They might as well have done because the parade of non-entity Z listers they sent on made as much impact. This is an absolute nothing of a film: stupid story, lifeless direction, bland script, unlikeable characters and it looks like it was all written, filmed and edited during a quick visit to the local speakeasy.
The only highlight is a cameo from Arthur Houseman doing his regular drunk act right at the beginning - yes, he from Laurel and Hardy's OUR RELATIONS!
As hard it is to believe, this was made by a proper studio: Paramount, believe it or not. This isn't just a B picture, it's a Z picture. To be fair however pictures like this were never meant to be watched by us ninety years later. They were just cheap product to oblige the picture houses used to fill time as the audiences took their seats. It would be like our great grandchildren watching an hour's worth of cinema adverts from today. Even so, I'd guess they'd have preferred to see adverts for the new Ford model Y and the latest gramophone than this.
The acting from four "stars" is worse in terms of credibility than you'd see in FLASH GORDON. They show no emotional engagement with each other - you could believe that they've only just met ten minutes ago when the scrips were given out...... which was ten minutes before director William Beaudine got his!
To make it worse: the producers thought that Marjorie White was an actual actress and asked her to be in this. I haven't seen such a dreadful film since... yesterday when for some misguided reason I sat through SUNNYSIDE UP - which also featured Marjorie White. Oh and yes, we're also treated to Louise Beavers playing that usual subservient simpleton she always did. Did they think that wouldn't be seen as patronising to any black customers unfortunate enough to wander in to the theatre?
The overall impression of this is cheapness. Some quota quickies, some B movies and some pictures from the Poverty Row studios with tiny budgets are of course worth watching - this however is dull, amateurish and awful. Avoid!
