Le Beau Joueur

1931's "Smart Money" is the only time Edward G. Robinson and James Cagney were paired in a film. Robinson is definitely in the lead here, though. Although it's impossible to really describe Cagney as "subdued" in anything he ever did, he is toned down a bit. Robinson plays Nick the barber, who gets 10K together to gamble in one of the syndicate's big games. This turns out the way you'd expect when a small time guy goes up against the mob and expects them to play on the level. Robinson's character vows revenge as a result of this double-cross. He eventually does become a successful big-time gambler with a gambling syndicate of his own. At this point he begins to attract the attention of law enforcement.

Don't expect Robinson's Little Caesar character to show up here - Nick the Barber is a kinder gentler gangster. In fact, he's really not much of a gangster at all. He pretty much limits his law-breaking to participating in and backing gambling until the final scene, which turns out to be the height of irony. Very much worth your viewing time.

Edward G. Robinson and Jimmy Cagney team up in their only picture together(strangely enough). Robinson plays Nick, an immigrant Greek barber who loves to gamble and can't stay away from a poker game or betting. Cagney plays Jack, his good friend who is amused by him, and he and their other friends bankroll him in a big betting game in the city, though Nick's weakness for women gets him cleaned out in a rigged game, Nick decides to get even by joining in on the racket, which makes him rich at first, but of course things later go wrong, though Jack does what he can to help. The two top actors are once again the whole show in otherwise familiar picture that works because of their star-power.

Smart Money (1931)

A clever story about crime and misguided love (quasi-love) and about the love of money. What's wrong with that? Nothing here. With a remarkable performance by Edward G. Robinson (as usual), and supporting roles by a young James Cagney and a series of blondes who will more or less look alike at first. It might have been something of a formula production for the cast and crew, but it's during the lively pre-1934 sound era where, especially at a studio like Warner Bros., things manage to pop one way or another.

As much as this is a very good film, completely engaging and without gaffes or sentimental slow downs, it remains secondary for 1931 because of several interesting things. First, Robinson had just become famous for "Little Caesar" where he had a shining (and roughly similar) role as a sort of good guy gangster. Second, Cagney was in a rare supporting role, not yet famous for his breakout role in "The Public Enemy" later the same year. Both of these Warner films are better, all around. And a third twist is the appearance early on of Boris Karloff, who was about to launch to superstardom as, yes, "Frankenstein," a Universal film from later in, yes, 1931.

But you should watch "Smart Money" for what it does so well--tells a fast, multi-layered story with economy and life, and with great performances by the leads. The story and direction might fall short of classic, but it's still really solid.

This is a nicely tailored story about the rise of Nick the Barber( a real barber)from the small gambling environs of Irontown to his rise to the big time gambling scene. Several things distinguish this film from just another mob movie. And that is just it for starters. This is not a mob movie. Edward G. Robinson's Nick is one of the kindest, most liked, and honest "crime" bosses you will ever see in film. Eddie doesn't shoot it up - in fact no one is murdered(Okay, I'm being a stickler here). This film also shows how difficult gambling can be as a profession. But at the film's heart is Robinson's performance. Nick is a sweet, at times naive, resilient guy with a weak/blind spot for pretty blondes. Aiding Eddie is none other than Jimmy Cagney playing Jack his friend and fellow business associate. Alfred E. Green does a rather deft job directing this very early sound picture. The pace is fast and the mood never compromised. The rest of the cast is quite good. Boris Karloff has a bizarre cameo as a man that has something Eddie just had - but we never know why Boris had it. It's a treat seeing Karloff and Robinson and Cagney in a brief yet memorable scene.

The only film ever to star both Edward G and Jimmy Cagney together. Made in 1931 during the Warner Bros heyday of gangster blood and guts, it represents a slight departure for them both.

Eddie G plays a small town gambler - a big fish in a little pond so to speak - with big ideas. His friends put a 10K poke together and send him off to the city to try his luck with the big boys. He is soon sucked into a crooked game by a sexy blonde at the hotel cigar counter. The scam artists soon take him to the cleaners. He is then humiliated by the sexy blonde and Sleepy Sam, played with delicious menace by Ralf Harolde.

He is joined by his pal Jimmy Cagney, and they put together another grubstake. This time, they outcon the cons, humiliate the blonde and he becomes the biggest gambler in town. It becomes clear throughout the movie, that Eddie is learning on the job, but his one very big blind spot is his attraction to blondes. Gee, I can't understand it - a short, dark, rather unattractive guy falling for some of the sexiest females on celluloid.

Well, the results are predictable,though I have to admit, the final blonde was a genuine surprise. It was the process that was interesting.

The pairing of Robinson and Cagney was a masterpiece. They played off each other like dueling banjos. It is too bad that they both got so big they couldn't fit on the same screen together again.