Ben Lyon stars as Cooky Bradford, a short-order cook who also works as a sparring partner in Pop Baldwin's gym. Cooky's ultimate goal is to buy a lunch wagon of his own, and he plans to earn the money by working his way up in the fight game. When Pop dies unexpectedly, daughter Honey, played by Constance Cummings, decides to take over her father's gym, including the management of his fighters. Unfortunately, only the trainer, Catfish, and Cooky agree to stay on. Honey's professional advice to Cooky regarding his boxing style improves his skills, and the couple decides to move to New York to pursue better fights and higher stakes. When Cooky realizes that Honey is more to him than a manager, the two marry. However, marriage changes their relationship, because Cooky is too proud to accept his wife's help with his career. Determined to be the bread-winner, he attempts to manage his career on his own, though he is far too naïve and inexperienced. The couple struggles for money until Honey secretly arranges a fight at a charity bout organized by beautiful socialite Kay Mitchell, played by sultry Thelma Todd. Cooky wins the fight, which jumpstarts a lucrative boxing career. However, Kay threatens his success in the ring and the stability of his marriage by flirting with the fighter and influencing him to embrace a party lifestyle.
The well-developed screenplay was penned by Robert Riskin, who would later earn acclaim for his work with Frank Capra, John Ford, and William Wellman. Riskin had arrived in Hollywood in 1931, and his experience with writing plays, particularly in handling conversation and character interaction, served him well as a budding screenwriter. Though the overall plot is formulaic, the heart-felt conversations and interactions between Cooky and Honey are charming, showcasing the talents of Lyon and Cummings. The scene in which Cooky realizes his love for Honey occurs as the two stroll down the street looking in store windows at wedding-related displays. Honey hints at her feelings for him by commenting on the window displays, which in turn helps Cooky understand the depths of his feelings. A familiar trope--the boy suddenly realizes he is in love with the girl--has been made fresh by Riskin.
Ben Lyon had been a major star since the silent era, and the film was clearly built around his screen persona as the affable young man filled with optimism and boyish charm. As the leading character, Cooky experiences the most dramatic character arc, evolving from a naive youth to a puffed-up boxing star to the defeated adult who is saved by the love of the leading lady. However, to modern-day audiences, the character of Honey Baldwin will likely hold more fascination.
Released in 1932, The Big Timer is a pre-Code film, which raises expectations that the film will feature a strong female lead. And, Honey Baldwin is no exception. Not only does she work in a man's world, but she thrives in an occupation and a working environment that is exclusively male--the sport of boxing. She knows exactly how to improve Cooky's boxing skills and how to guide his career, steering clear of matches with third-rate boxers while pursuing fights against real contenders. She experiences prejudice because of her gender when most of her father's fighters leave because they don't want to be managed by a woman. While Honey's decision to back down from her position as manager for the sake of her marriage might seem typical for an older Hollywood movie, in this instance, it is presented as a mistake. Cooky's career suffers because of his insistence on being the bread-winner of the family, and his bad decisions break up their marriage. On her own again, Honey goes to work for big-league boxing manager Jim Colton as his number-one assistant. As a matter of fact, traditional gender roles are reversed to some degree in The Big Timer. Honey is part of the male-dominated sports world, while Cooky's goal is to own a diner where he will be the primary cook. As a snobby woman in the unemployment line opines to Honey, cooking is no job for a man. But, each are clearly suited to their desired professions.
Constance Cummings costarred as Honey Baldwin. Petite and cute, Cummings fared better as the devoted wife than she did as a gritty fight manager, but she managed to make the character appealing and sympathetic. A stage actress since age 16, Cummings moved to Hollywood in 1931 after she was discovered by Samuel Goldwyn. Like many young actresses of the early sound era, she was cast in one film after another with hardly a break in between. She appeared in 20 films between 1931 and 1934, with The Big Timer counting as her sixth. Whether disillusioned by the factory-like nature of film production, or discouraged by the quality of material, Cummings abandoned her Hollywood career after she married playwright Benn Wolf Levy in 1933. She appeared in only one film in 1935 and two in 1936. She moved to London with her family in the mid-1930s, where she returned to the stage. Despite an occasional film appearance, she was known as a prominent stage actress for the rest of her career, even joining Laurence Olivier's famed National Theater while in her 60s.
While The Big Timer benefitted from Riskin's screenplay, Lyon's star turn, and Cummings' modern character, it was newcomer Edward (Eddie) Buzzell's direction that elevated the film from the norm of early-sound movies. In 1932, many directors were still stifled by cumbersome early-sound equipment, letting scenes unfold in bland medium shots with minimal cutting. Buzzell seemed to escape the pitfalls of early-sound directors, because he cut with a rhythm that enhanced the action and freely moved the camera to add energy to a scene. In the opening sequence, Cooky is shown behind the counter of a diner serving customers. The camera tracks with him as he bounces from one end of the counter to the other, giving the scene a rhythm that matches Cooky's boundless optimism. Buzzell attempted to depict the many fight scenes with energy and excitement; for example, one match was shot in accelerated motion, while another consisted of a well-edited montage of punching fists, dancing feet, frantic rubdowns, and expressive faces. Buzzell went on to enjoy a 30-year career, directing such luminaries as the Marx Bros., Esther Williams, and Rosalind Russell.
Ultimately, The Big Timer proved to be little more than a stepping stone in the careers of the principle talents, but its solid direction and charming performances make it a pleasant viewing experience for classic-movie lovers.
By Susan Doll
Producer: Columbia Pictures
Director: Eddie Buzzell
Screenplay: Robert Riskin
Cinematography: L. William O'Connell
Editor: Gene Milford
Cast: Cooky Bradford (Ben Lyon), Honey Baldwin (Constance Cummings), Kay Mitchell (Thelma Todd), Catfish (Tommy Dugan), Dan Wilson (Robert E. O'Connor), Pop Baldwin (Charles Grapewin), Sullivan (Russell Hopton), Scrappy Martin (Jack Miller), Smitty (Bert Starkey), Champ (Charles Delaney).
BW - 74m.
