Wednesday, September 2, 2020

The World Gone Mad (1933)

The biggest crooks are the big city crooks but the mob is never far away, as this enjoyable tale reveals. When the District Attorney is shot while on the verge of uncovering a huge stock market fraud, it falls to plucky and wise cracking reporter Andy Terrell (Pat O'Brien) and the new DA Lionel Houston (Neil Hamilton) to discover who is behind the killing and the fraud.

It might be a high-level crime but it is low-lives who do the actual killing with the mob led by Bruno (Louis Calhern) in cahoots with the corporate criminals. Lionel is soon the new target of the mob. Andy is also soon in danger when he messes with the gangster moll Carlotta (Evelyn Brent) and is lured into a trap...

The story can be a little complicated at times, plus there is a little bit too much filler which can drag the movie a bit, but this is a good solid corporate crime / gangster / news reporter caper well worth your time. The main cast give good performances, especially O'Brien and Brent. The Art Deco backdrop and sets are often breathtaking.