Picture a young woman, bored with her existence, maintaining a weekly vigil at the theater. She doesn't care what's showing, as long as she's transported to another dimension, free of her everyday troubles, especially if romance contributes to the illusion. When the realization finally came to light that people in this time period would accept any movie available, I understood why numerous films of the thirties, forties and fifties appear dreadful. Hollywood studios apparently took random scripts laying about and forced stars (through their contracts) to act in movies that had the capacity to produce a profit. Big City appears as one of the scripts forced on the stars involved. A love story exists between Tracey and Luise Rainer. She has a way of speaking in a petulant baby voice that's completely annoying. It's difficult to ascertain whether the film consists as a comedy or drama. She's having a baby, and Tracey strongly laments. "if it's a girl--call the whole thing off." The line appears amusing, except he states his opinion in dire seriousness. Difficulting in understanding the story line of the trailer occurs when Spencer Tracy appears on the screen. One minute his attire would put him to work on the docks, and in another he's impeccably dressed and carousing with the mayor. I must confess that I pursued insight beyond the trailer in search of hard facts to understand the movie's storyline. Wikipedia, how did the world exist without your vast repertoire of knowledge? Apparently, Spencer and his true love own a fleet of cabs and the city charges them with the crime of starting taxi war. The words "taxi war" resonates somewhere between the absurd and hilarity. I can see it now, World War III: The Taxi Wars. Taxis are pumped up with special equipment and roam the cities of the world, killing humans who have the audacity to choose a competing cab company. Humanity ends not with a bang or a whimper, but to a ticking of a cab's meter. Films concentrating on taxi companies does not make an appearance on a list of my movie wants. If only a scene occurred of Spencer Tracey kicking the mayor down a large abyss and shouting, "This Is Sparta A Taxi War!" Unfortunately, that scene is ominously missing and brings back my original assessment of "no." A rating of 6.4 occurs on IMDb, and four members of Rotten Tomatoes gave a combined score of fifty percent. I'm compelled to bestow a colossal thumbs down to Big City.
Jimmy Stewart was a man of considerable acting skills, and appeared in countless movies which are highly regarded in the industry. Twenty eight years old in 1936, he acted in eight movies that year, including The Thin Man, and thus we have the problem with Born To Dance, and to sum it up, I ask, "what was he thinking." The thought of Jimmy Stewart singing and dancing in a musical feels quite puzzling, and unbelievable. I might not protest so hardily except that he's terrible at singing--something he admits in a later interview (video below trailer). The problems don't end with his performance--the concept of the story revolves around a sailor and a tap dancer, and she's gotta dance, which disappoints him (he may have wanted her home in the kitchen). I believe Powell was a well loved star in the thirties, though she's not a name I recognize.
The trailer offers the development of several love interests, though any enthusiasm, to satisfy my urges, to watch the romance in this movie are nonexistent. Expand this mixture to incorporate extravagant show tunes-- singing, dancing, countless men playing tubas, and scene after scene of exaggerated smiling--this movie recipe doesn't interest me in the least. 100% thumbs down!
The trailer promises the movie is "the greatest soul thrill of our lives." I'm concerned this promise may prove deceptive, since watching the trailer proved my soul thrilling aspirations may not reach the same heights as the trailer predicts. The story transpires in a small town or suburb, though I assume the title represents the chronicles of a young boy's transforming into a young man, and the mental wilderness he must trek through. One scene shows a woman (prostitute?) in his lap forcing her lips on his without any reluctance on his part. Apparently, his fling exposed aspirations for increased contact, and suddenly he's appealing to his girlfriend for a kiss, which shocks her to her core, and forces her to say a resounding no.
There's a generous amount of actors employed in this film, including Lionel Barrymore and Mickey Rooney, though unlimitled actors couldn't save this film. The story doesn't interest me, nor the characters (plus, let's not forget the soul thrilling letdown), and I believe boredom would consume each second I forced myself to watch. I give this a confident thumbs down!
