Torchy

In spite of its faults, I was really impressed by this movie. Warner made a number of social justice flicks during the thirties, and I thought this was one of the best. Strong performances, tight script and lots of action.

Some people have complained about certain plot points, and it's true that the writers could have made things more believable. And while some of the mountain folk are portrayed sympathetically, over all the script does not paint a flattering picture of the townspeople. My biggest problem with the script is the ending. For most of the film the main character is determined to become a nurse so that she can help her community. At the end she decides to dump all that and become a housewife. I didn't buy it.

Still, this movie really pulled me in, and the tension keeps building right up to the climax. Writers Norman Reilly Raine and Luci Ward do a good job with the characters and situations. Josephine Hutchinson is excellent, and most of the cast is strong. Michael Curtiz keeps the pace brisk. The scenes where the young woman confronts her father are intense and harrowing. I think this movie is one of Curtiz' high points from the thirties, and it's a shame it's not better known.

A nice example of what you can do on a small budget. The script offers plenty of action and characters drawn in simple, bold strokes. Witney's direction gives you both pace and punch. He does a great job with the cast, getting forceful, lively performances from many of the actors. Fans of the JD genre will not be disappointed.

Jack Marta's cinematography is also worth looking at. While he's obviously hampered a little by the budget, this film looks way better than your average quickie JD flick. He does some nice things with lighting and composition. A few years later he got a chance to show what he could really do when he worked on Route 66.

I was really surprised by this film. I have no interest in ships or shipbuilding, but the visuals caught my attention immediately. The photography is dynamic, even poetic, as the camera explores a major shipyard in Scotland. The film documents the process of creating a large sea vessel in the twentieth century. Iain Hamilton's score is excellent.

I came across this film by accident. It was part of a VHS tape compilation of John Grierson's work. Sadly, the print they started with was not in good shape and the color is badly faded. I have no idea if it's available on DVD.