Stolen Heaven (1931)

Sadly Over-hyped

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Rain dampening business, streetwalking Nancy Carroll (as Mary) heads up to her New York apartment with what she believes is a handsome young drunk. Instead, Phillips Holmes (as Joe Bartlett) turns out to be a thief with a head wound. Correctly sensing Holmes is a soul-mate, Ms. Carroll covers for him when police search the apartment building. Agreeing they both have no real future, the pair decide to spend the $20,000 he has stolen, then commit suicide. They go to Palm Beach for their last hurrahs… There, love complicates matters… "Stolen Heaven" scores points for re-teaming Carroll and Holmes, so promising in "The Devil's Holiday (1930), and a good opening. But, it's downhill from there. As the madcap couple frolic in Florida, you begin to see some serious strains in the script. Co-stars Carroll and Holmes often appear directionless and/or under-rehearsed… but blocked. The script, obviously not written for its stars, needed a revision. And, don't expect any reason on Earth for its main characters to be named "Mary" and "Joseph".***** Stolen Heaven (2/21/31) George Abbott ~ Nancy Carroll, Phillips Holmes, Louis Calhern, Edward Keane

pre code with surreal start, with a very depression era backdrop, streetwalker Mary, Nancy Carroll is cautiously walking (rolling her eyes in great 30s movie fashion), Behind her is a slightly discheveled Joe,Phil Holmes, thinking he is Drunk Mary drags him to her rundown flat and almost has to guide him up the stairs.. once inside Joe seems disorientated, Mary is now getting impatient he has made no pass, with a little pleading Mary pleads Kiss Me, stroking his beautiful Blonde hair, (Holmes not Carroll), she sees blood, cleaning him up they get in a deep conversation about morals, life and other things..A banging on the door brings to attention there was a robbery across the street at the factory, Mary quickly realizes her trick probably committed this crime and gives him a drink to ease the pain tells him to remove his clothes and get into bed, the cops search her room and are convinced joe has been there all day drunk and asleep.. after more deep conversation, joe offers Mary any or all of the 20 thous. he has stole to go off and start a new life- then when the money runs out they will do a double suicide, they are both so bitter on life, returning to this slum or prison is no longer acceptable, they are now deeply in love and it shows in there acting, Holmes and Carroll had great Chemistry together, arrive. in palm Beach they are the "it" Couple everyone is talking about, inc. very rich playboy Steve Louis Calhourn .. Married now they are Mr. & Mrs Bartlett, they attend party's Dances, beach romps and still so in love they now feel something is missing, they want to come clean, return this money (that is now gone), on the night they must decide, Suicide or Prison they party, Making a Deal with Steve - 20, thous is given to Mary who thinks in 5 min Steve won this money at roulette, Now Police arrive and Handcuff the beautiful couple, they escape again and make a run to Steves House to hide out, Steve, has them Go to the beach and wait for his Boat to run them to Cuba, Again they are caught, Declairing there devoted love and With Steves help, they will probably get a light sentence... Again, Movie Love over All, even in the over acted hysterics of Carroll and HOlmes this is a griping film for all pre code lovers....

Interesting pre-coder directed by famous stage director, George Abbott, and with several excellent scenes.Nancy Carroll plays a hooker who gets followed by a young man through an ugly and shadowy city. She thinks he's drunk (Phillips Holmes) but is turns out he's been wounded in a robbery of a radio factory where he used to work. As the police swarm into the seedy tenement, she decides to help him and the two forms an uneasy alliance culminating in a suicide pact.He's gotten $20,000 and they decide to go out on a high note, blowing all the money and then killing themselves. Both have been beaten down by life. They escape to Palm Springs where we catch up with them in a great shot that starts with a marimba band and slowly pulls back to reveal the lush resort filled with fashionable people. Then we spot the young couple on the dance floor, immaculately dressed and rubbing elbows with the rich. Louis Calhern plays a rich lech who's after Carroll.But the cops track them down as they are about out of money. They must decide on their agreed-to suicides or to keep running or go back and pay for their "crimes." Calhern gets involved in the conclusion.Carroll and Holmes are quite good even when they're overacting, just because the story is so surreal. The moral of the story seems to be that life is good as long as there is plenty of money. But is it?

The opening sequence is incredible, starting with the shadows on torn billboards of the two protagonists in a seedy cityscape. She's a whore, and he, stumbling drunk, is following her to her room. Actually, she discovers when they get to her room that he's not stumbling drunk--a bullet had grazed his head and nearly knocked him out. There's no question, though, about her being a cheap whore, and the room a being whore's room. At one point, he looks around and says, "How'd I get here?" Her disgusted response: "The fairies brought you." He asks for a drink, and she gives him one: "One of the girls left this bottle here yesterday." There's a commotion in the hall. Detectives are searching the house for the man who just held up the payroll in the factory opposite. She tells the boy, "Quick, get off your clothes." He jumps into the bed and pretends a drunken sleep. The detective is looking for bigger fry and doesn't give her too hard a time for prostitution. She says he's been there for hours; she doesn't know anything about him. In these scenes, the acting, direction and writing are simple and direct. The two are shown as both cynical and naive; two lost souls. So far, superb! But then they decide to take his money, go on a spree, and when it's gone they'll commit suicide. Not superb. After the great opening sequence, the story becomes very sloppy, degenerating into primitive and unbelievable melodrama. At one point, for example, she asks how much money is left. Just $1,000, he says, only one day left. One day on $1,000 in 1931?? And Nancy Carroll unabashedly chews the scenery: "I don't want to die!" Hey, OK, so who's forcing you? But the film doesn't totally disintegrate. For example, the opening shot at a ritzy Havana hotel starts with a close-up of the band and gradually pulls back, tracking through the diners, all the way back for a long shot of the dance floor. When a stateside detective catches up with them, there are some lively plot twists, and Calhern, a wolf who has been after Nancy, winds up helping them when he sees that true love is bound to triumph. See this for the vital, gritty, pre-Code opening sequence; the rest is OK in a primitive way.