Tonight's Movie: Ladies of the Big House (1931) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

A pair of Sylvia Sidney films from 1931 were recently released on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber.

The "Pre-Code Classics" two-film set features CONFESSIONS OF A CO-ED (1931) and LADIES OF THE BIG HOUSE (1931).

I started off my viewing from this set with LADIES OF THE BIG HOUSE, a "women in prison" film which immediately made me think of the later pre-Code LADIES THEY TALK ABOUT (1933). Like the later film, LADIES OF THE BIG HOUSE is also very enjoyable.

Kathleen (Sidney) is a sweet young clerk in a florist's shop who, as the movie begins, is turning down a date with Kid Athens (Earle Foxe). Kathleen has just learned that Athens is a mobster and wants nothing more to do with him.

Athens has to go on the lam for a while but threatens Kathleen that he's going to have her watched while he's away, and if he hears she dates anyone else...well, it won't be good.

As it happens, Kathleen immediately meets Standish McNeil (Gene Raymond), an engineer just returned to the U.S. from working abroad.

The two fall head over heels for each other and marry after a two-week courtship, with plans to immediately leave the country for Stan's next job. Kathleen hasn't mentioned Athens to Stan but knows leaving town will get them far from harm's way. She hasn't counted on the vengeful Athens framing her and her new husband for murder hours before they're due to sail.

They're convicted and sent off to prison, with Kathleen receiving a life sentence and Stan sentenced to death. How can the couple prove their innocence in time to save Stan's life?!

This film was based on a play by Ernest Booth, with added dialogue by William Slavens McNutt and Grover Jones. It's well-structured and quite entertaining thanks to good plotting and a terrific cast.

Sidney, with her soulful eyes and sweet disposition, is marvelous, and it's completely believable Stan would fall for her in a short time. Kathleen may have a gentle demeanor, but she also proves to be strong and absolutely dedicated to saving her husband, even if it requires desperate measures.

I especially loved a scene late in the film where Kathleen and Susie reach an understanding of sorts. It's quite moving.

Raymond was a handsome leading man in many films of the '30s - WALKING ON AIR (1936) with Ann Sothern is a favorite - then was offscreen for several years during the '40s while serving as an Army Air Force pilot. Earlier this year I was blown away by his tough performance engineering a gold heist in PLUNDER ROAD (1957).

Raymond is quite romantic in this film sweeping Kathleen off her feet. Despite the unfairness of his conviction, he conducts himself with dignity and does what he can to reassure his wife.

Like so many films of the era, a big part of the joy of LADIES OF THE BIG HOUSE is its supporting cast. Louise Beavers, a longtime favorite of mine, plays a kindly prison mate who shows Kathleen "the ropes" and defends her from some of the tougher ladies. She's delightful.

Jane Darwell is a nice prison matron, while Wynne Gibson plays Susie, who had also dated Kid Athens and resents Kathleen from distracting his attention.

(As a side note which might be of interest to some readers, I've visited the final resting places of both Gibson and Beavers, at Forest Lawn Glendale and Evergreen Cemetery, respectively. Gibson has one of the most memorable gravestones I've ever seen.)

There are many more great faces in the cast, including Roscoe Karns, J. Carrol Naish, Esther Howard, Purnell Pratt, Mary Gordon, and Robert Emmett O'Connor.

Paulette Goddard is listed at IMDb as being part of a crowd of inmates, but I didn't notice her.

The movie was energetically directed by Marion Gering, running a crisp 77 minutes. The movie was filmed by David Abel.

The Blu-ray print is from a new HD master from a 4K scan. The picture may be a bit soft, in the way that films of this era often are, but overall it looks and sounds great, all the more so for a film of this vintage. It was a real pleasure viewing it in such good condition.

This set of Pre-Code Classics is presented as a Kino Lorber Special Edition with a cardbiard slipcase. Both films in the set have commentary tracks by David Del Valle and Stan Shaffer. There's also a gallery of five trailers for other films available from Kino Lorber.

I'll be reviewing CONFESSIONS OF A CO-ED in the near future. I thoroughly enjoyed LADIES OF THE BIG HOUSE and hope that more Pre-Code Classics sets will be coming from Kino Lorber in the future.

Thanks to Kino Lorber for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray.

Tweet