The World Gone Mad (1933)

Absolutely Fantastic

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

The District Attonrey has uncovered some wrong doings at a corporation and is about to blow the lid on the lot when he's whacked by a hit-man. His replacement (and friend) takes over, and much to the dismay of the bigwigs at the corporation he's determined to blow the lid on all the shenanigans too. What's an evil, greedy person to do? Well, whack the new DA too, obviously! Problem is, the new DA's friend is a reporter who seems to know everyone in the world, and he's also uncovering more and more evidence. Although billed as a horror film on Mill Creek's 50 Horror Classics box set, A World Gone Mad is more of a crime thriller (although at one point some characters walk past an ad for the film The Vampire Bat!) with a lot of twists and turns thrown in. It's not majorly exciting, but it's not boring either, with plenty of that fast talking thirties mannerism ("Are you on the level?" ) and such like. It's also strangely relevant today, and just seems to show that nothing ever changes. They even mention pyramid schemes at one point. It's no forgotten classic, but not as bad as other folks have made out.

Only in an obscure poverty rower (Majestic Pictures, who are not above promoting possibly their most famous production with "The Vampire Bat" posters outside a cinema where two of the stars just happen to be talking), could you find a wealth of names to warm the cockles of a pre-code lovers heart. There is beautiful Geneva Mitchell, a Follies beauty who made a career of walk through parts in early talkies, slinky Evelyn Brent (who looks absolutely stunning in this movie), sweet Mary Brian who had been a star but was now falling on leaner times, matinée idol Neil Hamilton who had been a silent star for D.W. Griffith, had co-starred with Norma Shearer and was soon to settle into character parts and cute little Buster Phelps who had played the little boy in "Three on a Match". Even annoying Inez Courtney who seemed to be in every other early talkie musical had an unbilled part as, what else? - an annoying telephonist!!!But wait - there's more!!! Louis Calhern (wrongly spelled in the credits) is the first to appear as Christopher Bruno, President of Continental Importers/Exporters, but really a racketeer who is in the middle of planning the demise of pesky D.A. Henderson, who is on the brink of exposing a giant stock market fraud. Henderson leaves behind a beautiful wife (Mitchell), a cute kid (Phelps) and a crime fighting buddy, Andy (Pat O'Brien), determined to clear Henderson's name. In the great tradition of pre-code political exposes Henderson has been shown as leading a double life but of course it's not true. Another person wanting to clear things up is new D.A. Lionel Houston (Hamilton) but unfortunately his fiancée is Diane Cromwell (Mary Brian looking far more fetching as a brunette than as a blonde) and her father, unknowingly, is in it up to his neck thanks to his greedy partners.With phrases like "the public be damned" this was a film "plucked from the headlines" and the stock market crash of 1929 was still vivid in the memories of the movie going public. This was a movie worthy of the fast paced, topical Warners studios. Meanwhile Andy is looking up assorted cronies including Salvatore (J. Carroll Naish) who was in the apartment where Henderson was killed but claims he wasn't the killer. Andy is then led to Carlotta Lamont (sultry Brent) where he starts to weave his charm (?) even though she is Salvatore's girl, Bruno's girl - actually anybody's girl!!!With all these top stars giving their all, especially Calhern with a very natural performance, this definitely doesn't have the look of a cheap movie. Majestic had a short life, finishing up in 1935 and also being responsible for 1933's ahead of it's time "stream of consciousness movie "The Sin of Norah Moran". Definitely worth a look regardless whether you find it in the "Horror Classics" pack.Highly Recommended.

According to the DVD sleeve's synopsis, "An investigative reporter uncovers a plot against the District Attorney. The D.A. is about to present a case of white-collar crime against some well-respected Wall Street investors who wish to eliminate the D.A. before it can happen. The reporter races to prevent the murder before it can occur, and also help the D.A. in bringing those responsible to justice." But, nothing about this inappropriately titled film "races". The story proceeds in the dullest possible manner. Mediocrity runs a frightening level (and, this is crime drama, not a horror film). A couple of the kissing scenes are funny. Pat O'Brien (as Andy) sings a little. Please set your "so bad it's good" expectations on very low.* The World Gone Mad (4/15/33) Christy Cabanne ~ Pat O'Brien, Neil Hamilton, Evelyn Brent

Just about sixty years before the Enron scandal, "The World Gone Mad" appears to be a strangely prophetic film of personal scandal and corporate greed. When a District Attorney is murdered and discovered in a "love nest", the front page headlines leave all those close to him bewildered and doubtful of the circumstances surrounding his death. In short order, a new D.A. is assigned, and Lionel Houston (Neil Hamilton) is determined to get to the bottom of a tangled financial scheme. Unfortunately, the investigation involves the father of his fiancée, the head of the Cromwell Investment Corporation (John St. Polis). Pat O'Brien heads the bill here, as a less than scrupulous newspaper reporter, who's not above a bit of gambling, drinking and womanizing himself. In a darkened scene meant to be highly suggestive, his character Andy Terrell finds himself in a very compromising position with the mob connected Carlotta Lamont (Evelyn Brent). It's done very much tongue in cheek, but for 1933, let's say it was risqué beyond belief. How about crass commercialism. There's a great scene at a newspaper stand, in the background is a poster for the same year's film, "The Vampire Bat" starring Lionell Atwill and Fay Wray. At a run time of about eighty minutes, there are moments that seem to drag, but overall, the film brings it's victims to justice admirably. It will help to keep a scorecard though, there are a lot of characters introduced in a short time, and it would be easy to lose track of things otherwise. And was it just me, or did the widow of D.A. Henderson (Geneva Mitchell) look the spitting image of Seinfeld gal pal Julia Louis Dreyfus?