Ladies Love Brutes

...from Paramount and director Rowland Lee. Bancroft stars as Joe Forziati (and just try counting how many times his name is mentioned during the film!), a rough-and-tumble construction magnate who has really made good after the completion of his latest NYC skyscraper. The uppercrust wealthy society is loathe to admit Forziati into their ranks, though, as they view his as too coarse and unrefined. Forziati sets out to improve his image with a wardrobe upgrade and an invitation to a high society dinner hosted by Mimi Howell (Mary Astor). Mimi has filed for divorce from her philandering husband Dwight (Fredric March), and she warms to the no-nonsense approach of Forziati. His hopes for acceptance may be dashed, though, by the intrusion of low-life racketeer Mike Mendino (Stanley Fields).

I watched this for March, but he's hardly in it. This is almost completely a showcase for the onscreen persona of George Bancroft, whose star was already starting to fade. He was the first real gangster movie star, and he also did well in blue-collar type roles, but his prima donna attitude and changing audience taste made a rather quick end to his stardom, and he was soon playing fourth or lower billed roles in B westerns. He's not bad here, but the script can't decide how much of a heel he is. Astor looks disappointed at being in the film. Fields once again makes for a terrific thug.