"Skyscraper Souls" is a precode film, from 1932, starring Warren William, Maureen O'Sullivan, Verree Teesdale, Anita Page, Norman Foster, Gregory Ratoff, and Jean Hersholt.
This is the "Grand Hotel" of an office building, centering on Warren William, who plays ruthless businessman David Dwight. Dwight owns a large Manhattan skyscraper, the Seacoast National Bank Building, possibly based on the Empire State Building - it's a deco building and the lobby looks very similar. The Empire State Building opened a year before this film went into production.
Maureen O'Sullivan plays an attractive young woman who works in the building. Norman Foster is Tom, the fresh bank teller after her, but she's a little more ambitious than his income can provide at the moment.
Dwight is married but fools around. O'Sullivan is Lynn Harding, who is a protégé of Dwight's secretary Sarah, who has worked for Dwight for years. She really is a mother figure to Lynn.
Dwight becomes interested in Lynn, which turns Tom against her, though nothing has happened. She becomes angry that he doesn't trust her.
Dwight, who will stop at nothing to get what he wants, destroys a lot of people in a stock manipulation so he can gain full control of the skyscraper.
Due to Tom and Lynn fighting, Lynn now returns Dwight's interest in her. Sarah tries to stop it.
Lots of sexual innuendo in this movie, and it leaves open the question of whether Lynn and Dwight got together. It seems that they did. She is ready to travel with him by ship. That's all I'll say about the ending.
Good performances, with William just as cold as he could be, telling Verree Teasdale she had outlived her usefulness as his mistress because of her advanced age. She was 29.
Quite dramatic and a good watch.
This is the "Grand Hotel" of an office building, centering on Warren William, who plays ruthless businessman David Dwight. Dwight owns a large Manhattan skyscraper, the Seacoast National Bank Building, possibly based on the Empire State Building - it's a deco building and the lobby looks very similar. The Empire State Building opened a year before this film went into production.
Maureen O'Sullivan plays an attractive young woman who works in the building. Norman Foster is Tom, the fresh bank teller after her, but she's a little more ambitious than his income can provide at the moment.
Dwight is married but fools around. O'Sullivan is Lynn Harding, who is a protégé of Dwight's secretary Sarah, who has worked for Dwight for years. She really is a mother figure to Lynn.
Dwight becomes interested in Lynn, which turns Tom against her, though nothing has happened. She becomes angry that he doesn't trust her.
Dwight, who will stop at nothing to get what he wants, destroys a lot of people in a stock manipulation so he can gain full control of the skyscraper.
Due to Tom and Lynn fighting, Lynn now returns Dwight's interest in her. Sarah tries to stop it.
Lots of sexual innuendo in this movie, and it leaves open the question of whether Lynn and Dwight got together. It seems that they did. She is ready to travel with him by ship. That's all I'll say about the ending.
Good performances, with William just as cold as he could be, telling Verree Teasdale she had outlived her usefulness as his mistress because of her advanced age. She was 29.
Quite dramatic and a good watch.