Big Time or Bust

Regis Toomey does a High Dive act at a third-rate traveling show. His wife, Gloria Shea, holds the towel and shouts "Come on, big boy." It's a successful act, and when the show closes on the road, Toomey and Miss Shea head to New York to crack the big time. But jobs are scarce, so Miss Shea takes a job in the chorus, while Toomey stews. She gets a specialty number. She's seen by Walter Byron, who's looking for the next new thing -- for himself -- and gets producer Edwin Maxwell to hire her for the show Byron has backed, and into which he places his prospective conquests. Miss Shea is a big success... and Toomey resents it.

It's a good idea and script, and if director Sam Newfield is unable to draw anything outstanding out of the leads..... well, no one else did in lead roles. Toomey offers his dogged aspect, and Miss Shea seems far too wan to sing a specialty in a floor show, let alone star on Broadway. Maxwell gives a fine performance, Nat Carr is funny as Toomey's agent, and the plot is pretty good, in an old-fashioned manner during the pre-code era.