Street of Chance

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Movie
Original title Street of Chance
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1930
length 76 minutes
Rod
Director John Cromwell
script Howard Estabrook , Lenore J. Coffee
production David O. Selznick for Paramount Pictures
camera Charles Lang
occupation

Street of Chance is an American feature film with the on-screen couple William Powell and Kay Francis , directed by John Cromwell . The film is based on some events in the life of the then famous professional player Arnold Rothstein .

action

John Marsden, known as "Natural Davis", is a well-known New York gambler. He is now dependent on the danger and appeal of professional poker games. The game made him rich, but at the same time his marriage to Alma, a warm-hearted woman, is on the brink of danger. Just as Alma persuades her husband to leave New York, John's younger brother Babe gets into trouble. The young man also tries his hand at the poker table, but does not have the talent of his brother and runs into debt. John tries to show his brother a way out of trouble, but in the end John himself becomes entangled in scams and finds a violent death.

background

Kay Francis , who was under contract with Paramount since 1929 , was initially only seen in supporting roles as a vamp or amoral woman of better society. Despite her mostly short appearance, she became popular with female viewers, not least thanks to her ability to exude calm and self-control even in disturbing emotional moments. In addition, Francis had the ability to present extravagant wardrobes with naturalness. It was David O. Selznick who discovered that Kay Francis could also play a leading role. He used it for the first time with William Powell , whose career did not develop in the desired way with the advent of talkies . Francis, whose agent Myron Selznick was David's brother, was always grateful for the chance the producer gave her.

“David Selznick did more to develop my self-confidence than anyone else. He would be the only one who believed in me and trusted me to lead roles. "

Powell and Francis established themselves as a popular screen couple who appeared in six joint films by 1932. For Jean Arthur , whose career was rapidly dwindling since the advent of the talkie , the film was the last good role under her current Paramount contract. She returned to Broadway shortly thereafter and did not make it to star until the mid-1930s.

Awards

The film went with a nomination for the 1930 Academy Awards (November) :

criticism

The film received high praise in the LA Evening Herald .

"The professional player is at the center of Paramount's" Street of Chance, "a good film that will no doubt be a nominee for the ten best films of 1930."

Photoplay , one of the most influential film magazines at the time, said benevolently:

"Bill Powell's talent and Kay Francis' honesty would be the highlight of any movie."

Louella Parsons was particularly impressed by Kay Francis and prophetically pointed out a very special ability of the actress, which would contribute a lot to her later rise to the top star:

“But no other woman would be better on screen than Kay Francis in the role of wife. She wears her clothes like an absolute professional and brings additional interest in a male-dominated story. "

Web links

swell

  • Lynn Kear & John Rossman - Kay Francis: A Passionate Life and Career - McFarland & Company, 2006; ISBN 0-7864-2366-8 .
  • Scott O'Brien - Kay Francis: I Can't Wait to Be Forgotten. Her Life on Stage and Film - BearManor Media, 2006; ISBN 1-59393-036-4 .

Footnotes

  1. ^ David Selznick did more to buoyn my self-confidence than anybody else. [He] was the only one who always believed that I was capable of playing leads.
  2. ↑ The big-time gambler has his day in Paramount's "Street of Chance", a fine picture, that without doubt will be a candidate for the ten best of 1930.
  3. ↑ Bill Powell's finess and Kay Francis' sincere emoting would be highlights in any picture.
  4. ↑ But no woman on the screen could be more stunning than Kay Francis as “Natural's” wife. She wears her clothes like a thoroughbred and she adds interest to a story in which men are featured.