Wednesday, June 1, 2022

The Primrose Path (1925)

A decent melodrama though it certainly packs plenty in.

Bruce (Wallace MacDonald) is well off, unfortunately he spends his money on gambling and booze. Despite the fact he is a bit of a loser, his gal Marilyn (Clara Bow) sticks by him. Bruce ends up gambling with the boss Tom (Stuart Holmes) of the establishment where Marilyn works as a dancer. Bruce loses big and can't pay up. To avoid jail he has no choice but to be involved in diamond smuggling with Tom.

The troubles however, continue to rack up for Bruce. He gets involved in a death and it all spells ruin (and the electric chair) for Bruce, and despair for his widowed mother and crippled brother (just in case you haven't got enough melodrama!)

An emotional film but handled with enough subtlety to keep things just about bearable.