Richard Barthelmess was one of the silent's top stars and unlike a lot of his contemporaries, talkies didn't faze him. He retained his popularity (and a massive salary, apparently $8,500 a week) and for a few years, with interesting characterizations, he managed to stay in the top 10 lists. But once he started to slip, First National obviously couldn't justify his high salary and he left at the same time as William Powell and Ruth Chatterton.
This role, as good brother Karl Bremer, proved interesting and showed the type of part he excelled at. Both he and "bad brother" Stephan are soon to graduate from an Austrian medical school but while Karl is diligent, Stephan is a frequenter of taverns. Things turn dramatic when Stephan performs an illegal operation on a girl who he has assaulted, she dies and Carl takes the blame so Stephan can graduate and make his mother proud. When Carl is released from prison, it's to find Stephan dead - he had remained a drunkard and never succeeded in elevating himself from his small, out of the way practice, where his incompetence had become a by-word!!
Mother is played by Lucille La Verne so you know she is not going to be a hearts and flowers type but push mother love to the limits!! A car accident forces Carl to operate successfully on a small child and that is all Mother Brennar needs to persuade Carl to take on Stephan's identity and keep practising medicine - who cares if Carl doesn't have a diploma and if found out could very well return to prison!!!
Norman Foster has a smallish role as Stephan but unlike a lot of his "callow youth" roles he made this one count and impressed as the worthless brother. Marian Marsh as usual was given a scene (the one where she stands up to her mother and tells her that she doesn't need a marriage certificate and will happily go with Carl where-ever he decides). A scene that proved even with her drop dead gorgeous looks, she had a talent that should have been developed. Adrienne Dore for all her 4th billing has only a couple of lines of dialogue - she was another who had the looks and personality to go further than she did!!
Highly Recommended.
This role, as good brother Karl Bremer, proved interesting and showed the type of part he excelled at. Both he and "bad brother" Stephan are soon to graduate from an Austrian medical school but while Karl is diligent, Stephan is a frequenter of taverns. Things turn dramatic when Stephan performs an illegal operation on a girl who he has assaulted, she dies and Carl takes the blame so Stephan can graduate and make his mother proud. When Carl is released from prison, it's to find Stephan dead - he had remained a drunkard and never succeeded in elevating himself from his small, out of the way practice, where his incompetence had become a by-word!!
Mother is played by Lucille La Verne so you know she is not going to be a hearts and flowers type but push mother love to the limits!! A car accident forces Carl to operate successfully on a small child and that is all Mother Brennar needs to persuade Carl to take on Stephan's identity and keep practising medicine - who cares if Carl doesn't have a diploma and if found out could very well return to prison!!!
Norman Foster has a smallish role as Stephan but unlike a lot of his "callow youth" roles he made this one count and impressed as the worthless brother. Marian Marsh as usual was given a scene (the one where she stands up to her mother and tells her that she doesn't need a marriage certificate and will happily go with Carl where-ever he decides). A scene that proved even with her drop dead gorgeous looks, she had a talent that should have been developed. Adrienne Dore for all her 4th billing has only a couple of lines of dialogue - she was another who had the looks and personality to go further than she did!!
Highly Recommended.