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Friday, January 8, 2021

THE DARK HORSE (1932)

Neat B-pic from Warners leaves a lot of potential on the table, but has good fun as far as it goes.  Sleek & sleazy, Warren William is just the man to run a political campaign for ‘Dark Horse’ gubernatorial candidate Guy Kibbee, an unelectable delegate picked at random to end a deadlocked convention.  Too bad William’s stuck in jail, behind on alimony payments to heartless/avaricious ‘ex’ Vivienne Osborne.  But that won’t stop Party secretary Bette Davis from singing his praises (the two all but engaged).  And with a Get Out of Jail Card from the Party Bosses, William starts in educating Kibbee and gearing up the publicity mill.  If only the ‘Ex’ weren’t still looking for trouble, making a big play for Kibbee (and a big payoff) at a secluded country cabin.  A perfect storm of a scandal; and William can only cover things up with what’s bound to look like a disloyal move against tru-love Davis!  What’s a political operative to do?  Nicely handled, just not enough on the political schooling of a novice nor on the thwarted romance.  Best for seeing Warners trying to figure out how best to use Ms. Davis (she could have played either gal), with good comic support from Frank McHugh and a snappy pace that's probably less director Alfred E. Green’s than editor George Marks’.  Standard stuff for the day, but a good standard; with Davis (still platinum blonde) very appealing under Sol Polito’s lighting.

ATTENTION  MUST BE PAID: Lots of Pre-Code touches including a game of strip poker for an unmarried pair, and a painful gag involving barbed wire and Guy Kibbee’s crotch.  Ouch!

DOUBLE-BILL: Seven years on, Kibbee was still governor in MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON/’39.

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