A year earlier, 19 year old Fairbanks and 17 year old Young stared together in LOOSE ANKLES. Considering that one was made at the advent of sound, it was still ten times better than this poorly written drivel.
So what's wrong with this? It's about an arrogant over-entitled rich American laughing at foreigners who are of course all ignorant, corrupt with silly accents and rules.....oh and because he knows best, he decides whom their chief minister's daughter should marry - him of course!
Doug Fairbanks (sans moustache but with some unnerving lipstick instead) has to unenviable role of trying to make this obnoxious brat the hero of the picture. So how does he go about this? Mainly by smiling at the camera which unsurprisingly doesn't quite cut the mustard.
Unlike most studios, WB-First National's output in 1931 was actually for the most part, consistently high in terms of production quality. Loretta Young and Doug Fairbanks were both great actors on their books. This is no exception.... except that the story is absolutely pathetic, the script unconvincing and the characters one dimensional. OK it is an exception, it's nowhere near Warner's usual standard for that year. There is however a spark of naïve charm intrinsic in these Warner pre-codes which gives you a sort oh high and that's still evident even in this nonsense.
You'll keep wanting to switch this trash off but just as your finger approaches the off button, onto your screen comes the unbelievably beautiful Loretta Young. It is physically impossible not to gaze, open mouthed in utter amazement at the impossibly pretty Miss Young so you keep watching. Curse you Loretta! This however is hardly a picture Loretta Young fans would cite as an example of her work but nevertheless..... boy, she sure is pretty!
So what's wrong with this? It's about an arrogant over-entitled rich American laughing at foreigners who are of course all ignorant, corrupt with silly accents and rules.....oh and because he knows best, he decides whom their chief minister's daughter should marry - him of course!
Doug Fairbanks (sans moustache but with some unnerving lipstick instead) has to unenviable role of trying to make this obnoxious brat the hero of the picture. So how does he go about this? Mainly by smiling at the camera which unsurprisingly doesn't quite cut the mustard.
Unlike most studios, WB-First National's output in 1931 was actually for the most part, consistently high in terms of production quality. Loretta Young and Doug Fairbanks were both great actors on their books. This is no exception.... except that the story is absolutely pathetic, the script unconvincing and the characters one dimensional. OK it is an exception, it's nowhere near Warner's usual standard for that year. There is however a spark of naïve charm intrinsic in these Warner pre-codes which gives you a sort oh high and that's still evident even in this nonsense.
You'll keep wanting to switch this trash off but just as your finger approaches the off button, onto your screen comes the unbelievably beautiful Loretta Young. It is physically impossible not to gaze, open mouthed in utter amazement at the impossibly pretty Miss Young so you keep watching. Curse you Loretta! This however is hardly a picture Loretta Young fans would cite as an example of her work but nevertheless..... boy, she sure is pretty!