Watch Dangerous Curves (1929)

 

Watch Dangerous Curves (1929)
American Film, Drama

Early All-Talkie Film

Hollywood, 1929 — The transition from silent features to "talkies" proved to be a high-wire act for many stars of the Jazz Age, but for Paramount's reigning "It" Girl, Clara Bow, her second sound film, $DangerousCurves$, confirmed her enduring appeal. Directed by Lothar Mendes and released at the height of the Great Depression's dawn, this pre-Code romantic melodrama offered audiences a glimpse behind the dazzling curtains of the big top. It was replete with love triangles, arrogance, and the bitter taste of betrayal. More on Wikipedia or Mubi

Set against a vibrant circus backdrop, the film centers on Patricia "Pat" Delaney (Clara Bow), a kind-hearted bareback rider secretly in love with the show’s arrogant star, tightrope walker Larry Lee (Richard Arlen). Larry, however, is blinded by his infatuation with his duplicitous partner, the vampish Zara Flynn (Kay Francis, in one of her first major Hollywood roles).

The plot thickens when Pat witnesses Zara's infidelity. Her attempt to reveal the truth to Larry leads to a heated confrontation, shattering his focus just moments before his high-wire act. The resultant fall leaves Larry injured, physically and emotionally broken, and spiraling into heavy drinking and despair. He abandons the circus, convinced his career is over.

It is here that the film truly shines a spotlight on Bow's character. Pat, driven by her genuine love, refuses to let Larry waste away. She coaxes him back to the ring, working tirelessly to restore his confidence. She even convinces him to teach her the wire act, a ploy to reignite his passion for performing. The pair's camaraderie soon begins to mend the damage, hinting at the true love Larry had overlooked.

The drama returns, however, when Larry's restored ambition prompts him to seek out Zara once more, aiming to reform his original, "greatest" act, leaving Pat feeling used and heartbroken. It takes a final, devastating blow—Zara's revelation that she is secretly married, followed by Larry's subsequent collapse—for the aerialist to finally recognize Pat's selfless devotion. In a climactic, last-ditch effort, Pat takes Larry's place on the wire, saving the show and sacrificing her own job in the process.

$DangerousCurves$ is more than just a typical romantic entanglement; it's a fascinating snapshot of the pre-Code era, daringly touching upon themes of alcoholism and complex relationships with an honesty that would soon be tempered by censorship. While critics at the time debated the originality of the plot, they largely agreed that Clara Bow, with her natural Brooklyn accent and street-smart energy, single-handedly carried the picture. Her magnetic, yet vulnerable, performance solidified her standing as one of the few silent-era goddesses who successfully navigated the turbulent waters of the sound revolution, ultimately proving that her 'It' factor was very much audible.

The Good

• Clara Bow's Performance: As bareback rider Pat Delaney, Clara Bow delivers a dynamic and memorable performance. She was one of the few silent-era superstars to successfully transition to sound films, and here, her natural energy, vulnerability, and distinctive Brooklyn accent are on full display. She elevates the entire film.

• Pre-Code Edgy Content: The film was made before the strict enforcement of the Hays Code (1934), giving it a distinctive pre-Code sensibility. It deals openly with adult themes like alcoholism, a character's arrogance and subsequent fall from grace, and a "vamp's" blatant infidelity. This makes the drama feel more honest and gritty than films made just a few years later.

• A Launchpad for Kay Francis: The film served as an early Hollywood vehicle for Kay Francis, who plays the manipulative "other woman," Zara Flynn. She successfully establishes her on-screen persona as a sophisticated, alluring villainess, a role that would define her early career.

• Circus Setting: The vibrant, melodramatic world of the circus provides a great backdrop for the dramatic conflict, offering visual appeal and a heightened sense of risk and spectacle, particularly during the high-wire sequences.

  The Not So Good

• Early Sound Technology: As a film made during the infancy of sound cinema, the technical aspects can feel clunky and dated. Camera placement is often static (to hide the noisy cameras), and the pacing sometimes suffers from long, unnatural pauses as actors try to hit their marks and deliver lines precisely into hidden microphones.

• Formulaic Melodrama: The plot, at its core, is a predictable love triangle story—the good-hearted girl saves the dashing hero from the clutches of the wicked vamp. Critics at the time noted the formulaic nature of the story, feeling that the film relied too heavily on Bow's magnetism to carry a familiar narrative.

• Directional Limitations: Director Lothar Mendes, like many of his peers adjusting to sound, often uses an irritating lack of close-ups. This can sometimes distance the viewer from the emotional core of the characters, forcing the actors to project their feelings across a medium or long shot.

• Richard Arlen's Role: While a capable leading man, Richard Arlen's character, Larry Lee, is often frustratingly passive, arrogant, or self-pitying. He spends a significant portion of the film either infatuated with the wrong woman or drowning his sorrows, making it difficult for the audience to fully root for his redemption until the very end.
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