The Girl Who Came Back

A 1935 b-movie with a good story and good acting by Ms.Grey and Sidney Blackmer, the two leads who manage to achieve sincere screen chemistry. The whole film attempts to portray its story in a way that is, to quote a word from the script, "nuanced", in contrast to the hard hitting style of many 1930's films. It succeeds in this regard and is generally well written and very smoothly edited. The direction is old fashioned but is not too slow within the context of trying to refrain from using blatant or gratuitous violence. The only really violent character is presented as somewhat of a fool and a loser, while the main character of "The Girl Who Came Back" is subtly portrayed as an unfortunately misguided artist.

In fact, an effort is made by the writers and the cast to present all the characters with layering and nuance. This is basically just a 1930's b-movie overall but it tries to rise above the constraints of its genre. So viewers should approach it with an eye to the solid presentation of the story line and with an open mind rather than any preconceived notions or bombastic expectations, while realizing that it is a very old movie technically. Recommended for Grey and Blackmer fans or for anyone wishing to view a different slant on 1930's heist films.

The Girl Came Back comes from Poverty Row Chesterfield Pictures. The title role is played by Shirley Grey who's one gangster's moll tired of the life and yearning for respectability. She may get it in marrying wealthy Sidney Blackmer. But her old outfit keeps trying to pull her back in.

The head of the old gang is Noel Madison who played in many a Warner Brothers gangster epic. He's a smooth operator and he's going to use Grey's position with Blackmer one way or the other.

Some bad editing and lack of production values prevent this from really being a better rated film.

Shirley Grey has had it with the gang life. Although a talented counterfeiter and inside woman, she's had it with the rough stuff and fear of the law. So she takes off to California, where she gets a job at a bank. She attracts attention by insisting that a well-made counterfeit bill is a fake, and so becomes the assistant of aristocratic Sidney Blackmer and his love interest. But the gang, led by Noel Madison, sees her as an opportunity.

There are some issues with some of the deliveries, but under the direction of Charles Lamont, there are enough quirks and individuality among the characters to keep up interest. Madison is particularly good, In addition, Lamont pushes the pace of dialogue at an astounding rate for a Poverty Row picture. Although there are a few issues with some of the plot points, like Miss Grey's rise in a bank, it's got enough issues, like a woman trying to go straight, and then confronted with her past, to keep up interest for its 66-minute length.

Cheap crime flick benefits from good turn from lead actress Gray as Gilda. Seems Gilda's part of a criminal ring that uses her good looks, high class demeanor, and charm, to infiltrate targets. Big money is usually involved in these schemes, still Gilda feels compunction to reform, go straight, and quit the gang. So she flees to LA where she starts a new life as a bank secretary. But will the gang let her go, especially when finding out she works at a bank where the boss has fallen for her. And will she stay on the straight and narrow even with the prospect of big bucks in the offing. Stay tuned.

It's actress Gray who carries an uneven story that unfolds with little action and spotty suspense. Too bad she soon left the business as she shows promise for that sassy-woman decade of the 30's. On the other hand, Blackmer has a conventional role unlike his later exercises in polished villianry. But I especially like the two older gals, Beatty and Darling, who furnish some snappy chuckles. All in all, the 65-minutes amounts to little more than a time filler whose plot stretches require a few viewer indulgences (e.g. the gang catching up with Gilda in far away LA). Still, it's a surprising showcase for an unfortunately obscure actress.