Actor Challenge (Joan Blondell)

I love pre-code movies and I was hooked to this film from the very first frame since the movie throws you in right away with some deep Depression-era poverty. Even though the poster here seems to suggest prostitution, Joan Blondell gets to be a criminal mastermind in Blondie Johnson and I loved it. The dialogue is whip-smart and the screenplay was so clever and efficient for a pre-code film.

The most pre-code moments:

-There's an interracial relationship between an Asian woman and a white man and no one even comments on it
-One woman asks Joan Blondell why she doesn't just give one of the characters a tumble
-Brutal murder and attempted murder (with blood)
-Joan Blondell calls another woman a whor(se)
-Most of Joan Blondell's dialogue, really

A pretty good film with a female with full agency. And it was nice to see an Asian female with full agency too. It opens with a stark reminder of the Great Depression, and Blondie (Joan Blondell) vowing to never be poor. She meets up with Danny (Chester Morris) and they make moves to take over the city's criminal enterprises. All the while, Blondie making sure the relationship is all business. They do good for a while, but then squabbles threaten the racket. I really enjoyed the relationship between Blondell and Morris. A fun movie.

Criterion Channel, keep those Golden Age goodies coming! Make a fresh dame happy!

Why did this kinda go off tho ???? Like it was so fun and there were some genuine thrills. Joan has the range!!!! Also in literally every other movie I’ve seen him in I thought he was a smarmy chump tell me why Chester Morris is kinda sexy in this???????

Joan Blondell is fucked over by the unfeeling dictates of capitalism and decides to take matters into her own hands by working her way to the top of the criminal underworld. Despite this obviously excellent plot and charismatic performances by both Joan and co-star Chester Morris, this all manages to come off as somewhat dull thanks to an uneven script and pacing that feels sluggish even at 67 minutes. Lotta good dresses and art deco knick-knacks, though, and it's great to see Joan as the hardened crime boss she was always meant to be.

joan blondell is the sassiest business bitch who ever lived

A pre-code gangster movie with a typical rise and fall storyline but also a distinctly feminine twist, Joan Blondell having the beauty but also the toughness and grit to be convincing in such a no nonsense role, proving she doesn't need Cagney to start her own crime empire. There's some risqué for the time stuff like murder, an interracial relationship and audacious dialogue, though unlike some of the better known crime pictures of the era settles for a romantic, less cynical ending which feels like a bit of a trite cop out. That said, the dynamic between Blondell and Chester Morris is enjoyable and its depiction of depression era desperation carries the same social commentary that many films of this period shared.

Criterion Channel.

You want a good Joan Blondell picture? There’s a lot of them. If you want a good Joan Blondell picture where she’s front-and-center the star, Blondie Johnson is just the ticket!

Blondell appeared in some thirty movies in the 4-5 year stretch known as the Pre-Code Era. And Blondie Johnson she takes herself rags to riches, from begging for money from a tightwad agency to save her ailing mother straight to scamming her way to wealth and eventually the head of a significant criminal enterprise.

Her little cadre includes the knockout Toshia Mori, who really deserved a better career than she seems to have had.

Blondell is aces.

“I know all the answers - and I know what it's all about. I found out the only thing worthwhile is dough! And I'm gonna get it, see!” (Blondie Johnson)

Through a series of unfortunate events, Blondie Johnson played by Joan Blondell, becomes the boss of a racket organization. 

WB makes great use of the pre-code era to do a gangster story with a gender switch and Joan Blondell is up to task to take the lead. It’s too bad that Chester Morris as Danny Jones, was not as great as Blondell and lacked chemistry with her. I loved Blondell in this film, using her brains instead of her physical assets to get ahead. It was implied that she did use her charms to get her outfit and money to come to the city but afterwards, it was all brains. 

I also liked that Toshia Mori was in the cast as an Asian moll and part of Blondie’s gang. 

Recommended!

blondell at her best and i think my new favorite line ever is "it's the truth anyway whether you swallow it or not"

Blondie Johnson is the original Girl Boss.

While the “fall” at the end of the movie is pretty by the numbers for a gangster picture from this era, it still feels like a galling reassertion of the patriarchy given the surprisingly feminist twists and turns the movie manages to take prior to the last act (but I guess that’s the pitfall of the rest of the movie being so ahead of its time).

Another good 30s Pre-Code comedy about a woman conning men with her wit. While the wit cracks like a whip, and there a few zingers to enjoy, the pacing dips as more dramatic elements take over during the trial sequence. Light on the gangster elements, but heavy with carbonated charm as with all of Blondell's bubbly performances worth toasting to.

joan blondell is the cutest lady gangster boss in cinematic history, change my mind. unfortunately chester morris is a no from me and the ending was weirdly code-y for a pre-code film, but, really: cute lady gangster boss. difficult to develop this concept into something not worth my time

Joan Blondell can do no wrong.

Very fun, pre-war, socially conscious gangster film from Warner. Nothing stands out as being particularly noteworthy, but found it to be a thoroughly enjoyable watch.

joan blondell is the sassiest business bitch who ever lived

You can make a whole limited series out of this

Almost a terrific movie but it shys away with a lame ending that has the expected socially mandated punishment (but only gets there because she uncharacteristically orders a hit on her lover).

Sparkling dialog, an utterly fantastic role, a marvelous leading performance from Blondell makes for an iconic gangster pic, one that's neglected (obviously due to cultural sexism).

As it's just a B picture, it's only about 70 minutes long, and could use a beefed up plot and character development. The film loses momentum whenever she's not on screen, which means they should have just leaned into more of giving us more scenes of this badass gangster. Alas, my biggest problem with the film is that I want more (and I want more visual panache too).

they did joanie so dirty!!!!

This one had a loooot of fun slang in it

hot damn, i wish this had been longer. the performances are excellent, particularly joan blondell and my 1930s husband, chester morris. i swoon when he's on screen.

it's pretty uneven and there's not a ton of character development, but i'm just picturing the 3 hour scorsese version with these two electric actors and it's brilliant.