The Iron Master

When J. Farrell MacDonald dies, he leaves the estate and the iron mill in the hands of Reginald Denny, who has worked his way up from the bottom. His wastrel family resent his careful ways and the tight budget he keeps them on, so they conspire with competitor Richard Tucker, who proposes they wreck the business to force a merger with his interests. Siblings Lila Lee and William Janney agree.

It's good if cheap Poverty Row version of the story, directed by Chester Franklin. Based on a play by Georges Ohnet, it had been filmed at least twice in France: a silent version in 1919, and a sound version the same year as this one, co-directed by Abel Gance. This version is perfectly serviceable, although the budgets that producer M.H. Hoffman means it falls into rote patterns. Still, the actors give it their all, and Franklin gets a good performance out of Freddie Burke Fredericks, in what would be his last screen role.

"The Iron Master" has an excellent story idea. But, like many B-movies, it's artlessly made--with poor direction and obvious plot elements. A bit of subtlety would have really helped this one!

J. Farrell MacDonald plays an industrialist with one big problem....his spoiled family. But he's a wimp and has trouble ever telling them no....and as a result they are the most worthless and annoying folks I can recall seeing in a movie! To try to correct this, he appoints his foreman (Reginald Denny) to control not only the foundary but the family as well. If they want to spend money, they must come to him and show maturity...or they'll just have to learn what it's like to be poor. So, the family schemes to fool him into giving in...and in the process nearly destroy the company and their fortune.

This is a decent story. But making the family THAT hateful and worthless was a bad idea, as it was handled ham-fistedly and really should have been slower and more subtle in presenting them. In addition, the foreman falls in love with the daughter...and you wonder why! After all, she's a nasty spoiled brat....and a man that would want her ought to have his head examined! And finally, the car chase sequence was really badly done...with obvious rear projection that was poor even for 1933.

So am I saying I hated the film? Not exactly. It's still watchable and entertaining...but with just a little bit of subtety and it could have been a great B-movie...not a run of the mill 'quicky'.