, and shot in the same rambunctious, boisterous way that Walsh always shot his pre-code packages. One can imagine censors the breadth of the land getting into a tizz, not so much at the racial remarks but at the ogling camera. Look at how it hovers over the cleavage of the chorus girls in Connors’ bar or how, when Lucy answers the door, she’s in her underwear to show off her pins before putting on a dressing gown. Beery and Cooper had the sort of rapport honed in the likes of The Champ at MGM and here transported to Fox they are just as perfect, while Wray, though given little to do but look delicious, is as fetching as few could be at the time. Raft, too, is on top form as the happy-go-lucky Brodie, equally perfectly matched against Beery’s braggadocio. And then there’s Kelton, hilarious either when drunk or singing ‘Ta-Ra-Ra Boom-De-Ay’ (actually not composed until 1891 while the real Brooklyn Bridge jump took place in 1886) with that Oirish voice sounding like a cat in heat after a night or three on the town. Look out, too, for Dr Sugarman’s Painless Dentist, whose poor victim is seen kicking about through his shop window.
Sam gave me a copy of this after we saw House Of Bamboo with Bob and Joel. A rather silly film that falters mostly. Its as inconsequential and lightweight as some of the musicals on the recent countdown. I personally can’t stand Wallace Beery and perhaps this colors the picture in a very negative light for me. I could see how fans of pre code movies could warm up to and even be entertained by The Bowery. It does have a freewheeling chaotic vibe that only films of this time period could pull off successfully. Still other than the politically incorrect elements that would undoubtedly mortify extra sensitive liberals, I feel the movie is forgotten for a reason. Jackie Cooper bothers me as well, and his interaction with Beery is so artificial/annoying that I welcome Raft’s smart ass scenes as Brodie (like a refreshing reprieve) throughout. It seems like Scorsese has seen this film and taken elements for his Gangs Of New York.
Funny, I love Beery, and The Champ’s one of my favorites. I wonder what I will think of this…
Well, Maurizio, that you don;t like it is pretty much a seal of approval where my Obscuros are concerned. Top man! Keep up the dissing. It’s like the good old days when producers used to love it when a film was condemned by the Catholic Lergion of Decency.
Oh c’mon. Maurizio was fair enough here. I like the film a lot, and I’ll explain why later today, but this is a very good comment that brings a lot to the analytical table.
It was only half serious. Maurizio just disses most things I like 🙂 It gave me a chortle at Mediacity.
I would relax those pipes if I were you Allan, you don’t want to get a sore throat. Besides your little Brooklyn troll loves those long out of key dirges you serenade him with.
Not true Fish. My recent newfound love of Barry Lyndon is basically because of you. Don’t forget The Prestige which you also made me reevaluate. Not to mention films like The White Ribbon that I watched a second time after you placed it so prominent on the 00’s countdown (with a high position that I now concur with). As for your Obscuro selections, you also made me see They Made Me A Fugitive again. That Calvacanti also seemed better after another viewing.
In fact during the Monday Morning Diary after Sam gave me The Bowery, I think I rated the film ** or *** stars. Way before you wrote this nice little piece, I held some reservations about the worth of this Walsh picture. I will commend you for another interesting (and amusing Fish style) screencap selection though…. when the possibility of a breast, behind, or offensive word can be displayed, you will certainly come forward and deliver lol.
Breast and behind??? I wish, I keep it family viewing.