Love in High Gear

Made ten years before the current Harrison Ford was even born. This mildly saucy preCode farce is of interest solely for providing posterity with a talkie record of the earlier Harrison Ford, whose last film this was.

The credits make no mention of it originally being a play, but it sure plays like one; and is directed like one too by Frank Strayer. The cast are almost always lined up as though on a stage, feet and all, as they talk and talk; even when filmed out of doors in the early scenes. It then relocates for the second act to a hotel in which people scurry about, hide in cupboards and slam doors; but leadenly paced rather than at the breakneck speed with which satisfactory farce needs to be staged.

Ford himself acquits himself well playing a "low, sneering, leering lothario" called Donald; of whom it's said "No woman's safe when he's around"!

"Love in High Gear" is a film that is out on DVD from Alpha Video. I have very mixed feelings about this distributor. On one hand, they often bring us various obscure older films you simply cannot find anywhere else. Plus, the DVDs are dirt cheap. On the other hand, the movies are never restored and many (including this one) have very, very ugly prints. While the sound is fair on this one, the print is washed out--and looks much like a film that is a copy of a copy of a copy (or worse).

If "Love in High Gear" would have been a good film, then watching the horrible print would have been worth it. Unfortunately, the film is terribly slow and uninteresting. In fact, I saw nothing that warranted my saying much more than it was pretty dated and lousy. Not worth your time, even if you love the films of the 1930s. Silly, inconsequential and dumb.

Love in High Gear provides a nuanced and subtle treatment of gender in depression era Chicago. Centering around Donald Ransome, a former race car champion whose career is in decline, and Betty, the sassy female mechanic working on a revolutionary engine design that may revive Donald's career, the film openly criticizes many societal attitudes of the time as they related to women, homosexuality and affirmative action legislation. Harrison Ford shines in his last ever role, capping off a sparkling career for the silent era superstar.

Prospective viewers should note that this is a silent production, so it can be a bit uncomfortable always having to look at the screen to read the subtitles, and one feels this film could benefit from some color restoration (how long did it take for directors to work out that black and white film is BORING!), but at the same time this is a powerful film with a positive social outlook that we could all learn from today. The director was ahead of his time and if you liked this film then you should also check out Behind Stone Walls which tackles similar themes from a very different outlook.

Five out of six stars.

I obtained a mediocre copy of this film from a public domain source and watched it because I wanted to hear silent star Harrison Ford the 1st's voice in his only talkie.

This film has nothing to do with a race car driver, as the other reviewer states here, nor is it a silent film (that would be unlikely by 1932 anyway), as the same reviewer states here. I don't know what film he saw but it wasn't the same one I watched! Harrison plays a jewel thief who steals a valuable string of pearls at a wedding of friends. The film is meant to be a comedy and there are a few laugh out loud moments but not enough to save the film, which looked like a stage play filmed in New York by some minor company. It's no wonder Harrison went back to the stage after the silent film era ended. He still had the clown in him, but speaking dialogue often ruined the impact; it actually might have been better as a silent film.

Harrison's voice was just fine, a very nice stage voice, probably a little smoky from cigarettes, or maybe that was just the microphones of the day or the general wear on the soundtrack over time, which was slightly muffled. The print I saw also had a flutter every few seconds which was annoying. I don't know how these PD film companies sell these poor prints and expect 20 dollars for them. Never again! I give the film a 6 out of 10 and I'm being somewhat generous, but it did satisfy my curiosity about his voice and there were a few laughs, but the overall plot of the film was silly and I never did figure out why he stole that pearl necklace! How can you have a film like this without a stated motive in the plot?

Wealthy Harrison Ford (as Donald Ransome) arrives late for a wedding; there, he makes off with not only a string of pearls, but also lovely Alberta Vaughn (as Betty)'s attention. When the pearls are discovered missing, Mr. Ford uses Ms. Vaughn as an unwitting accomplice; he stashes the necklace in her belongings, to retrieve at a later date. But, Vaughn is engaged to Tyrell Davis (as Ronnie Courtney), who becomes jealous of Ford. When Ford goes to retrieve the stolen pearls from Vaughn, comic complications ensue.

Most notable as silent star Harrison Ford's last film appearance. In his only speaking role, Ford's voice is serviceable; but, he seems uncomfortable with the talking picture. Vaughn and Davis are more natural. No matter, director Frank Strayer's "Love in High Gear" never really takes off, in any case.

*** Love in High Gear (1932) Frank Strayer ~ Harrison Ford, Alberta Vaughn, Tyrell Davis