Absolute Quiet

There are some first-rate performances packed into this surprisingly entertaining "B" movie. Taking it from the top, there's Lionel Atwill as a high-powered tycoon whose doctor orders him to rest his nerves at his ranch out west. That's not easy when Wallace Ford and Bernadene Hayes turn up as a vaudeville act wanted for murder. And when a fog-bound plane crashes, they're joined by Louis Hayward as a fading movie idol whose face is scarred in the accident, Stu Erwin as a wise-guy newspaperman and Raymond Walburn as a blustering politico. Throw in Irene Hervey as the secretary Atwill is trying to bed and J. Carroll Naish as a sly Mexican ranch hand and it's fun watching "Absolute Quiet" just to see who'll try to steal the spotlight from who. My bet goes to Hayes and Ford as the serial killer love birds who insist that they really slayed 'em in vaudeville.

The top billed stars in Absolute Quiet are Lionel Atwill as Gerald Axton (Atwill appeared in many murder mysteries and horror films) and Irene Hervey as Laura Tait (Destry Rides Again), but the real stars here are reporter Oscar Rudd (played by Stuart Erwin) and a political bigshot played by Raymond Walburn. Two crooks on the run interfere with an airplane trying to land, but things are complicated because there are political bigshots and reporters on that airplane. Viewers will also see character actor Edwin Maxwell from His Girl Friday, Shop around the Corner, and Cecil DeMille's Cleopatra. Director George Seitz had been writing and directing in Hollywood since 1914, for the silent films. Original story by George Worts. Fun suspense thriller; most of it takes place in one room on the ground, or in the air, so it has the feel of a talkie play, but it's an entertaining film. Lionel Atwill was born in England, and Louis Hayward was was born in S. Africa and raised in England, so there are some accents going on here. Screenplay is pretty whitewashed, but it only costs about an hour and a half to watch it. I get the feeling the original script was a little more naughty...

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery then this film full-fills it's designs. It is useless to write even a bare bones synopsis of it, for it copies from ever classic or trite pot-boiler of the 'Golden Age' of Hollywood. A true example of a throw-away programmer that any of the major studios churned out to fill their production obligations of fifty (50+) plus features a year.

The cast, all first rate character actors or middle-tier stars perform their obligations well. Each fulfilling a specified characterization. Lionel Atwill, driven and vindictive business tycoon no doubt a R.I.N.O, Raymond Walburn, corrupt Governor (in Illinois that's expected), Stuart Erwin, obnoxious reporter (is there any other type), Louis Hayward, washed up actor (which he would become post WWII). Added too this is Wallace Ford and Bernadene Hayes as 'Jack and Judy' (Bonnie & Clyde) plus Irene Hervey and Ann Loring for the 'Damsels In Distress' (D.I.D.).

They are all thrown together in a plot that includes a isolated ranch substituting for the 'old dark house'. Romantic liaisons gone wrong, a airplane crash with gangsters on the loose. Too bad they did not have a sandstorm to go with it, but you cannot have everything. I liked it and with a running time of only 70" you cannot go wrong to give it a try.

... because it really is a suspenseful and busy little film. It's like Petrified Forest meets Airport meets A Star Is Born meets Bonnie and Clyde meets The Senator is Indiscreet and I don't think I'm spoiling anything to tell you that.

Gerald Axton (Lionel Atwill), a wealthy industrialist, is told by his doctor that he'll have a fatal heart attack if he doesn't rest awhile, so he decides to retreat to his ranch. Axton has sent an actress he has romantically tired of away to Hollywood for a screen test, and she is scheduled to fly there the next day with an actor she is in love with (Louis Hayward), The fact that she chose another man and has bruised his ego is why Axton wants her out of his sight. On the same plane is the windbag governor of the state, with whom Axton is currently having a feud. A cynical world-weary reporter is also onboard.

Axton is currently in love with his assistant, Laura, and has convinced her to come to his ranch with him. He has sent her husband on a rather dangerous aerial mission given the weather, and hopes to seduce Laura while her husband is otherwise occupied in the air. At the same time, murderers Jack and Judy escape from the sheriff near the Axton ranch and are looking for a place to temporarily hole up.

All of these people - and their planes - end up at the Axton ranch. Since Axton doesn't particularly like any of these people he plays psychological games with them, with unclear motives, although it's safe to say he'd be OK with all of them winding up dead with the exception of Laura. Complications ensue.

This is a rare B movie for MGM, with none of their familiar contract players, not even their supporting ones. The role of the hardened and hard drinking reporter would have probably gone to Lee Tracy in better days, but is well played by Stuart Erwin. The fact that he and Atwill are the most recognizable members of the cast just burnishes the film's B credentials.

It has a seemingly code busting ending that is oddly sympathetic to the escaped criminals. I'd recommend it as an entertaining B that looks like nothing else MGM did during the 30s.

Absolute Quiet (1936)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Semi-rip of The Petrified Forest has a plane full of people crash landing on the field of a man (Lionel Atwill) being held captive by a couple robbers. There are a few good laughs here but the direction is so strange that it's hard to really get caught up in the film. There's very little suspense in the movie but there are a couple nice laughs, which help the movie move along. Wallace Ford playing the tough guy was a bit hard to believe and led to several unintentional laughs. J. Carroll Naish and Irene Harvey turn in good performances as does Atwill.