Corsair Reviews

Offbeat gangster film has Morris rejected by Loyd (Thelma Todd) because he fails to excite her. The onetime college football star then goes to work for her father, Corrigan, a Wall Street swindler who is financing an enormous and lucrative bootlegging operation. Morris becomes his chief rum-runner who quits the racket in disgust. Next he forms his own seagoing gang and hijacks his former boss's shipments, selling them back to Corrigan. In their oddball philosophy, Loyd and Corrigan suddenly show deep respect for Morris' thievery. He manages to convince them of their errant ways and they reform but utterly escape retribution, a rare ending in an era when censors had their way. Morris is tough and quick to action while heavy Kohler as a derby-wearing smuggler is truly scary. McHugh provides some chuckles as the tipsy playboy. West's direction is full of pep, even though the script is sometimes dizzy. Location shooting included New York and Miami, a crisp approach by top lenser June.