Fast Workers

There were two main reasons for wanting to watch 'Fast Workers'. Primarily that it was silent film star John Gilbert's MGM swansong and one of his sound pictures, that are not very well regarded at all generally (in a few cases understandably so but others are not bad). Also that it was directed by Tod Browning, known more for his horror films, so he was an interesting choice for director and especially for a type of film that if done right would have been quite light-hearted and witty.

'Fast Workers' to me is actually one of Gilbert's better talkies, 'Downstairs' being his best of the ones where he is the main lead. While it is not a great film and could have done with a much lighter touch later on, it does charm and amuse initially and actually looks and feels competent (something that was not the case with a couple of Gilbert's other talkies, it is much better than 'Redemption' and 'Way of a Sailor'). While the flaws are evident and glaring, a lot works in 'Fast Workers' favour.

One being Gilbert. The role is not a likeable or well fleshed out one, but Gilbert brings a lot of personality and confidence to it and has a lot of appeal. Mae Clark has charm and is at ease with her less serious moments and Robert Armstrong, despite his character being too much of an idiot at times, is amusing. Most of the acting is good. Browning provides some of the best direction of any of Gilbert's talkies, despite some heavy-handedness later on, most of them being badly directed but Browning directs with style and crispness as well as some nice atmosphere (namely because he was one of the few to actually give the impression that he was comfortable in sound pictures).

Visually, 'Fast Workers' is also one of Gilbert's better looking talkies. It doesn't look static and there are some nice visual touches photography-wise without being too clever, the production looks as if a good deal of time and effort went into it. The writing is fun and intriguing in the first two thirds or so and the story mostly engages.

It is an uneven film, having said all of that. Things takes a dramatic turn later on and it becomes heavy on the melodramatic sentiment, pretty ridiculous and almost too mean-spirited, very different to what became before. Browning's direction does as said get too heavy later on and the script loses coherence in the final third too. The central chemistry is too often bland and is agreed pretty turgid. Would have liked the characters to have fleshed out more, these are not really characters worth rooting for, most pretty amoral, and any negative characteristics are sometimes exaggerated.

Not all the acting is great, Sterling Holloway for example came over as annoying and out of place. The ending belongs more in a horror film and doesn't gel with the rest of the film.

Concluding, not a bad film and one of Gilbert's better talkies. Still could have been better though. 6/10

Despite its being the work of seven different writers, "Fast Workers" succeeds as an interesting and unusual story very well moved forward with clever dialogue delivered by a large cast of great actors.

Mae Clarke was a welcome surprise. She was given a chance to perform and she did! Ms. Clarke was a uniquely attractive actress, who too often -- as in "Frankenstein" -- didn't have much to do except look pretty and react.

Here, though, she was a pivotal character, and boy did she grab hold and carry the part beautifully.

This one role should have boosted her to major stardom.

Robert Armstrong reached his pinnacle as the impresario in "King Kong," and seemed to play that type of character afterward. Here, though, he played something completely different and he too showed enough talent to prove to casting directors and audiences he should have also been a major star.

Sterling Holloway had what might have been his best part. Instead of the fey characters he did awfully well, he was a real person, one of the crew working the high iron, with a distinctive personality -- as had all the characters in this play-become-movie -- who seemed real (or at least movie real).

John Gilbert was first billed and was, at the time, still the biggest name in the cast. He didn't really still have the looks that had catapulted him into the highest galaxy of stars, but he did still have the talent.

And he did have the best line of the movie, the last.

"Fast Workers" was part of a 24-hour marathon of Mae Clarke films on Turner Classic Movies, presented 20 August 2015. This type of retrospective is exactly why The Good Lord gave us video recorders, to be able to save for more convenient times a whole day of motion picture history and entertainment.

Mae Clarke today is known mostly for getting a grapefruit smashed into her face, but anyone seeing more of her work has to be convinced she was a major talent and, therefore, should have been a major star and should be far better known today.

I highly recommend "Fast Workers."

When most folks who love old movies hear the name Todd Browning, they think of the ultra-creepy films he directed--stuff like "Dracula", "Freaks" and "The Unknown". However, Browning did also direct some 'normal' films, and "Fast Workers" is nothing like his scary and dark pictures. Instead, this film is a pre-code sleaze- fest--a film that drips cynicism from start to finish. It also marks the end of John Gilbert's career with MGM.

Gunner (Gilbert) is a guy who spends his evenings in bars and chasing floozies. He is hardly the romantic type--more the sort of guy who can see through cheap dames and loves 'em for what they are. His pal, Bucker (Robert Armstrong) THINKS he's also wise to women but in reality he's naive and kind of stupid. When Bucker meets Mary (Mae Clark), he believes all the ridiculous lies that she hands him to get his money and soon he believes he and Mary are going to become husband and wife. But while she's dating Bucker, she's also hanging with Gunner---and she's more than willing to have both men at the same time and bleed Bucker dry. When Gunner realizes what's happening a rare thing bothers him...his conscience. As for Mary, the same might just be happening as well. What's next?

This film is very typical of many pre-code films--it's extremely jaded and coarse compared to later Hollywood movies. Women are mostly tramps and men are often idiots or pimp-types. Seen today, it might shock viewers who have no idea that films from about 1930 to mid 1934 were often wild and espoused a very loose sort of morality!

For me, despite the film's ridiculously high score of 8.2, it had some serious problems. The writing wasn't great. In particular, Armstrong's character was just TOO stupid--and wasn't very believable. Had the guy been toned down a bit and therefore more believable, the film would have worked better. Plus, with Mary and Gunner being so amoral...how could they possibly have pangs of conscience?! A film with some very interesting moments (such as when the guys building the skyscraper are staring in windows at naked women), but a sub-par film for Browning and a sad end to Gilbert's career with a great studio. Despite excellent reviews by most folks, I agree with Lionel-21--it was the nadir for both guys' careers.

After working on a New York City high-rise building, manly construction worker John Gilbert (as Gunner Smith) goes out to a speakeasy with less attractive pal Robert Armstrong (as Bucker Reilly). While making time with an attached woman, Mr. Gilbert decks her companion and is brought before the judge. Gilbert calls marriage-minded lover Mae Clarke (as Mary) to help bail him out, not knowing she's about to fleece Mr. Armstrong. Gilbert is the one she loves, but Ms. Clarke is tempted to settle down and accept Armstrong's marriage proposal...

"Fast Workers" found Gilbert nearing the end of his movie career. This was his last film as a top-billed MGM star...

Director Tod Browning and the MGM crew make it look above average. As usual, Gilbert's appearance is better than the legendary stories about his demise. That the studio cared about making Gilbert sound masculine may be evidenced in having squeaky-voiced Sterling Holloway (as Pinky Magoo) given the largest supporting role. However, Gilbert's lack of interest or commitment shows in the mechanics; his collar has three positions in one scene, there is no shot of him after his character has a dramatic fall, and the ending is noticeably abrupt.

***** Fast Workers (1933-03-10) Tod Browning ~ John Gilbert, Robert Armstrong, Mae Clarke, Sterling Holloway

Snappy film that looks and feels like a Warners film, this MGM film bristles with sexual tension. John Gilbert is terrific as the construction worker who tangles with smart dame Mae Clarke and pal Robert Armstrong.

Gilbert had his problems at MGM with LB Mayer, but his talent shines thru the rotten films they assigned him. And this film is a perfect example. It's a B film about the loves and lives of menial workers but Gilbert makes it an event. He's confident, sexy, and terrific as the worker who falls into the clutches of a "working girl." The three stars are quite good. The supporting cast includes Herman Bing, Sterling Holloway, Vince Barnett, Bob Burns, Nora Cecil, and Virginia Cherrill.

As mentioned elsewhere, this film finished off Gilbert's contract with MGM. Mayer had done his best to ruin Gilbert's career by assigning him bad films, but Gilbert is really good in this film as well as THE PHANTOM OF Paris and DOWNSTAIRS.