''High Tension'' is a 1936 American

comedy drama film Comedy drama, also known by the portmanteau ''dramedy'', is a genre of dramatic works that combines elements of comedy and drama. The modern, scripted-television examples tend to have more humorous bits than simple comic relief seen in a typical ...

directed by Allan Dwan and starring

Brian Donlevy Waldo Brian Donlevy (February 9, 1901 – April 6, 1972) was an American actor, noted for playing dangerous tough guys from the 1930s to the 1960s. He usually appeared in supporting roles. Among his best-known films are '' Beau Geste'' (19 ...

Glenda Farrell Glenda Farrell (June 30, 1904 – May 1, 1971) was an American actress. Farrell personified the smart and sassy, wisecracking blonde of the Classical Hollywood films. Farrell's career spanned more than 50 years, appearing in numerous Broadwa ...

, and

Norman Foster Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries ** People or things connected with the Nor ...

. It was released by

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...

on July 17, 1936. The film was based on the story written by J. Robert Bren and Norman Houston.

Plot

Cable layer Steve Reardon (

) is in a tank at the bottom of the ocean near Hawaii reading an adventure story "The Son of Neptune", written by his girlfriend Edith McNeil (

) who based the stories on Steve's life. After repairing the cable he was sent to fix, Steve returns to San Francisco and asks his boss Willard Stone (

Robert McWade Robert McWade (January 25, 1872 – January 19, 1938), was an American stage and film actor. McWade was born in Buffalo, New York. He was the third actor named Robert McWade, after his father and grandfather. In 1902, McWade debuted on stag ...

) for a $1000 bonus and two weeks vacation so that he can marry Edith. Later, Steve and Edith have an argument, when he arrives hours late for their date and complains that she is taking too long to get dress. Steve, believing that Edith has been using him to get inspiration for her stories, storms out. At a bar, he meets piano player Eddie Mitchell (

) and gets into a fight with two men who try to steal Steve's money, and is knocked unconscious. The next day, Steve wakes up in Eddie's apartments. When Steve Learns that Eddie studied engineering in college, he offers help to his new friend to become a real engineer. One year later, Eddie has become an engineer and together with Steve they return to San Francisco. Steve buys an engagement ring for Edith. He has not seen her since their argument. When Steve arrives at her apartment and finds her with the heavyweight boxing champion, Terry Madden (

Joe Sawyer Joe Sawyer (born Joseph Sauers, August 29, 1906 – April 21, 1982) was a Canadian film actor. He appeared in more than 200 films between 1927 and 1962, and was sometimes billed under his birth name. Early life Sawyer was born August 29, 1 ...

), the subject of her new series "Ladies Love Champions", he gets into a fight with Terry. Steve is arrested and Edith bails him out of jail. They agree to marry if their romance lasts more than 6 months. Steve goes to work for F. Willoughly Tuttle, while Eddie takes the position as superintendent of the Honolulu station. In Honolulu, Eddie encounters hostility from chief engineer Noble Harrison (

Theodore von Eltz Theodore von Eltz (November 5, 1893 – October 6, 1964) was an American film actor, appearing in more than 200 films between 1915 and 1957. He was the father of actress Lori March. Von Eltz was a Yale University professor's son. After 12 ...

), who believes that he should've gotten Eddie's job. When Noble informs the head office that Eddie plans to correct a shifting coral formation which threatens to wreck their frayed cable by blasting; Steve convince the head office into sending him to Honolulu to help Eddie. When he tells Edith about the transfer and reveals that he agreed to stay on the job for one year, she becomes angry and ends their engagement. In Honolulu, Steve fires Noble and begins to flirt with Brenda Burke, Eddie's secretary (whom Eddie has grown quite fond of). Brenda, tired of Eddie's lack of interest, accepts Steve's flirtation. When Steve spontaneously sends a picture of himself with Brenda in a bathing suit to Edith, she is furious and decides to go to Hawaii and give back his engagement ring personally. Meanwhile, in Honolulu Eddie warns Steve not to play with Brenda's feeling and Steve realize that Eddie is in love with Brenda. Later, Steve meet up with Edith, they spend the evening together and reconciles. When Steve fails to show up for a 6 a.m. blast, Eddie, trying to impress Brenda, decides to go ahead with the blast without him. After Eddie dives into the coral, his air line is blocked. Steve arrives and rescues Eddie as Brenda and Edith watch on shore. Afterwards, Brenda and Eddie embrace, and a telegraph arrives from the head office saying that if Steve marries Edith, he will get a five-year contract and that she has permission to travel with him and get her stories.

Cast

as Steve Reardon *

as Edith McNeil *

as Eddie Mitchell * Helen Wood as Brenda Burke *

as Willard Stone *

as Noble Harrison *

Hattie McDaniel Hattie McDaniel (June 10, 1893October 26, 1952) was an American actress, singer-songwriter, and comedian. For her role as Mammy in ''Gone with the Wind (film), Gone with the Wind'' (1939), she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, ...

as Hattie *Romaine Callender as F. Willoughby Tuttle *

as Terry Madden * George Chandler as Man at Honolulu Dock

Production

The original title for the story by J. Robert Bren and Norman Houston was "Here Comes Trouble", but 20th Century Fox used that title for another film which they released earlier in the same year. The working title of the movie was "Trouble Makers". The film includes the song "And That Woman Made a Monkey Out of Me" by

Sidney Clare Sidney Clare (August 15, 1892 – August 29, 1972) was an American comedian, dancer and composer. His best-known songs include "On the Good Ship Lollipop" (introduced by Shirley Temple), " You're My Thrill" (recorded by Billie Holiday), and "Ple ...

Reception

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'' movie review said: "High Tension is a loud and funny comedy written almost entirely in the vernacular, which is well suited to Miss Glenda Farrell's aptitude for robust comedy. Here she is aided and abetted by Brian Donlevy, the man with the profile, who spends part of his time asking her to marry him and, paradoxically, running out on her after she consents. Apparently for good measure, the scenario writers toss in some melodramatic episodes. For instance, the interlude in which Mr. Donlevy descends to the floor of the Pacific to rescue Norman Foster, who becomes entangled in a movement of coral reef while mending the Honolulu—San Francisco cable. High Tension may be recommended to the not too finicky as better than average hot-weather screen fare."

Home media

20th Century Fox released the film on DVD on December 16, 2014.

References

External links

* {{Allan Dwan 1936 films 20th Century Fox films American comedy-drama films 1936 comedy-drama films Films directed by Allan Dwan American black-and-white films 1930s English-language films 1930s American films