Yours for the Asking (1936)

The Age of Commercialism

Absolutely Brilliant!

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Director: ALEXANDER HALL. Screenplay: Eve Green, Harlan Ware, Philip MacDonald. Original story: William R. Lipman, William H. Wright. Photographed in black-and-white by Theodor Sparkuhl. Film editor: James Smith. Art directors: Hans Dreier, Roland Anderson. Set decorator: A.E. Freudeman. Costumes: Travis Banton. Music director: Boris Morros. Sound recording: Harold Lewis, John Cope. Western Electric Sound System. Producer: Lewis E. Gensler. Executive producer: Adolph Zukor. Copyright 24 July 1936 by Paramount Pictures, Inc. New York opening at the Paramount: 19 August 1936. Australian release: 10 October 1936. Sydney opening at the Prince Edward: 10 October 1936 (ran 2 weeks). 68 minutes. SYNOPSIS: Gangster teams up with impoverished socialite to turn the old family mansion into a plush gambling casino. COMMENT: This is the sort of movie that justifies Joseph L. Mankiewicz's celebrated crack, "If it's a Paramount picture, you don't have to stand in line." Not that it's bad. In fact it actually provides quite pleasing entertainment. True, the script doesn't amount to much, but director Hall keeps it moving along at a lively pace and allows support players Ida Lupino and Reginald Owen to steal the show from principals George Raft and Dolores Costello Barrymore. Lupino looks great too!On a second viewing: A tame conclusion, cliché-studded dialogue and a somewhat familiar and even corny plot, seem to be offset by the vivacious playing of Ida Lupino. Miss Lupino is so fetchingly costumed and photographed throughout, she has it all over the film's nominal star, Dolores Costello Barrymore (as she is billed in the credits), in both looks and acting ability. In fact, Miss Costello Barrymore is still using some of the eye-rolling techniques she picked up in her days of silent stardom. Other support players are likewise enjoyable, particularly Reg Owen, Ed Kennedy, Jimmy Gleason and Lynne Overman (even though they do tend to over-do their "business"). Surprisingly, Hall's direction tends to plod much more than it sparkles, but the sets are jolly attractive and production values generally well up to moderate "A".

Johnny (George Raft) and Lucille (Dolores Costello Barrymore) run an up-market casino but Johnny's pals don't like this world. They prefer the sleazy, down-market joints that Johnny operated beforehand. They hire Gert (Ida Lupino) and Dictionary (Reginald Owen) to sabotage Johhny's feelings towards Lucille and bring him back closer to his pals and to the lower end of the market. Things don't go as planned.The first thing that should be said about this film is that the picture and sound quality are poor. As a film, it's alright. It's interesting to see Ida Lupino in a comedy role and she does well. Johnny's 3 henchmen with ridiculous names are the standard thick, buffoon-types and are included to provide humour. They're just not ever very funny. No-one is really. Dolores Costello Barrymore also has a stupid name but that has nothing to do with the film. In fact, after a poor start, her character of "Lucille" comes off best in the film. George Raft is OK in the lead and the whole experience is just lightweight nonsense. There are no stand-out scenes....it just chugs along.Because of the film's poor quality, it's quite an easy film to abandon. Or you may fall asleep.......I did on two separate viewings. This film took me three goes! However, that might be because I kept trying to watch it after a satisfying meal.

This was a real treat...to catch George Raft and Ida Lupino and one of the best supporting casts I have ever seen, including the little poodle.Even the names of the characters - one, because of his impeccable English is called "Dictionary" and another "Bicarbonate". The plot is excellent and revolved around the friendship between a shady and illegal casino owner and an impoverished society woman. This evolves into a partnership. Considering this was 1936 (and pre-Hayes) there are some risque lines as when the society woman says to the crook as he drops her off after a night at the casino "what would you like for breakfast?" There are lots of terrific fun turns in this movie and the 3 henchmen are not to be missed. A treasure of a movie. I give it 8 out of 10.