Tonight's Movie: Red Dust (1932) - A Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

The pre-Code classic RED DUST (1932) has recently been released on Blu-ray by the Warner Archive Collection.

RED DUST is set on a rubber plantation in rainy tropical Indochina.

Denny Carson (Clark Gable) is the head man, supervising production and employees, providing first aid, and generally holding things together.

Viewers should anticipate that Denny's attitudes toward his native-born employees are not always "politically correct" by modern standards, but it's a rough, dangerous job -- threats include tigers and disease -- and he's the man who gets things done.

A stranded young prostitute, Vantine (Jean Harlow), ends up on the plantation after hightailing it out of Saigon due to problems with the law. She and Denny have a brief affair but it's expected she'll soon move on.

Things get quite interesting when a young engineer, Gary (Gene Raymond), and his beautiful wife Barbara (Mary Astor) arrive at the plantation, right around the same time Vantine's transportation off the plantation breaks down and she's stuck in place. Both women are swooning over Denny, while loyal Gary is oblivious...

This terrific 83-minute film is about as "pre-Code" as a movie can get. It pulls no punches about things such as Vantine's background or Denny's relations with both women. It's quite steamy, in terms of both visuals and story. In sum, it's grand fun.

John Lee Mahin's screenplay was based on a play by Wilson Collison, and at times the film shows its theatrical origins with "stagy" dialogue exchanges confined to a couple indoor sets.

That said, the movie also does a great job opening up the story at various points, throwing its characters repeatedly into massive rainstorms which are well staged, with excellent special effects.

Director Victor Fleming keeps things moving briskly; it's fascinating to note that the remake, MOGAMBO (1953), directed by John Ford, runs roughly half an hour longer.

The lead actors are all top notch; Gable is exciting, Harlow funny, and the elegant Astor does a nice job with a brittle character who loosens up thanks to Gable, only for them each to ultimately regret their association.

It's also a nice role for Raymond, who is likeable as the go-getter who adores his wife and wants to do well in his new job. It's a pleasure watching all of these actors, particularly the sizzling Gable and Harlow.

The supporting cast is rounded out by Donald Crisp, Tully Marshall, Forrester Harvey, and Willie Fung.

The movie was filmed by Harold Rosson and uncredited Arthur Edeson. The Warner Archive Blu-ray looks incredibly good, especially for a film of this vintage, with rich, inky blacks and a beautiful overall picture. The print is from a new 1080p HD master from a 4K scan of the "best preservation elements."

For a deeper dive on this film, please also visit my 2013 review.

Extras consist of the trailer (in English with the onscreen words in Spanish), and a pair of shorts in two-strip Technicolor: OVER THE COUNTER (1932) with Betty Grable and WILD PEOPLE (1933). I found the trailer fascinating as it has angles of the climactic gun scene which aren't in the final film.

To clear up any potential confusion, a 1940 Gulf Screen Guild Theater radio production of the story mentioned in an early press release did not make it to the final disc, unless it's hiding under a menu somewhere and I didn't find it!

The Warner Archive Collection has also just released the above-mentioned MOGAMBO (1953), also starring Clark Gable, to Blu-ray. I'll be reviewing it in the near future.

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. Warner Archive Blu-rays may be ordered from Movie Zyng, Amazon, and other online retailers.

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