The Secret Call

... Paramount's "The Secret Call" (1931) went to newcomer Peggy Shannon. The story is that her father (Harry Beresford) committed suicide because he was wrongly accused of nefarious activities by a crooked politician (William B. Davidson). Peggy makes it her mission to seek revenge but she is somewhat hampered because she is in love with the politician's son (Richard Arlen). She finds herself a year later as a switchboard girl at a hotel and she gets an opportunity while there to right the wrong.

This is a very complicated plot at times and requires a lot of concentration in order for the audience to keep up with what is going on. Also, the first few reels are rather drawn out and uninteresting and thus the whole film takes a little while to actually get moving.

If this film is supposed to be a big starring role for Richard Arlen, it isn't, he only waltzes in here and there - Peggy Shannon gets the limelight and she is very good. It's such a pity her career didn't go anywhere after this.

A surprising name on the cast list is that of Ned Sparks who plays a reporter. One can't help but feel this is a bit of miscasting and that he has wandered in on the wrong picture.

Peggy Shannon's short life and career were filled with bit parts and "B" pictures. While this film is relatively obscure, it entertains as it showcases one of Hollywood's missed opportunities. The Secret Call was an old film property when Paramount decided to shoot the talking version. Based on the play, "The Woman" by William de Mille, Paramount filmed it as a silent in 1915 with Lois Meredith and again in 1927 as "The Telephone Girl" with Madge Bellamy in the lead. It was in rehearsals as a Clara Bow vehicle when Ms. Bow suffered a nervous collapse. Peggy Shannon had been a star on stage and was one of ten young actresses selected by Paramount for a chance in pictures. Just five days after arriving in Hollywood, Ms. Shannon stepped into the lead role. With a marvelously complicated plot, The Secret Call gives Peggy many strong scenes as it unreels. You'll really feel for her. Another great performer who didn't hit it big and hit the bottle instead. She passed away in 1941 at age 32.

"City Commissioner Frank Kelly commits suicide after political boss Jim Blake frames him in Blake's own grafting racket. Kelly's daughter Wanda, who is in love with Blake's son Tom, vows revenge against Blake when he insists innocent men do not commit suicide." Since this is on the film's title page it isn't a spoiler.

This revenge involves so many coincidences and implausibilities as to be ridiculous without creating much suspense. It's more like a Victorian melodrama than a pre-code. Leading man Richard Arlen is wooden, rest of the cast does the best they can with the material.

There are just too many fast-paced vital pre-coders to waste time on this one.