Blondie Johnson

When the story begins, Blondie Johnson (Joan Blondell) is broke and destitute. However, instead of waiting and hoping things will get better, she decides to take life into her own hands and devote herself to a life of crime. However, she's not looking at any petty crimes but wants to be a crime boss....something pretty much impossible back in 1933. And, after connecting up with Danny (Chester Morris), she begins her rapid ascent to the top. But there's one problem in her future....no matter how she tries to become tough and hard-bitten, she's still a lady.

This is generally a very good film. However, the ending portion disappointed me because up until then, Blondie was a good character...but at the end she inexplicably grows a heart. Inconsistent....but despite this it's still worth your time if you like classic films.

Almost a typical Warner Brothers gangster film but with an interesting twist. Someone at Warners realised two things: gangster movies made money and 'women's films made money - why not combine these two genres! Essentially this was conceived as a female version of Little Caesar which sounds like a terrible idea. It is however surprisingly not terrible - indeed, it's really quite good.

Although there's no innovative direction, spectacular sets or memorable moments, there's never a dull moment, you can empathise immediately with characters and it's totally engaging and immerses you completely into the depression-soaked urban America of the early thirties. What almost makes this a classic is Joan Blondell. Unlike with most of her films, there's no lingering shots of her rolling up her stockings or slipping into a negligee. Here she is totally believable as the woman who has climbed from absolute poverty to be the strong , respected leader of her organisation. She achieves this not through her sexuality but like Cagney and Robinson did, by her strong will and her brain. She manages to convey virtually every emotion known to man without defaulting into sentimental melodrama. Maybe this is not one of her more well known performances but it's definitely one of her best.

Even though "Crime Does Not Pay" is the message here, Joan Blondell and Chester Morris play the wisecracks with style. Definitely a feminist slant to a story of a woman crime-boss wannabe who refuses to have sex with her co-workers. Entertaining and involving (I joined the heroine in her desire to save her frontman from the hitmen's bullets), although the ending was a little hard to take. Good stuff from Sterling Holloway as a friendly cab-driver.

Joan Blondell plays a down-on-her-luck lady who turns to crime. Specifically being a con artist. She hooks up with gangster Chester Morris and before too long she's leading the gang herself. Joan's really the whole show here. She's a big-eyed curvy beauty but she's also smart and tough as nails. She's impossible to dislike and gives an effortless performance. It's a good role for the period, playing a woman who uses her brains instead of her body to get ahead. Chester Morris is good but his part here isn't exactly Boston Blackie. His chemistry with Joan is lacking, as well. Allen Jenkins is fun, which should come as no surprise. Arthur Vinton, who plays a big shot gangster here, sounds just like Ralph Bellamy. I thought maybe my eyes were playing tricks on me. It's a good little gangster picture. Fans of the terribly underrated Joan Blondell will like it a lot.

"Blondie Johnson" is a marvelous piece of film fun, made just before the era of the speakeasy was to conclude. As recounted in other reviews, the story is engaging and is a so-called "gangster movie" with a difference. The fun dialog goes on relentlessly with generous helpings of stellar interactions. This movie contains, additionally, an eye-boggling march across the screen of sparkling Art-Deco interiors and Depression-era fashions. The cast is comfortably familiar to movie buffs, with Joan Blondell demonstrating that she could do plenty more than just look beckoningly doe-eyed with those expressive eyes of hers. In the early 1930's she was often merely just a bubbly presence, but in this film she skillfully hypnotizes the willing viewer with plenty of varied emotion and determination, demanding recognition as a fine actress. In sum, this film is a treat for us movie fans of early WB and First National pictures, just as the studio began to create films containing confident fluidity of exposition. Highly enjoyable!