Lucky Jordan Reviews

Released just a few short months after Ladd's electric debut in THIS GUN FOR HIRE and his follow-up THE GLASS KEY, this entry marked Ladd's first top billing--a fact which thrilled his growing throng of fans. Ladd, in nearly the same persona as his previous two pictures, plays an unpatriotic louse of a gangster who runs his territory with an iron fist. His biggest enemy is not from the underworld, however, but from the draft board. Ladd's pal, Corrigan, tries to get him classified as "4-F"--"socially undesirable," but that attempt fails. Ladd then tries to get himself adopted by a dependent old woman, Paige, but the draft board still serves him his papers. Ladd is shipped off to boot camp where he acts as the perfect antithesis to the model soldier. Not only does he have an aversion to rising early, but he has a habit of sleeping in silk pajamas. Before long Ladd goes AWOL, taking with him canteen girl Walker who tries in vain to convince him to give himself up. He returns to his old gang, only to find that it's now being run by Leonard, who's selling government secrets to the Nazis. Eventually, Ladd takes on his former cronies and the Nazis they are dealing, ending up a hero when he breaks up the spy ring, and winning Walker to boot. Although LUCKY JORDAN heads downhill near the end (falling into cliched patriotism), it is still a surprisingly fresh picture with a dose of comedy. Ladd even gets an opportunity to smile a bit, as well as show off his original blond hair color. Fans, who would soon make Ladd one of Photoplay's most popular stars, just couldn't get enough of him. Paramount was well aware it had a hot property and cranked out as many Ladd vehicles as possible, just in case Ladd (like Lucky Jordan) got sent off to fight in the Pacific and never came back. The picture also introduced Walker, a fresh young actress with a pleasing mien, in her screen debut.