PROSPERITY
(director: Sam Wood; screenwriters: story by Frank Butler & Sylvia Thalberg, Eve Greene, Zelda Sears; cinematographer: Leonard Smith; editor: William Le Vanway; cast: Marie Dressler (Lizzie Praskins), Polly Moran (Maggie Warren), Norman Foster (John Warren), Anita Page (Helen Praskins), John Milijan (Holland), Charles Giblyn (Mayor), Edward Brophy (ice cream salesman), Billy Gilbert (Driver), Jerry Tucker (Buster), John Roche (Knapp), Frank Darien (Ezra Higgins), Henry Armetta (Barber), Jacquie Lyn (Cissy); producer: Irving Thalberg; Runtime: 87; MPAA Rating: NR; MGM; 1932-B/W)
“Its melodramatics might not appeal to modern viewers.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
In a workmanlike way Sam Wood (“Ambush”/”The Stratton Story”) directs this pre-code comical and deeply emotional Depression story about a bank going under in 1931. It marks the last teaming of popular stars Polly Moran and Marie Dressler.
Polly Moran (Maggie Warren) owns a bank. Lizzie Praskins (Lizzie Praskins), her close friend and biggest depositor, panics and withdraws her money fearing the bank will close. This causes a run on the bank, and the bank must close its doors. Maggie kept bonds in her safety deposit box for such an emergency, but her naive son John (Norman Foster) stole them to invest in a new building thinking he was helping his mother and now can’t retrieve his money for six months. John’s engaged to Helen (Anita Page), who is Lizzie’s daughter.
The battling matriarchs get together to try and save the bank. When they realize John was duped by a con man into falling for a get-rich-quick-scheme, John goes after the shyster Holland (John Milijan) and his associate Knapp (John Roche) and saves the day.
The outdated film might interest film buffs and fans of the oldies, but its melodramatics might not appeal to modern viewers.
REVIEWED ON 8/13/2024 GRADE: C+