After the stars' debut in Little Caesar and The Public Enemy, this one must have been a letdown for fans. It was for me.
For a film starring two such well-known and flamboyant actors as Robinson and Cagney, "Smart Money" seems relatively staid and reserved. It never really draws one in or makes one care about any of its characters, quickly changing directions several times within a span of only eighty-one minutes. I found it rather disappointing.
Video:
The 1.33:1, black-and-white transfer probably comes up as well as one could expect under the circumstances. But understand that the circumstances include a picture that is over seventy-five years old and a print the studio did not restore frame by frame. The B&W contrasts are OK, with decent black levels, although they aren't quite as deep as they might have been when the movie was new. Definition is average for an older film, and one notices small age spots--flecks, lines, and minor scratches--from time to time. Most of all, you'll notice a small degree of film grain, native to the print, no doubt, but a bit more prominent than in later movies. None of this is to suggest that the picture quality is bad; it simply looks a little old.
Audio:
Like all of the sound of its day, the audio on "Smart Money" is monaural, done up in Dolby Digital 1.0 processing. In 1931, film had only had sound technology for a few years, so you can't expect a lot. Although it's a decent mono for its day, it's got very limited dynamic and frequency ranges, and a background noise you can easily hear. There is also a touch of softness to the midrange, which makes dialogue easy on the ear but not entirely as sharp or clear as one might like.
Extras:
The film itself may be of only minor interest, but that doesn't mean that Warner Bros. neglect the extras on it. We get an informative audio commentary by film historians Alain Silver and James Ursini, followed by a "Warner Night at the Movies," both of which are probably more fun than the movie itself. The "Warner Night" attempts to duplicate what theatergoers of 1931 might have seen in a typical evening out at the motion-picture show. Things start with a vintage newsreel clip (of one of Al Capone's last public appearance); two short subjects: "George Jessel and His Russian Art Choir," eight minutes, and "The Smart Set-Up," eighteen minutes; a classic, black-and-white Looney Tunes cartoon, "Big Man from the North"; and an original theatrical trailer for the movie "Other Men's Women."
The extras conclude with twenty-one scene selections but no chapter insert, English as the only spoken language, French subtitles, and English captions for the hearing impaired.
Parting Shots:
For viewers interested in more Warner Bros. gangster movies, the studio is now up to three sets in their "Warner Bros. Pictures Gangsters Collection" and another of "Tough Guys." You'll find all the movies in the sets available separately as well.
If you want "Smart Money" in a set, it comes in the "Warner Bros. Pictures Gangsters Collection," Volume 3, along with "Lady Killer" (1933), directed by Roy Del Ruth and starring Cagney as an ex-con who tries to keep his past a secret as he pursues a career as a Hollywood star; "Picture Snatcher" (1933), directed by Lloyd Bacon and also starring Cagney, this time in the story of an ex-con using his know-how to get daring snapshots, like that of a woman in the electric chair; "The Mayor of Hell" (1933), directed by Archie Mayo and starring Cagney as a tough guy who takes an interest in the way kids are mistreated at a reform school; "Black Legion" (1936), directed by Archie Mayo and starring Humphrey Bogart becoming involved with a white-supremacist group; and "Brother Orchid" (1940), a sentimental but charming picture directed by Lloyd Bacon and starring Edward G. Robinson and Humphrey Bogart as rival mobsters.
Video:
The 1.33:1, black-and-white transfer probably comes up as well as one could expect under the circumstances. But understand that the circumstances include a picture that is over seventy-five years old and a print the studio did not restore frame by frame. The B&W contrasts are OK, with decent black levels, although they aren't quite as deep as they might have been when the movie was new. Definition is average for an older film, and one notices small age spots--flecks, lines, and minor scratches--from time to time. Most of all, you'll notice a small degree of film grain, native to the print, no doubt, but a bit more prominent than in later movies. None of this is to suggest that the picture quality is bad; it simply looks a little old.
Audio:
Like all of the sound of its day, the audio on "Smart Money" is monaural, done up in Dolby Digital 1.0 processing. In 1931, film had only had sound technology for a few years, so you can't expect a lot. Although it's a decent mono for its day, it's got very limited dynamic and frequency ranges, and a background noise you can easily hear. There is also a touch of softness to the midrange, which makes dialogue easy on the ear but not entirely as sharp or clear as one might like.
Extras:
The film itself may be of only minor interest, but that doesn't mean that Warner Bros. neglect the extras on it. We get an informative audio commentary by film historians Alain Silver and James Ursini, followed by a "Warner Night at the Movies," both of which are probably more fun than the movie itself. The "Warner Night" attempts to duplicate what theatergoers of 1931 might have seen in a typical evening out at the motion-picture show. Things start with a vintage newsreel clip (of one of Al Capone's last public appearance); two short subjects: "George Jessel and His Russian Art Choir," eight minutes, and "The Smart Set-Up," eighteen minutes; a classic, black-and-white Looney Tunes cartoon, "Big Man from the North"; and an original theatrical trailer for the movie "Other Men's Women."
The extras conclude with twenty-one scene selections but no chapter insert, English as the only spoken language, French subtitles, and English captions for the hearing impaired.
Parting Shots:
For viewers interested in more Warner Bros. gangster movies, the studio is now up to three sets in their "Warner Bros. Pictures Gangsters Collection" and another of "Tough Guys." You'll find all the movies in the sets available separately as well.
If you want "Smart Money" in a set, it comes in the "Warner Bros. Pictures Gangsters Collection," Volume 3, along with "Lady Killer" (1933), directed by Roy Del Ruth and starring Cagney as an ex-con who tries to keep his past a secret as he pursues a career as a Hollywood star; "Picture Snatcher" (1933), directed by Lloyd Bacon and also starring Cagney, this time in the story of an ex-con using his know-how to get daring snapshots, like that of a woman in the electric chair; "The Mayor of Hell" (1933), directed by Archie Mayo and starring Cagney as a tough guy who takes an interest in the way kids are mistreated at a reform school; "Black Legion" (1936), directed by Archie Mayo and starring Humphrey Bogart becoming involved with a white-supremacist group; and "Brother Orchid" (1940), a sentimental but charming picture directed by Lloyd Bacon and starring Edward G. Robinson and Humphrey Bogart as rival mobsters.
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