SMART MONEY
US, 1931 85 minutes, Black-and-white.
Edward G Robinson, James Cagney, Ralf Harolde, Evalyn Knapp, Boris Karloff.
Directed by Alfred E. Green.
Smart Money is a brief Warner Brothers thriller of the early 1930s and the only time that Edward G Robinson and James Cagney appeared together – at the time that Robinson was to hit the headlines with Little Caesar and Cagney with Public Enemy.
This is a film about gamblers rather than violent gangsters.
Robinson portrays a barber with Greek background who has a happy knack of betting and winning. Cagney is his associate in the barbershop. Robinson is encouraged to go to the big city to try his luck with the big gambling syndicates, is tricked but then decides that he will win, overcoming the syndicate, setting up his own casino.The District Attorney is out to get him.
There are some complications, especially blonde complications for Robinson and this contributes to his downfall as well as his clash with Cagney.
The film has an upbeat ending as Robinson goes off to jail for 10 years, challenging those standing by to take a bet that he will be out in five!
1. A film of the 1930s, Greek migrants, small-time and big-time gambling, gamblers in the big American cities, crime, law, setups, double crosses? The musical score?
2. Warner Brothers, tough, black-and-white action? Edward G Robinson and James Cagney together for the only time?
3. Iron town, The City, Another City? The atmosphere of the small town, the barbershops, train rides, hotels, gambling rooms, casinos, the district attorney?
4. Introduction to Eddie, his Greek migrant background, his barbershop, Jack as his assistant, the clients, betting, Double or Nothing, the appeal from the girl in trouble for a hundred dollars, playing the tables, the man who demanded the hundred dollars coming into play, the black man and his place with the group, gambling, jokes?
5. The men urging Eddie to go to the city, raising the $10,000, the contributions? His going to the city, buying the clothes, at the cigar counter, Marie and her beguiling behaviour, selling the cigars, giving him the information for the room number? His going up, assuming it was the famous gambler, his playing, self-confidence, losing? His giving Marie hundred dollars? Her disappearance? His going to the room and accosting her?
6. Jack coming to the city? Eddie and his work in the barbershop, the Greeks and their capitalising him? Knowing the truth about the scheme, playing, using the shaved cards, Jack and his associate with the guns?
7. Eddie, his skill at gambling, his own casino, the customers? His living with Jack? (The commentators talking about the homoerotic aspects of their relationship?)
8. Attitudes towards African- Americans at the time? Sympathetic, playing with the whites, referring to Eddie as a lucky white man? Eddie touching their heads? The porter on the train and his being given half a note and told that “you’ll get the rest of the end of the line, boy”?
9. Irene, from the river, Eddie and his kindness, letting her live in his house, Jack’s resentment?
10. The district attorney, wanting to get Eddie, using Irene, resisting, the racing form in Eddie’s pocket, the set up?
11. The irony of Jack’s death?
12. His being captured, Irene and her reaction?
13. His going to jail, the dandy, self-confidence, betting that he would be out on jail in five years rather than ten?
