''The Public Menace'' is a 1935 American black-and-white romantic drama film starring

Jean Arthur Jean Arthur (born Gladys Georgianna Greene; October 17, 1900 – June 19, 1991) was an American Broadway and film actress whose career began in silent films in the early 1920s and lasted until the early 1950s. Arthur had feature roles in three F ...

George Murphy George Lloyd Murphy (July 4, 1902 – May 3, 1992) was an American dancer, actor, and politician. Murphy was a song-and-dance leading man in many big-budget Hollywood musicals from 1930 to 1952. He was the president of the Screen Actors Guild fro ...

and

Douglass Dumbrille Douglass Rupert Dumbrille (October 13, 1889 – April 2, 1974) was a Canadian actor who appeared regularly in films from the early 1930s. Life and career Douglass Dumbrille ( ) was born in Hamilton, Ontario. As a young man, he was employed ...

. A newspaper reporter keeps losing and regaining his job due to a manicurist he is persuaded to marry.

Plot

"Red" Foster (George Murphy) and other reporters board an ocean liner arriving from Europe. Red has been sent to cover a seemingly routine suicide. Cassie (Jean Arthur), the ship's manicurist, is homesick for America, but has somehow become a Greek citizen and not American. The captain (

Thurston Hall Ernest Thurston Hall (May 10, 1882 – February 20, 1958) was an American film, stage and television actor.Aylesworth, Thomas G. and Bowman, John S. (1987). ''The World Almanac Who's Who of Film''. World Almanac. . Pp. 186-187. Career Stag ...

) becomes aware of her plan to jump ship, and tells her she will be watched closely. She tells Red that she has a suicide note that reveals that man held by the police for a sensational murder is innocent and names the true killer. However, she will only give it to him if he marries her and makes her an American citizen again. He reluctantly agrees, and the captain marries them. Afterward, however, he learns that she has lied; the note is merely a letter of recommendation. Meanwhile, the other reporters learn that notorious gangster Tonelli (Douglass Dumbrille) is being brought back to the United States to face a number of charges. When they locate his cabin, they barge in on him and his police escorts. Then they are all forced at gunpoint by Tonelli's henchman to help in his escape. The reporters do not mind, as they have a great front page story for their newspapers. All that is, except Red. Frentrup (

Robert Middlemass Robert Middlemass (September 3, 1883 – September 10, 1949) was an American playwright and stage actor, and later character actor with over 100 film appearances, usually playing detectives or policemen.(13 Feb 1937)Mrs. Susan C. Middlemass ...

), Red's city editor, fires him for missing it. Neither Red nor Cassie have any money, so he lets her stay at his apartment. They find new jobs and save money for their divorce, though Cassie does her best to get Red to change his mind about splitting up. When Cassie reads about two dead gangsters who have been burned too badly to be identified, she hits upon a scheme to get Red his old job back. She telephones Frentrup and claims to be able to identify one as Tonelli by a tattoo mentioned in the newspaper, but insists on talking only to Red. Frentrup reinstates the reporter. However, Tonelli is still alive, and when he discovers that his girlfriend, Mimi (

Shirley Grey Shirley Grey (born Agnes Zetterstrand; April 11, 1902 – August 12, 1981) was an American actress. She appeared in more than 40 films between 1930 and 1935. Biography Born in Naugatuck, Connecticut, Grey was the daughter of E. A Zetterstr ...

), has quickly found herself another man, he guns them down in cold blood. Before he dies, the man is able to tell the police that Tonelli is responsible. Red gets fired again. Cassie is taken in to be interrogated on suspicion that she is Tonelli's accomplice. The police allow Cassie to be released on bail, in the hope that she will lead them to the fugitive. Tonelli does indeed send for her. When he realizes the block is surrounded by policemen, Cassie persuades him to let her call her "brother" (actually Red) and have him bring "his" ambulance, so the gangster can try to sneak out on a stretcher. The plan works, except Cassie and Red take him not to a new hideout, but to Red's newspaper. Trapped, Tonelli starts shooting and is killed by the police. In the middle of the gunfight, Frentrup once again rehires Red to write the unfolding story. At the divorce court, Red decides to stay married to Cassie.

Cast

as Cassie Nicholls *

as Edward "Red" Foster *

as Tonelli * George McKay as Dildy *

as Frentrup *

Victor Kilian Victor Arthur Kilian (March 6, 1891 – March 11, 1979) was an American actor who was blacklisted by the Hollywood movie studio bosses in the 1950s. Early life, career, and homicide Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, Victor Kilian began his ca ...

as Joe * Charles C. Wilson as Detective #1 *

Gene Morgan Gene Morgan (March 12, 1893 – August 13, 1940) was an American actor. He appeared in 111 films between 1926 and 1941. He was born in Racine, Wisconsin, United States, and died in Santa Monica, California. Selected filmography * ''Rogu ...

as Cox *

Murray Alper Murray Alper (January 11, 1904 – November 16, 1984) was an American actor. He appeared in numerous television series, films, and Broadway productions. Biography Born in New York City in 1904, Alper worked on Broadway from 1927 to 1940 in a nu ...

as Stiglitz *

as Mimi * Bradley Page as Louie * Arthur Rankin as Tommy *

as Captain of ocean liner *

Fred Kelsey Frederick Alvin Kelsey (August 20, 1884 – September 2, 1961) was an American actor, film director, and screenwriter. Kelsey directed one- and two-reel films for Universal Film Manufacturing Company. He appeared in more than 400 films betw ...

as Mike

Home media

The film is available on DVD as part of the Jean Arthur Comedy Collection, released by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Public Menace, The American romantic drama films American black-and-white films Films about journalists Films directed by Erle C. Kenton 1935 films Columbia Pictures films 1935 romantic drama films 1930s American films