A somewhat unusual crime drama in which Robert Montegomery literally hides out in rural New York to escape both the mob and the cops. At a farm, he's nursed back to health (from a gunshot wound) by Miller family. The farmer's daughter, Pauline (Maureen O'Sullivan) falls for Lucky/Jonathan (Montgomery). If that sounds goofy, it kind of is. The first part of the movie, by stark contrast, shows Lucky as a sharp but dangerous criminal, shaking down nightclub owners with his protection racket.
The only thing Lucky retains when he rehabilitates with Pauline is his smooth wisecracking attitude. The nightclub scenes are great: typical of upper-class urban entertainment ninety years ago. Lucky isn't so fortunate with Baby, his girlfriend. Or a blond showgirl. But he's good at making the owners' squirm when he outlines his protection 'service.' when he talks about "giving them a break" on their linen service, it's to the tune of a nickel discount on a hundred napkins; even in 1934, that's not very helpful.
The cops, led by Lt. McCarthy (Edward Arnold), scope out the situation; the Lieutenant knows Lucky is crooked, but the owners are afraid to complain. Among other amusing scenes, we see guys actually counting napkins in a laundry--to see that the nightclubs 'discount' isn't too good, apparently. Things escalate quickly, as a rival gang injured Lucky when he leaves the city. The Lieutenant eventually catches up with him. Meanwhile, Pauline and Lucky have plenty of time to get attracted to each other.
Hide-Out has an interesting premise, and is filled with good performances (particularly the two leads). The comic aspect makes the fish-out-of-water plot work to some extent. But this really seems like two different movies joined by the cliff-hanger device of Lucky's escape from the city. I wonder what this would've felt like if we started with Lucky recuperating at the farm. His notorious background could've been sketched in by flashback. He ends up having to come clean with Pauline anyway. As it is, our initial impression is that Lucky is a creepy jerk. Assuming, if we want to buy the rest of the movie's logic, that he's really just a regular guy who needs to find himself, why begin with the assumption that he's a bad guy?
Definitely gives a receptive quality to the romance.This is entertaining; but a bit muddled. It's worth watching for the high level of the performances and the witty script.
The only thing Lucky retains when he rehabilitates with Pauline is his smooth wisecracking attitude. The nightclub scenes are great: typical of upper-class urban entertainment ninety years ago. Lucky isn't so fortunate with Baby, his girlfriend. Or a blond showgirl. But he's good at making the owners' squirm when he outlines his protection 'service.' when he talks about "giving them a break" on their linen service, it's to the tune of a nickel discount on a hundred napkins; even in 1934, that's not very helpful.
The cops, led by Lt. McCarthy (Edward Arnold), scope out the situation; the Lieutenant knows Lucky is crooked, but the owners are afraid to complain. Among other amusing scenes, we see guys actually counting napkins in a laundry--to see that the nightclubs 'discount' isn't too good, apparently. Things escalate quickly, as a rival gang injured Lucky when he leaves the city. The Lieutenant eventually catches up with him. Meanwhile, Pauline and Lucky have plenty of time to get attracted to each other.
Hide-Out has an interesting premise, and is filled with good performances (particularly the two leads). The comic aspect makes the fish-out-of-water plot work to some extent. But this really seems like two different movies joined by the cliff-hanger device of Lucky's escape from the city. I wonder what this would've felt like if we started with Lucky recuperating at the farm. His notorious background could've been sketched in by flashback. He ends up having to come clean with Pauline anyway. As it is, our initial impression is that Lucky is a creepy jerk. Assuming, if we want to buy the rest of the movie's logic, that he's really just a regular guy who needs to find himself, why begin with the assumption that he's a bad guy?
Definitely gives a receptive quality to the romance.This is entertaining; but a bit muddled. It's worth watching for the high level of the performances and the witty script.