Blonde Crazy

1931
PG
1h 19m

IMDb RATING

7.1/10

2.4K

YOUR RATING

James Cagney and Joan Blondell in Blonde Crazy (1931)

The adventures of an egoistic con man and his glamorous accomplice.

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Heist Tragic Romance Comedy Crime Drama Mystery Romance

The adventures of an egoistic con man and his glamorous accomplice.The adventures of an egoistic con man and his glamorous accomplice.The adventures of an egoistic con man and his glamorous accomplice.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.1/10

2.4K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Detective
(uncredited)

Ray Cooke

Jimmy - Bellhop
(uncredited)

Richard Cramer

Cabbie
(uncredited)

Bill Elliott

Nightclub Patron under Title Credits
(uncredited)

Peter Erkelenz

Kansas City Dutch
(uncredited)

Dick Gordon

Nightclub Patron
(uncredited)

Sherry Hall

Tobacco Counterman
(uncredited)

Lew Harvey

Driver
(uncredited)

Director
- Roy Del Ruth
Writers
- Kubec Glasmon
- John Bright
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Late in the movie when Jerry (Russell Hopton) shows Cagney his money-making scam of selling "swastika charms" there is an abrupt edit, probably a close-up of what the charm looked like. Swastikas had been considered good-luck charms until the advent of the Nazis two years after this movie was released, and the edit almost certainly took place between then and 1941 when other war-related edits took place in Hollywood (e.g., anything relating to Italy in The Marx Brothers A Night at the Opera (1935).

Goofs
When Bert is in the car chase, they pass a Three Owl drug store, which was a West Coast chain, despite the scene being set in New York City. Other advertising also points to California: a See's candy store and a neon sign for Motorite motor oil from the Union Oil Co.

Quotes
Bert Harris: Oh, that dirty, double-crossin' rat! I'd like to get my hooks on him. I'd tear him to pieces!

Connections
Featured in Hollywood and the Stars: How to Succeed as a Gangster (1963)

Soundtracks
When Your Lover Has Gone
(1931) (uncredited)
Written by E.A. Swan
Played and sung during the credits by an uncredited tenor
Played by an orchestra at a nightclub
Played as background music when Bert proposes to Anne
Played as background music at the end

User reviews50

Review

Featured review

8/10

This is the Age of Chiselry

Bellhop James Cagney and hotel maid Joan Blondell have a lot of ambitions during Depression Era America. They've seen the American dream go belly up on Wall Street, seen lots of people lose everything they have to crooks and chiselers and have decided if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. And Cagney has entitled what he considers the Depression to be, the age of chiselry.

These two are obviously so suited for each other. But for what each considers practical reasons they hook up with other people. Cagney hero worships noted confidence man Louis Calhern and Blondell takes a shine to polished and dapper Ray Milland, a wall street broker. Each becomes quite disillusioned.

This is a good piece of historic Americana, depression era. People like Cagney and Blondell lost a lot of ideals in that period and it rings true even today. Later on Preston Sturges would take some of the same themes in Blonde Crazy and use them in a more comedic way. But this film is still pretty good on its own merits.