Playing Around (1930)

If you're looking for a subtle film, then I suggest you not watch "Playing Around". It has a very heavy-handed moralistic plot and it practically bashes you over the head with its message.When the film begins, Jack (William Bakewell) takes his date, Sheba (Alice White), to a night club. But he's shocked at the prices and can't possibly afford the place on his salary...which is understandable. What isn't understandable is the drip, Jack, insisting they just go home. Not surprisingly, Sheba is NOT happy about this and a fast-talking playboy, Nicky (Chester Morris) notices...and swoops in to impress the pretty lady. Soon Nicky and Sheba are dating...but trouble looms as Nicky is a cheap crook...and ends up shooting Sheba's father!!! It's the most insane of coincidences, that's for sure!The coincidence is bad enough...but the film is so obvious and amateurishly written that I won't recommend you watch it. Not a terrible film exactly...but far from a good one! It's a shame as I usually love Chester Morris films.

Beautiful blonde flapper Sheba Miller (Alice White) wins a loveliest legs contest and is pursued by shady gangster Nickey Solomon (Chester Morris). She quickly dumps her poor boyfriend Jack (William Bakewell) to be with the handsome Nickey. Although Sheba thinks Nicky is rich he is actually deeply in debt.*** SPOLERS ***Desperate for cash Nickey robs a cigar store owned by Sheba's father and ends up shooting him. The only witness was Sheba's ex-boyfriend Jack. Nickey tries to get out of town but is caught by the police at the train station. Sheba reunites with Jack and accepts his marriage proposal.Alice White gives a delightful performance as Sheba. She was a very beautiful and talented actress who deserves to be remembered today. One of the highlights of this film is Alice singing You Learn About Love Every Day. There were always rumors that Alice's singing voice was dubbed in her films but she sings this one live on stage.

...as were most of Alice White's films. Alice would never win any acting awards, but the films she starred in during her brief reign over at First National exemplify the end of the Jazz Age. Alice's characters may have not had the best judgment or the best taste in men, but their intentions were always good, and that is the case here.The film starts out in a nightclub named "The Pirate's Den". A big pirate-themed production number that looks like something that didn't make the final cut in Warner's revue "The Show of Shows" takes up the first five or so minutes - but Alice is nowhere in sight at this point. After the show is over, our stars appear. Sheba and Jack (Alice White and William Bakewell) are out for a night on the town, but Jack gets a headache when he looks at the prices on the menu. At the club at the same time is Nickey Solomon (Chester Morris) who seems to be a likable fellow who enjoys living well. However, he has one major character flaw - his profession is holdup man. Fortunately for the patrons of the club, this is his night off. He and Sheba meet when the club has a "legs contest" in which the female patrons are invited to participate. The curtain is lowered on the stage so you can just see the legs of the participants, and the girls then parade around the stage. Nickey is named judge, and he picks Sheba's legs as the winner(s). When the curtain is raised he sees the rest of Sheba and Nickey is quite taken by the entire package.From this point on Nickey is wooing Sheba, and Jack, who is just a 35 dollar a week soda jerk, is having a hard time competing. The scale is weighed even more heavily in Nickey's favor due to the fact that he is a rather talented liar who has Sheba believing he is a successful businessman. Chester Morris was excellent at playing an evil guy with a nice guy facade, but here you never see the really nasty side of his nature except for one scene. Nickey makes one serious mistake for a holdup guy - driving your own car to robberies and then blowing its unique sounding horn.This film has Alice singing only one number. Besides the opening production number there is another big costumed production number towards the middle of the film also staged at "The Pirates Den". The supporting roles are played well here too. There are a couple of older ladies that live across the alley from Sheba and her father that are always gossiping, and the part of Sheba's poor but loving father is played with heart by Richard Carlyle. Recommended for fans of early talkie fare if it ever crosses your path. In the 16 years I've been watching Turner Classic Movies I don't recall it ever being aired there.

First National had a lot of faith in feisty Alice White - enough to give her the lead in "Playing Around". It was based on the story "Sheba" by Vina Delmar who had become an overnight sensation with her novel "Bad Girl" - she then proceeded to shock America with stories like "Sheba" and "Pick Up". Alice White had once been a secretary to Joseph Von Sternberg and later to Charlie Chaplin but her bubbling personality and cute looks couldn't keep her out of the movies - especially in Hollywood!!! She was First Nationals answer to Clara Bow but unfortunately her career was over before it got started. 1931, the year after "Playing Around" saw her in her last starring role "The Naughty Flirt" and after that she was reduced to supporting roles.The movie starts off with a rousing number - "You're My Captain, Kid". It is part of a cabaret act set on a pirate ship - there is singing, dancing and exotic acrobatics. Sheba (Alice White) is taken there by her boyfriend Jack (William Bakewell) but she is turned off by his "penny pinching" comments - she wants the high life. Just as they are about to leave she impulsively enters a "legs" competition and wins. Her singing of "You Learn About Love Every Day" is cute and catches the eye of one of the judges, Nicky Solomon (Chester Morris) much to Jack's disgust - he doesn't like seeing her on display. He accuses her of "playing around" and not wanting to settle down.Nicky finds Sheba on the sidewalk, having missed her bus and takes her to dinner and a show. Sheba is dazzled by his flashiness and fancy car but Nicky is a fake. He has no money and relies on petty robberies to keep him supplied with cash. One of these jobs takes him to Sheba's father's drug store where he shoots the elderly man in cold blood. There is an eye witness - Jack, who was unnoticed in a phone booth. Sheba is unaware that her father has been hurt but Jack is on the ball and by some smart detective work brings the cold blooded Nicky to justice.This movie had a pretty good story and while Alice White may not win any acting awards she was very cute, as was Marion Byron, who had a small part as Maudie, a perky switchboard operator. Byron brightened up many movies of this vintage. Chester Morris was definitely on his way to better things. The same year he starred in "The Divorcée" and "The Big House".Recommended.