Good Old Soak (1937)
Directed by J. Walter Ruben
Genres - Comedy |
Release Date - Apr 23, 1937 (USA - Unknown) |
Run Time - 67 min. |
Countries - United States |
MPAA Rating - NR
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Synopsis by Hal Erickson
Good Old Soak was based on a story by Don Marquis, creator of the immortal "Archy and Mehitabel." Wallace Beery is well-cast as town drunk Clem Hawley, a blot on the escutcheon of a small Prohibition-era Midwestern town. When a large sum of bank money is stolen, Clem immediately falls under suspicion. His previously spineless son Clemmie (Eric Linden) rushes to his dad's defense, insisting that he, and not Clem, is the thief. But the "good old soak" manages to recover the money and expose the thief, a respectable "social" drinker and stock-market swindler whose hypocrisy is in stark contrast to Clem's bibulous honesty. In one of his last film roles, Ted Healy manages to steal quite a few scenes from Beery (no small feat) as a cheerful bootlegger.
Characteristics
Themes
Keywords
criminal, accounting, alcoholism, bail, bank-personnel, benefit [event], book, business, con/scam, deal [agreement], embezzlement, finances, juggling, loot, love, pressure, showgirl, stock-market
