The Nuisance

Crooked lawyer Stevens always seems to be on the scene first, and talks the victim into suing someone for a huge amount of money. And his flam flam of a doctor Prescott (Frank Morgan) goes along with it and comes up with the phony diagnosis. Madge Evans is Dorothy, his latest case. After losing so many cases to Stevens, the streetcar company decides to start fighting back. And Dorothy isn't who she seems to be! Charles Butterworth is in here as a falling down con man, and of course he knows Stevens. We follow Stevens around as he tries one caper after another. It's silly, but kind of fun. Even a hitler joke, and this was only 1933. Directed by Jack Conway. No oscars, but he sure worked with some biggies: wallace beery, jean harlow, the barrymores. Butterworth always looked older, but actually died young at 49.

Joe Stevens (Lee Tracy) is a sleazy ambulance-chasing lawyer among many others. He arrives at an accident site and tries to sign up beautiful Dorothy Mason (Madge Evans). She's actually an investigator working for the other side while pretending to be his client.

Lee Tracy is fun as the fast talking sleazy lawyer. The two leads have a fun meet-cute at the accident. This is a fine rom-com although they get separated in the second half. This should concentrate solely on being a rom-com and keep these two together as much as possible. I also don't believe him going straight. It would be more fun if they both go crooked and that can only work if it's her idea.

Versatility is an attribute in any performer, but so is doing one thing exceptionally well. Perhaps if Lee Tracy's screen career had not met a premature, unfortunate ending, he and his public would have felt a need for him to play something other than the kind of role which he performed with such natural ease and remarkable skill: the brash, fast-talking, wisecracking, slithery, finger-jabbing, opportunistic, less than trustworthy (to put it mildly) rascal. As a tour de force, this picture ranks with his best, even if there may be more twists and turns of the plot than the story requires. Though Frank Morgan's poignant portrayal of an alcoholic doctor is not an altogether comfortable fit here, and Tracy's explanation of his loss of youthful ideals too pat to be convincing, the movie is consistently entertaining, with fine performances by all the supporting players aiding and abetting another memorable star turn by Lee Tracy.

PRE-CODE HOLLYWOOD 1930 -1934, WHEN MOVIES WERE SEXY, SMART, COMPLEX AND A HELL OF A LOT OF FUN.

An ambulance-chasing lawyer gets tangled up with a female investigator out to end his shyster ways.

Director: Jack Conway Writers: Chandler Sprague (story), Howard Emmett Rogers (story) Stars: Lee Tracy, Madge Evans, Frank Morgan

The fast-talking Stevens plays every trick he can against the "soulless corporations" on behalf of the downtrodden whether it is ethical or not until he is ensnared by a beautiful woman. Now can he become honest or will he lose her?

The great Lee Tracy stars in one of his best roles in The Nuisance - a fast-paced, cynical comedy (with doses of drama) about a shrewd (and none-too-honest) ambulance-chasing lawyer who has refined the business of obtaining large settlements for accident claims into a science. The fast-talking Tracy is, of course, the lawyer in question, and he's brilliant in the part. But don't overlook the presence of Frank Morgan (in the days before he became completely mired in being the Wizard of Oz) as his drunken doctor cohort or the great Charles Butterworth as a professional victim. It's all bright, funny and hard as nails.

Lee Tracy was unique. No one talked as fast as he did, and certainly no one ever backed that talk up with such eloquent and fascinating hand gestures. The experience of watching a Lee Tracy performance is like witnessing a strangely graceful machine gun going off. The film ,I suspect because of its lackluster title , isn't one of Tracy's better-known movies, but it's still one of his best.

There are some very good supporting turns in the film. Frank Morgan's perpetually pickled doctor manages to be both funny and tragic , and his fate is actually disturbing. The great Charles Butterworth has a nice role as a man who specializes in faking accidents. The underrated Madge Evans , stands out here where she's given something worthwhile to do.

The Nuisance is a solid comedy, a triumphant story of using American cunning to repudiate corporate greed with wits and verve- and very pre-Code in just how far it goes to show such an anti-hero succeed so admirably. It's very funny and brash, and if any of this sounds like fun, you're in for a treat.

Lee Tracy is excellent as a shady lawyer who recruits clients at accident scenes. When possible, he reaches the scene moments ahead of the ambulance; when necessary, he arranges the accident itself. Swooping in, he informs his clients what their injuries are, whisks them off to the hospital, and lines up personal injury lawsuits that range from dubious to downright phony and are driving the insurance company crazy. What can they do to stop him? Insurance man John Miljan has a plan….

Madge Evans is an accident victim who willingly falls in with a Tracy scheme—and it's as we are getting to know her character that the plot takes a welcome and exciting turn. Evans has the most developed and difficult role here; the question of which side she is on is one that not even she is sure she can answer.

Frank Morgan is outstanding but rather sad as a doomed alcoholic doctor who assists Tracy in his schemes. Charles Butterworth is sidekick and right hand man "Floppy," a professional accident victim who joins Tracy's team.

The dialog flies past, especially when Tracy delivers it; he's dashing, deceitful, villainous, charming—it's a larger than life character and Tracy fills the role perfectly. Overall, the picture is somewhat less than totally believable…but it's a lot of fun to watch and follow along.