The Toast of New York (1937)

Hokey but enjoyable RKO biopic of Jim Fisk, 19th century financier and crook. As with most historical biopics, this is more fiction than fact (especially the end). Actually, I'll say this is even more loose with the truth than the average historical biopic from the time. The story tells how Fisk (Edward Arnold) rises to financial success on a series of crooked deals with his two cronies (Cary Grant, Jack Oakie). Eventually he has a falling out with one of them (Grant) over a girl (Frances Farmer).Edward Arnold is always worth watching and this is no exception. Cary Grant fans will likely be disappointed at his supporting role, which is more suited to a Patric Knowles type. Still, there are moments where Cary shines above the material. Such as the scene with the bratty actress where he tells her she's ugly. Jack Oakie and Donald Meek are fun comic relief. Of note for having one of the better roles of Frances Farmer's career. She's very good here and, if you don't know about her, you might wonder why she didn't go on to bigger & better things. Well, you should look up her story. It's very interesting and tragic. Overall, it's an entertaining movie. Goes on a little longer than it needs to and the romance stuff is blah. But solid performances and healthy doses of humor help. Worth a look if you're a fan of old Hollywood biopics.

I am always on the lookout for the products of the Golden Age of Hollywood, especially ones that I haven't seen before. In a lifetime of watching classic films, I had never seen this one. The opening credits indicate that this film was based on a story called *Robber Barons,* which gives you some idea of the subject matter. The three anchoring parts are played by Edward Arnold as Jim Fisk, Cary Grant as his partner Nick Boyd, and Jack Oakie as Luke, seeming a bit "country bumpkinish" I thought in the company of the other two bons vivants. The love interest, in the form of showgirl Josephine Mansfield, is filled by lovely Frances Farmer. I must give a special mention to old reliable supporting actor Donald Meek - usually seen as a fixture in MGM features. Here he is given one of the ripest supporting roles I have ever seen him in as Bible-spouting, aphorism-quoting, shipping magnate "Uncle Daniel" Drew. I will say no more for now, so as to avoid spoilers, but I found his performance truly wonderful. The film is lensed beautifully in stunning black and white, features smooth direction by *Son of Frankenstein* and *Tower of London* director Rowland V. Lee, and most especially the cast are supported by a literate, witty script featuring some of the juiciest dialog that has been my pleasure to indulge in in years. This film is right up there with such classics of the era as *His Girl Friday* (*The Front Page*), with the difference that the effervescence takes place in the historical setting of the latter half of the 19th. Century. I am not surprised to find out that the film takes liberties with the facts - but with such polished actors and literate script, it presents an idealized version with consummate technique. Since it really is a star vehicle and tour de force for Edward Arnold rather than Grant, I am left wondering why he wasn't given more such opportunities to steal the show - which he does rather handily.

Toast of New York was the Heaven's Gate and/or Cleopatra of its day, a film which almost sank its studio, RKO. RKO invested well over $1 million (a huge sum in 1937) into this film and it shows in every frame--incredible sets and costumes and the kind of polish you don't see anymore. The film was beset with pre-production problems, going through several announced stars (Spencer Tracy, Ginger Rogers, etc.) before settling on Farmer, Grant and Arnold. Writer Dudley Nichols was fired and re-hired as the production began shooting. The film, despite its pedigree, was greeted with decidedly mixed reviews and had lukewarm boxoffice response. Uneven in tone and historically inaccurate, it still is grand entertainment in the late 30s manner, with high drama and low comedy interspersed with about equal measure, and excellent performances by Farmer, Arnold and Oakie. Only Cary Grant seems somewhat ill at ease in a role quite different from his usual screen persona. The press materials on Toast are almost as lavish as the film itself, capitalizing on Farmer's recent success in "Come and Get It." The song Farmer sings, "The First Time I Saw You," was a chart hit for Bunny Berigan (who also charted with the theme from another Farmer film, "Ebb Tide") in 1937.

This is a movie that was probably great in its time, but would be viewed as a real oddball today. I bought the video because I am a great Frances Farmer fan; she is absulutely beautiful in it. The other stars- Arnold, Grant and Oakie are also excellent in their roles. This is probably one of the very few movies where Cary Grant was not the top star and did not get top billing. The story is a little farsical and somewhat overacted, but is still very entertaining. Three of the supporting actors- Donald Meek, Clarence Kolb and Billy Gilbert- are also interesting to see.