Mon 4 Apr 2016
A Movie Review by Jonathan Lewis: SKYSCRAPER SOULS (1932).
Posted by Steve under Films: Drama/Romance , Reviews[6] Comments
SKYSCRAPER SOULS. MGM, 1932. Warren William, Maureen O’Sullivan, Gregory Ratoff, Anita Page, Verree Teasdale, Norman Foster, George Barbier, Jean Hersholt, Wallace Ford, Hedda Hopper. Based on a novel by Faith Baldwin. Director: Edgar Selwyn.
Although it doesn’t do a particularly good job at introducing its myriad array of characters at the very beginning, Skyscraper Souls ends up being a devilishly enjoyable romantic comedy/drama. What sets this film apart is that nearly the entire story takes place within the confines of a supersized midtown Manhattan Art Deco skyscraper, one that symbolizes its owner’s oversized ego.
Based on Faith Baldwin’s novel Skyscraper (1931), this pre-code movie features Warren William in a starring role. He portrays Dave Dwight, a selfish and lecherous owner of the aforementioned skyscraper, one that towers over the Empire State Building. Motivated primarily by greed and lust, Dwight has engaged in a long-term extramarital affair with his secretary, Sarah Dennis (Verree Teasdale). Soon enough, however, he has his eye on Sarah’s new and younger assistant, the exceedingly innocent Lynn Harding (a beautiful Maureen O’Sullivan). But Lynn has a suitor of her own, a bumbling, if not handsomely charming bank teller named Tom Shepherd (Norman Foster).
Not surprisingly, given that the movie was adapted for the big screen from a novel, there’s also a couple of further subplots involving a stock market scam, a lonely jewelry store proprietor who has fallen in love with a girl who seems to bed every man except him, and a down-on-their-luck couple willing to steal in order to get back up on their feet. Plus, there’s a gun, a murder by mistake, and a suicide.
A combination of romantic comedy, sleaze, and sentimentalism, Skyscraper Souls can feel sluggish at times, which necessitates a degree of patience from the viewer. But it ends up being a rather insightful look into the romantic and working lives of both sexes in the early 1930s and a subtle, but hardly over the top, indictment of hyper-capitalism. All told, it’s not what I would consider a great film, but it’s certainly worth a look.
April 4th, 2016 at 8:51 pm
William specialized in sleaze at the this point in his career, even his Perry Mason is sleazy. No one did it better than he did and yet still managed a modicum of slightly weary charm while doing it.
This one is busy as you point out, but also entertaining, and the faint pre code suggestion of more going on than you see on the screen helps it along when it slows down. Not a great film, but a great little minor A film.
April 4th, 2016 at 10:19 pm
I’ll have to see if I can’t borrow Jon’s copy of this movie, if he still has it. It’s one I haven’t seen, and I’m intrigued.
April 5th, 2016 at 4:15 am
According to a bio of William, he became associated with roles like this in the pre-code era, and after the crackdown of 1934, found himself shunted into less rewarding parts.
April 5th, 2016 at 1:12 pm
This the same Norman Foster who would go on to direct not only the Mr Moto films, but would work with Orson Welles on “Journey Into Fear” and work on a lot of great TV shows, Davy Crockett, Zorro, and others for Disney.
April 5th, 2016 at 1:57 pm
Yup, the same Norman Foster. He was a minor leading man before becoming a director.
April 6th, 2016 at 6:11 am
Thank you for an informative review.
Two of Edgar Selwyn’s best films are discussed in my brief article:
http://mikegrost.com/selwyn.htm
Selwyn was not a great filmmaker on the level of Fritz Lang or Orson Welles. But he did above-average, interesting work. His films repay interest and study.