EAST OF THE RIVER

US, 1940, 74 minutes. Black and white.
John Garfield, Brenda Marshall, Marjorie Rambeau, George Tobias, William Lundigan.
Directed by Alfred E. Green.

East of the River is a brief New York gangster film, set in the Italian community.

The film opens in 1927 with two young boys, one, Joe, a tearaway in the city, the other his friend Nick. When they are brought in front of the police because of an attack on another policeman as they tried to ride the railroad to Chicago, Joe’s mother (Marjorie Rambeau) adopts Nick instead of his going to a reform school. When they grow up, Joe is a criminal in prison in California while Nick is an excellent student who graduates from the university. Joe has taken up with Laurie (Brenda Marshall) and comes back to New York after he is released.

Joe wants to get revenge on the two criminals who set him up – and does so. In the meantime, Laurie who has a criminal past, finds that she can live a new life and falls in love with Nick. The drama comes to a head with the criminals who are framed by Joe trying to kill him, his confronting Laurie and wanting to take her away from Nick, Laurie pretending that she doesn’t love Nick, a happy ending with the wedding. Joe is rather shrewd – and attacks a policeman outside the church so that the criminals are arrested and he is taken into custody.

The film was directed by Alfred E. Green, a director of many small films in the 1930s and 40s but who also directed The Jolson Story.

1. The popularity of this kind of Warner Bros crime film? The 1930s – and their expertise in telling this kind of story?

2. The New York settings, east of the river, the Italian community? The opening and the tour guide of New York – and dropping the audience off in the Italian community? The details of the community, the streets, apartments, restaurants? Police precincts and courts? The musical score?

3. Joe and Nick, Joe and his being in trouble, his mother’s love for him? His deceiving his mother? Wanting to go to Chicago, going to the railroads, the boys being caught, the attack of the policeman, their being taken to the precinct, the judge, the mother guaranteeing Joe? Adopting Nick?

4. The adult Joe, John Garfield’s screen presence and style? In prison in California, deceiving his family? Finding out that his mother knew the truth all the time? The release, meeting Laurie, his relationship with her? Her past, the money in Reno, giving it to Joe so that he could support Nick through college? His wanting vengeance on the criminals who set him up? The return home, the mother’s insistence that he and Laurie stay with her? His meeting the criminal at the sports event, finding out where the two criminals were who set him up, getting in touch with him, the setup for the job, his phoning the police, his escape, one of them killing a policeman? His leaving for California? His life in Mexico, losing contact with his family? The news of Laurie’s wedding, his return, his demands on Laurie, the pressure? His mother coming to him, her confrontation, telling him the truth, disowning him? His agreeing with his mother, the criminals catching up, his plea for going to the wedding, taking Laurie? His attacking the policeman, being arrested – and the criminals taken away? His future?

5. Laurie, her background, Reno, the money? Tough? At the restaurant? Her shock at Joe’s presuming on his mother? Her starting to do the work? Her change? Her wanting to get a job, her apartment? A sense of freedom? Nick taking her out, her attraction towards him, visiting the mother? The collage of their outings, Nick’s proposal, her being careful? Agreeing? Joe’s return, his pressure on her, her wanting to tell Nick herself, her performance in breaking off the wedding? Her being interrogated by the criminals? The mother and her fixing everything, the wedding dress, going to the church?

6. Nick, good man, studying? His work, meeting with Laurie, attracted towards her, the outings, the proposal? His shock at her calling the wedding off? The happy ending?

7. The mother, strong Italian woman, always in command? Her treatment of Joe, lenient, adopting Nick? Her knowing the truth about Joe? Finally confronting him? Disowning him? The reconciliation? Her love for Laurie, wanting her as a daughter-in-law? With Nick and her pride?

8. Tony, his work in the restaurant? The comic touches? The busy restaurant and the meals? The arrival of the criminals giving him the money from the bet? His presence at the wedding?

9. The criminals, thieves, setups, betrayals? The nightclubs? The jobs? The arrest?

10. The police, the warden at the prison? The background of petty crime in New York City in the 1930s?