The Get-Away

Not a bad little film in many ways when you consider when it was made by MGM - clearly as the opener in a Double Feature Bill. The cast is surprisingly good with perhaps Dan Dailey as the standout, and playing the brother of Donna Reed and never able to go straight despite all her efforts. Robert Sterling goes over the top in his early scenes, but settles down as the story progresses. Charles Winninger as the drunken Doctor has some fine and not-so-fine moments in a major role, and it was great to see one of the good old B-players in Veda Ann Borg. The shoot-out near the end was ideal for a programmer and would have left audiences in those days in a good frame of mind for the Main Attraction

Anyone else realize that this is almost a shot-for-shot remake of "Public Hero #1" staring Jean Arthur and Chester Morris (1935)? With Lionel Barrymore playing the doctor and Joseph Calleia playing Sonny.

It also appears the same screenplay was used for both pictures as the writing credits overlap. Different directors though

Public Hero #1 (1935) : Directed by J. Walter Ruben. Writing credits: J. Walter Ruben story, Wells Root story, Wells Root screenplay

The Get-Away (1941) : Directed by Edward Buzzell , Richard Rosson (uncredited). Writing credits: W.R. Burnett screenplay, Wells Root screenplay, Wells Root story, J. Walter Ruben story

Having seen both pictures, I think the 1935 Jean Arthur/Chester Morris effort is the better of the two. Anyone who likes "The Get-Away' should checkout "Public Hero #1".

Robert Sterling (Jeff) is a loud-mouthed, brash prisoner who gets the treatment that he deserves whilst staying in prison. He engineers an escape with Dan Dailey (Dinkie) who is part of an organized gang that the police have been trying to smash for a while. However, Sterling isn't who he seems to be and he is put into a difficult situation with the arrival of Donna Reed (Maria). She is looking for her brother - guess who - yep, it's psycho-man Dailey - and she finds out the truth about her brother and Sterling. During all of this, the police have only one mission - to stop Dailey's gang.

This is an entertaining fast-paced film with the best performances coming from Dailey and Reed. Sterling is way over-the-top at the beginning of the film and quite annoying. Similarly, Charles Winninger is annoying as he provides needless comedy as a drunk doctor. The film never drags and so must be given credit although the love affair between Reed and Sterling is somewhat unconvincing, especially at the end of the film when she would HATE him. As it is, we get some cuddly stuff.

The ending is quite tense as we follow Dailey into a dancehall and we realize that his time is up. It's obviously influenced by Dillinger's last moments as he was staked out and then shot down as he left a cinema. They even give Dailey a dolly-bird escort as he leaves the venue, just as Dillinger left with his dolly-bird, although in Dillinger's case she was implicated in his betrayal. Nothing of that sort here but we do get a shoot-out.

Pretty much a shot-for-shot remake of Public Hero #1. Because of this and the fact that it's more polished than the earlier film, this one's not as good. It's watchable but ultimately forgettable. The only thing noteworthy about it is that it's the film debut of Donna Reed. She's beautiful and the best part of the movie. Dan Dailey and Robert Sterling are bland. Charles Winninger and Henry O'Neill are enjoyable in supporting roles. If you haven't seen the original, you're likely to enjoy this one far more. I would caution you against reading too much about either film because there's a twist in the plot that is best left unspoiled. Chances are you've already been spoiled since all plot summaries, including TCM's, give it away. Still, I've left the plot out of my review just in case.

Viewers will recognize The Getaway as a remake of another MGM B picture, Public Hero #1. But another film along similar lines was so much better, that being White Heat.

Still there's no shame in being associated with being with this solid B action film. Robert Sterling plays a youthful FBI agent who goes undercover in prison to arrange an escape for mobster Dan Dailey who heads the infamous River Gang the FBI wants to nail. Sterling is to infiltrate and find the gang's hideout.

Dailey has the Cody Jarrett role here and while he's not nuts with a mother complex like James Cagney was, he's got some issues. But he's also shrewd and paranoid which is always a deadly combination. Dailey steals this film.

The Getaway was also the film debut of Donna Reed who plays Dan Dailey's sister who unlike Cody Jarrett's mother is seriously trying to reform him. Sterling takes a liking to here. There's also Charles Winninger a doctor with a thirst problem who I wouldn't let near me with a scalpel. Winninger has an interesting way of collecting his fees.

Good action film with a nice climactic shootout.