La double vengeance (1935) was 35-year-old actor Spencer Tracy's first film in what would be a 21-year career with MGM. Tracy's first MGM film was to be La loi du plus fort (1935), opposite Jean Harlow. But, when that picture was temporarily postponed, the studio put Tracy to work immediately on The Murder Man, a modest programmer shot in three weeks. Tracy plays an investigative reporter who specializes in murder cases.
La double vengeance (1935) is notable as the feature film debut of James Stewart (who had previously appeared in a Shemp Howard comedy short called Art Trouble (1934)). The part was an obvious sight gag and Stewart has sixth billing as a reporter named Shorty. He spoke his first movie line in this film--it was "Hi Joe." Stewart and Spencer Tracy began a lifelong friendship on this set, and Tracy offered Stewart his first film acting advice. "I told him to forget the camera was there," said Tracy. "That was all he needed. In his very first scene, he showed he had all the good things."
It would be three months before Stewart was assigned another film at MGM. To fill the time, the studio had him hit the gym. But Stewart also found time to take flying lessons. He learned to fly solo and later used to fly to his home in Pennsylvania, following railroad tracks as navigation.
It would be three months before Stewart was assigned another film at MGM. To fill the time, the studio had him hit the gym. But Stewart also found time to take flying lessons. He learned to fly solo and later used to fly to his home in Pennsylvania, following railroad tracks as navigation.
This film did well at the box office, earning MGM a profit of $184,000 ($4.05M in 2023) according to studio records.
The Hays Office initially rejected the story because its theme concerned murder for revenge.