Bad Company
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Tay Garnett
Helen Twelvetrees
Ricardo Cortez
John Garrick
Paul Hurst
Frank Conroy
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
When Helen King accepts Steve Carlyle's marriage proposal, she is unaware that he is a lawyer for a ring of gangsters headed by the despotic, eccentric Goldie Gorio. Although he tries to break free of his underworld connections, Steve is forced with violent threats to continue, and then learns that Helen's wealthy brother Mark is the head of a rival gang. In hopes of impressing the beautiful Helen, who knows nothing of Mark's illegal activites, Gorio first bankrolls a lavish wedding, then buys the newlyweds a luxurious Manhattan apartment and other extravagances. In time, Helen grows suspicious of Steve's business associates and dealings, but Steve, wanting to protect her, denies any wrongdoing. Gorio, meanwhile, aware that McBaine, a United States Marshal, is watching his illegal fleet of boats and is waiting for a chance to kill him, sets up Steve by sending him to the docks. During the police raid, Steve is seriously wounded, and Helen, finally understanding that she is a gangster's sister and wife, vows to save her husband from Gorio's lethal web. Gorio senses that his territory is being threatened by his rival and cold-bloodedly executes Mark and his gang. He then flirts openly with Helen, who feigns interest and agrees to meet him at his apartment. At the same time, Steve drags himself from his hospital bed and heads for Gorio's hideout, also armed. After a fierce machine gun battle between Gorio's gang and the police, Helen kills Gorio in Steve's presence, at last liberating her husband from his criminal past.
Director
Tay Garnett
Cast
Helen Twelvetrees
Ricardo Cortez
John Garrick
Paul Hurst
Frank Conroy
Harry Carey
Frank Mchugh
Kenneth Thomson
Arthur Stone
Emma Dunn
William V. Mong
Edgar Kennedy
Wade Boteler
Al Herman
Robert Keith
Mike Donlin
Gladden James
George Byron
Harold Goodwin
Crew
Claude Berkeley
Harry Joe Brown
Tom Buckingham
Carroll Clark
Tay Garnett Scr And Dial
John C. Grubb
Arthur Lange
Arthur Miller
Charles R. Rogers
Gwen Wakeling
Earl A. Wolcott
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The working titles of this film were The Gangster's Wife and The Mad Marriage. Film Daily reported in February 1931 that Lily Damita was to co-star in the picture with Ricardo Cortez and Harry Joe Brown was to direct. Al Herman, a well-known blackface comic, made his sound film debut in the film, according to a Film Daily news item. Film Daily production news items list James Eagles and Fred Kohler, Jr. in the cast, but their participation in the final film has not been confirmed. According to an RKO inter-office memo, Will H. Hays, President of the MPPDA, recommended to the studio that, in order to avoid censorship problems, the criminal aspect of the Steve Carlyle character be strongly down played and that he not be shown carrying a gun until the final scenes, so that the film would not be "glorifying the gangster."
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States 1931
Released in United States 1931
