In April of 1925 Paramount ranked Clara Bow 38th in it's Galaxy of Stars - after "Mantrap" she was beyond numerical ranking. "Mantrap" was Clara's first starring role and critics raved - they thought Clara walked off with the picture and it would do for her career what "Flaming Youth" had done for Colleen Moore's. It certainly did!!! Even though Victor Fleming is now a legendary director with credits like The Wizard of Oz" and "Gone With the Wind", in 1926 he had directed 18 films, none particularly distinguished. So when "Mantrap" came along he grabbed the opportunity of injecting some humor into Sinclair Lewis's solemn tale of passion in the backwoods.
Ralph Prescott is an over worked divorce lawyer who goes camping with his friend Woodbury (Eugene Palette) up in the backwoods of Mantrap. Meanwhile Joe (Ernest Torrence), one of the town's confirmed bachelors, has returned from the big city with a wife - she is Alverna, a smart and sassy manicurist who sweeps Joe off his feet. The two camping buddies are not having a good time - wet weather and Ralph's "wimpy" ways cause a big fight. Joe breaks it up and invites Ralph back to his cabin to meet his very friendly wife. She considers him a "flat tire" and wants to throw a mad party - among those straight laced villagers!!! She's optimistic!!! It is not too long before she is using all her wiles on Ralph and Ralph, who once claimed "when women give men the best years of their lives, men get the worst of it!!" is falling hook, line and sinker. To Ralph, Alverna appears like a good little girl in gingham but in reality she is a sophisticated flapper and an unconscionable flirt who sees Ralph as a ticket back to the big city.
A big part of the film is devoted to Ralph and Alvey's trek through the wild country - he begins to realise she has grit but her incessant flirting - with powderpuff at the ready, she is more than willing to flirt with an aviator to get a free ride back to civilization even if it means leaving Ralph at the edge of the river!!! - it leaves him exasperated!!! The ending shows Alvey returning to Mantrap, realising that her place is with Joe and eliciting his promise to "help her when she slips" - into her flirting ways that is!!
Ernest Torrence gives his usual sterling performance and Percy Marmont is pretty wooden as Ralph but you will be captivated by Clara, who is just dazzling. Yes, Alvey isn't a particularly "nice" girl but as played by Clara, she makes you realize that deep down she is a "good egg" and will do the right thing at the movie's end. This movie also marked the start of a hot and heavy affair between Clara and director Victor Fleming. He felt her talent was limitless and it was the first time Clara had actually been made to feel that she had value as a person.
I gave it 9 out of 10 only because the print was pretty dismal.
Highly, Highly Recommended.
Ralph Prescott is an over worked divorce lawyer who goes camping with his friend Woodbury (Eugene Palette) up in the backwoods of Mantrap. Meanwhile Joe (Ernest Torrence), one of the town's confirmed bachelors, has returned from the big city with a wife - she is Alverna, a smart and sassy manicurist who sweeps Joe off his feet. The two camping buddies are not having a good time - wet weather and Ralph's "wimpy" ways cause a big fight. Joe breaks it up and invites Ralph back to his cabin to meet his very friendly wife. She considers him a "flat tire" and wants to throw a mad party - among those straight laced villagers!!! She's optimistic!!! It is not too long before she is using all her wiles on Ralph and Ralph, who once claimed "when women give men the best years of their lives, men get the worst of it!!" is falling hook, line and sinker. To Ralph, Alverna appears like a good little girl in gingham but in reality she is a sophisticated flapper and an unconscionable flirt who sees Ralph as a ticket back to the big city.
A big part of the film is devoted to Ralph and Alvey's trek through the wild country - he begins to realise she has grit but her incessant flirting - with powderpuff at the ready, she is more than willing to flirt with an aviator to get a free ride back to civilization even if it means leaving Ralph at the edge of the river!!! - it leaves him exasperated!!! The ending shows Alvey returning to Mantrap, realising that her place is with Joe and eliciting his promise to "help her when she slips" - into her flirting ways that is!!
Ernest Torrence gives his usual sterling performance and Percy Marmont is pretty wooden as Ralph but you will be captivated by Clara, who is just dazzling. Yes, Alvey isn't a particularly "nice" girl but as played by Clara, she makes you realize that deep down she is a "good egg" and will do the right thing at the movie's end. This movie also marked the start of a hot and heavy affair between Clara and director Victor Fleming. He felt her talent was limitless and it was the first time Clara had actually been made to feel that she had value as a person.
I gave it 9 out of 10 only because the print was pretty dismal.
Highly, Highly Recommended.