Jump for Glory

Jump For Glory was the last film on the Fairbanks sabbatical in the United Kingdom before father and son returned to the USA. For the senior Douglas Fairbanks it was retirement, for the son he got a juicy part in Prisoner Of Zenda which led to many more.

This film finds Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., a cat burglar with a price on his head from the USA who is now in Monte Carlo where people are known to flaunt their wealth, the better to steal it. He runs into Valerie Hobson who is to be married to Alan Hale. He's a stockbroker, but Fairbanks knows him for the skunk he really is as he was his partner who left him holding the bag.

A quarter of a century later this same plot gambit would be used by Marlon Brando for One Eyed Jacks. It works out just about the same for Fairbanks as it does for Brando.

Fairbanks, Hale, and director Raoul Walsh were all over from America for this one. The rest of the cast is British players, among them Leo Genn whose unforgettable voice you'll hear as a Crown attorney in a courtroom scene.

The best film that Fairbanks did across the pond in the Thirties is Catherine The Great with Elizabeth Bergner. This one suffers from some botched editing, no doubt for television broadcast in the USA.

Maybe we'll see a restored version at some point and the film might get better.

Douglas Fairbanks Junior was something of a renaissance man in show business, but like so many stars who do not move up to superstar status, his achievements get lost over time in the shuffle. This is a fun B picture he made in England, full of verve under the direction of Raoul Walsh, even though its production values are variable.

I really enjoyed his daring-do, building up to his "jump for glory" as he tries to save his lover, the beautiful Valerie Hobson, on trial for murder, by tyring a dangerous leap from roof to balcony to convince the police of his wild story about how the events of villain Alan Hale Senior actually occurred. Throughout the show he's an endearing rogue, and Hobson definitely lifts the movie up several notches.

This is a brilliant thriller which unfortunately has got muddled up by poor editing, which makes it difficult to follow the extremely complex action, which is screened much too fast, several scenes even being cut short. Douglas Fairbanks Jr makes a dashing performance as still a very young man and plays a sort of sympathetic scoundrel, while the lady in action is the fascinatingly beautiful Valerie Hobson, who first points a gun at him. The intrigue is a muddle, there are some refreshing fights and a few casualties, and no one is actually intentionally murdered, although there is finally a spectacular and exciting murder trial, which crowns the film. There are a bit too many adventures squeezed into too short a film, which would have needed more space and time. Nevertheless, it's brilliant entertainment, and if you can get head and tail out of it, you will be sure to appreciate it.

When the story begins, Ricky (Douglas Fairbanks) is working for the bootlegger, Jim Dial (Alan Hale). Dial is a real piece of work and soon tries to have Ricky beaten and left for the police... because, essentially, Dial is a big jerk! But Ricky slips out of this trap. As for Dial, he then blackmails Ricky...telling him that he has a stolen ring and will give it to the police if Ricky doesn't continue working for him.

Several years pass. Ricky is no longer of any value to Dial now that Ricky has announced he's going to lead an honest life...so Dial turns Ricky over to the police and flees. However, Ricky once again slips away and then more years pass.

Ricky has never forgiven Dial...and you certainly can understand why. But instead of killing Dial, Ricky falls in love with Dial's fiancee! She agrees not to marry Dial but Ricky instead. But before the wedding, Dial kidnaps her and forces her to marry him...otherwise, he promises to kill Ricky. So, she goes through with the wedding.

Not surprisingly, Ricky isn't about to let her remain with Dial...who now has recreated himself as a decent philanthropist...Colonel Fane. So, on Dial's wedding night, he breaks in and draws a gun on him. Dial jumps Ricky, the two struggle and what happens next, well, is REALLY tough to believe...and most everything before this also was really tough to believe! What's next? See the film.

During the 1930s, many American studios set up local British subsidiaries. Why? Because the Brits had a law that a certain percentage of films shown in their theaters had to be domestically produced. "Jump for Glory" is one of these film--having been filmed at Warner Brothers' British studio. That is why two American actors, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Alan Hale star in this film.

So is it any good? Well, it's never, ever dull and offers a lot to like...provided you really don't think through the plot. This is because there are so many impossible to believe incidents in the film....one on top of another. So, try not to think this one through too much...just accept it for what it is, which is entertaining and exciting.

Lovely but relatively unknown movie about a thief redeemed through love. Fairbanks was dashing as usual. Alan Hale was underused as his adversary, but it was fun seeing him play a suave bad guy. Valerie Hobson was not your usual damsel in distress - she shoots first and kisses later. Favorite line "Poor Rickey - he has to tell me he loves me in the British Museum.." A great film to rent on Valentine's Day.