I read another review and thought I would offer what I thought were the good points of this film. The film was a typical period B film of man finds girl when wife doesn't pay attention to him. The music is great and was later used as backdrop for short films. Also, we get to see Sidney Toler(who later became Charlie Chan) playing a Chan-like policeman; J. Carrol Naish, who starred as a gangster in many later films; Mary Astor, a star of "The Maltese Falcon", who showed some of the great facials she did in that film; and of course, and early Ginger Rogers. The dialogue is snappy and the direction more than adequate. Enjoy this one, it certainly isn't the greatest ever made, but it never claimed to be - just a film of the times. I gave it a 7 out of 10 for its overall against similar films.
25 Reviews
Little known, but ideal for fans of Ginger Rogers and Mary Astor.
robin-moss24 March 2005
Warning: Spoilers
"Upper World" is almost unknown today, but is an interesting and enjoyable movie with a high powered cast and a well constructed story.
A plutocratic railroad tycoon (Warren William) is drifting away from his social-climbing wife (Mary Astor) and begins a liaison with a good-natured showgirl (Ginger Rogers). The showgirl has a sleazy, opportunistic protector (J. Carroll Naish) who plans a little blackmail. When he springs his shakedown, guns go off and two people fall dead, leaving the tycoon in a situation which will ruin his reputation.
Made in the early 1930s, the film is very discreet about the nature of the showgirl's relationship with the two men in her life, but this does not damage the narrative flow. (If remade today, of course, the sex angle would be graphic and blatant.) The film does however have two weaknesses. First, although he had genuine screen presence, Warren William had no talent for close-ups, where his wolfish smile is alienating and undoes his good work in medium shot. Second, the ending is a cheat and an evasion of the dramatic issues the film has raised. Later movies like "A Place In The Sun" and several directed by Fritz Lang were much more resolute in following the drama through to a plausible conclusion.
"Upper World" presents a young Ginger Rogers who was just beginning her partnership with Fred Astaire. Katharine Hepburn's famous remark that Ginger gave Fred sex-appeal while he gave her class is relevant here, because Ginger is much sexier in this movie than in any of her musicals. (In her one musical number in "Upper World", Ginger wears a revealing dress which flatters her legs while the camera ogles her at thigh height.) Mary Astor, as always, is excellent, and brings out her character's craving for social status while keeping her human. The audience does understand why the tycoon married her in the first place. Both John Qualen's performance as a corruptible janitor and J. Carroll Naish's as the aspiring blackmailer make interesting contrasts with their work in John Ford movies.
"Upper World" is a minor movie, but should certainly be sought out by fans of Ginger Rogers and Mary Astor.
A plutocratic railroad tycoon (Warren William) is drifting away from his social-climbing wife (Mary Astor) and begins a liaison with a good-natured showgirl (Ginger Rogers). The showgirl has a sleazy, opportunistic protector (J. Carroll Naish) who plans a little blackmail. When he springs his shakedown, guns go off and two people fall dead, leaving the tycoon in a situation which will ruin his reputation.
Made in the early 1930s, the film is very discreet about the nature of the showgirl's relationship with the two men in her life, but this does not damage the narrative flow. (If remade today, of course, the sex angle would be graphic and blatant.) The film does however have two weaknesses. First, although he had genuine screen presence, Warren William had no talent for close-ups, where his wolfish smile is alienating and undoes his good work in medium shot. Second, the ending is a cheat and an evasion of the dramatic issues the film has raised. Later movies like "A Place In The Sun" and several directed by Fritz Lang were much more resolute in following the drama through to a plausible conclusion.
"Upper World" presents a young Ginger Rogers who was just beginning her partnership with Fred Astaire. Katharine Hepburn's famous remark that Ginger gave Fred sex-appeal while he gave her class is relevant here, because Ginger is much sexier in this movie than in any of her musicals. (In her one musical number in "Upper World", Ginger wears a revealing dress which flatters her legs while the camera ogles her at thigh height.) Mary Astor, as always, is excellent, and brings out her character's craving for social status while keeping her human. The audience does understand why the tycoon married her in the first place. Both John Qualen's performance as a corruptible janitor and J. Carroll Naish's as the aspiring blackmailer make interesting contrasts with their work in John Ford movies.
"Upper World" is a minor movie, but should certainly be sought out by fans of Ginger Rogers and Mary Astor.
Almost Great
kd-white18 December 2005
Within the context of B-dramedies, this is undoubtedly a great movie, but within the overall context of movies as a whole, it falls just short. While it utilizes an "A" cast, led by the superb Warren William, the plot just loses too much steam at the end to really feel like it meets its potential. The build-up in the movie, especially the sharp dialogue that is given to the aforementioned William, makes the movie feel even shorter than its hour-plus running time. It certainly never drags, and the grey characterization given to the various roles even makes the film food for analytical fodder. Unfortunately, the trial and cop-out yacht cruise ending come so fast and non-furious that even the most accepting of viewers will feel at least a bit cheated. Nonetheless, if you ever stumble upon this on TCM and have a little time to spare, it is more than worth your while, and is remarkably non-dated.
The Shadow of the Code
dougdoepke14 April 2010
As a big railroad tycoon, the imposing Warren William carries the film. Too bad this fine actor is largely unknown today, even to many movie buffs. I expect it's partly because he died relatively young (54) many years ago (1948). Nonetheless, he has the looks, bearing, and talent of an exceptional screen presence, and it's always a treat for me to catch him in a new movie.
The plot here is unexceptional— loyal husband Alex Stream (William), strays with chorus girl (Rogers) because wife (Astor) is preoccupied with high society. Problems arise when shady character (Naish) tries to blackmail Stream. Rogers is winning as the rather good-hearted lower class chorine; at the same time, her scenes with William manage a certain charm, though you know the romance has no chance.
Note the film was released in mid-1934. I expect the Production Code's shadow tamed down this screenplay in comparison with earlier William films, such as Employee's Entrance (1933) or Skyscraper Souls (1932). Those screenplays also have William playing a hard-driving businessman. But unlike here, he's also ruthless in dealings and unscrupulous with women. In short, he's got the kind of unpredictable edge that made those pre-Code films so interesting and so threatening to Depression-era big business.
On the other hand, his character here is basically sympathetic, more victim than victimizer. His business dealings remain peripheral, while the relationship with Rogers is more sweet than calculating or sexually provocative. In short, viewers will recognize familiar conventions from the 30-year Code era. The movie's smoothly done with an outstanding cast that includes a restrained Andy Devine, but is otherwise routine entertainment.
The plot here is unexceptional— loyal husband Alex Stream (William), strays with chorus girl (Rogers) because wife (Astor) is preoccupied with high society. Problems arise when shady character (Naish) tries to blackmail Stream. Rogers is winning as the rather good-hearted lower class chorine; at the same time, her scenes with William manage a certain charm, though you know the romance has no chance.
Note the film was released in mid-1934. I expect the Production Code's shadow tamed down this screenplay in comparison with earlier William films, such as Employee's Entrance (1933) or Skyscraper Souls (1932). Those screenplays also have William playing a hard-driving businessman. But unlike here, he's also ruthless in dealings and unscrupulous with women. In short, he's got the kind of unpredictable edge that made those pre-Code films so interesting and so threatening to Depression-era big business.
On the other hand, his character here is basically sympathetic, more victim than victimizer. His business dealings remain peripheral, while the relationship with Rogers is more sweet than calculating or sexually provocative. In short, viewers will recognize familiar conventions from the 30-year Code era. The movie's smoothly done with an outstanding cast that includes a restrained Andy Devine, but is otherwise routine entertainment.
Compact Little Drama; Warren William is Excellent Again
mrb198030 November 2006
Warning: Spoilers
In early 1930s films, Warren William generally played ruthless, unscrupulous rich guys. Here, William stars as Allexander Stream, a wealthy, non-evil financier who is lonely because his wife (Mary Astor) is away for weeks at a time. A chance meeting starts an unlikely romance between Stream and showgirl Lilly (Ginger Rogers). After a time Lilly's manager, the very evil Lou (played expertly by J. Carrol Naish) wants to blackmail Stream using love letters. Murder and investigation ensue, leading to an unsatisfying conclusion.
Rogers, Naish, Andy Devine, Sidney Toler, and John Quaylen (excellent as a corrupt witness) are very good. However, William carries the movie, in his usual elegant way. Mary Astor is not given much to do, despite her star billing. I recommend "Upperworld" for fans of 1930s cinema, even though I was extremely disappointed with the abrupt ending.
Rogers, Naish, Andy Devine, Sidney Toler, and John Quaylen (excellent as a corrupt witness) are very good. However, William carries the movie, in his usual elegant way. Mary Astor is not given much to do, despite her star billing. I recommend "Upperworld" for fans of 1930s cinema, even though I was extremely disappointed with the abrupt ending.
Code Confused
Dfree523 December 2010
Warning: Spoilers
The Following contains SPOILERS:
As it's been pointed out by other reviewers this is a Pre-Code movie, released before the code took effect 7/1/1934...however the impending restrictions were known to all and had to influence how this movie was made.
I did note in Ginger's dance number in the stage show, the chorus girls wore skin tight, transparent briefs. The film basically comes down to the following: Good guy (millionaire Stream...William Warren) is a lonely, doting father meets and romances Bad Girl Ginger. Meanwhile Mrs. Stream (Mary Astor) is too busy being Mrs. Socialite to attend to hubby or son. Warren starts out by trying to not get involved with drop dead gorgeous Ginger...but man and the flesh are weak. Her slimy boyfriend (J.Carroll Nash) tries to blackmail him and a double homicide ensues.
Stream then tries to foolishly and clumsily cover things up...but gets caught, tried and since he's a good guy and rich...gets off scot free, wifey sees the error of her ways and they both pledge their love and then sail off on a luxury cruise.
Perhaps if more time were spent in the courtroom before a quick resolution,this would have been stronger. Perhaps writer and director were trying to tell us the rich can always get off.
It follows the moral code that was on it's way. Bad Girl Ginger must and does die. Good Guy and Good Girl reconcile and learn from their mistakes. Good, watchable...but could have bee better.
As it's been pointed out by other reviewers this is a Pre-Code movie, released before the code took effect 7/1/1934...however the impending restrictions were known to all and had to influence how this movie was made.
I did note in Ginger's dance number in the stage show, the chorus girls wore skin tight, transparent briefs. The film basically comes down to the following: Good guy (millionaire Stream...William Warren) is a lonely, doting father meets and romances Bad Girl Ginger. Meanwhile Mrs. Stream (Mary Astor) is too busy being Mrs. Socialite to attend to hubby or son. Warren starts out by trying to not get involved with drop dead gorgeous Ginger...but man and the flesh are weak. Her slimy boyfriend (J.Carroll Nash) tries to blackmail him and a double homicide ensues.
Stream then tries to foolishly and clumsily cover things up...but gets caught, tried and since he's a good guy and rich...gets off scot free, wifey sees the error of her ways and they both pledge their love and then sail off on a luxury cruise.
Perhaps if more time were spent in the courtroom before a quick resolution,this would have been stronger. Perhaps writer and director were trying to tell us the rich can always get off.
It follows the moral code that was on it's way. Bad Girl Ginger must and does die. Good Guy and Good Girl reconcile and learn from their mistakes. Good, watchable...but could have bee better.
The Rail Tycoon and the Showgirl
sol-kay12 September 2005
(Some Spoilers) On the verge of closing the biggest railroad merger in US history railroad tycoon Alx Stream, Warren Williams, is on his yacht cruising the open waters when he notices a young girl in distress. Saving the girl from drowning Alex offers her a lift back home in the city and during a chit chat with her finds out that she's Lilly Linda, Ginger Rogers, a showgirl at a local burlesque theater.
Alex has been happily married to his socialite wife Hettie, Mary Astor, but he's been going through a change of life lately. Now running into Lilly he feels that she's just what he needs to put him back on track. Showering Lilly with gifts and sending her very personal letters and photos has the working girl falling in love with the multi-millionaire rail-man. Alex keeps the relationship between him and Lilly platonic treating Lilly more like a friend then a lover which is more then fine with her; since she realizes that he really has genuine affection for her and is not interested in having her go to bed with him.
Back at the theater Lilly's manager Lou Colima, J. Carrol Naish, notices that Lilly is in loved with the big railroad magnet Alex Stream and his scheming mind come up with a plan to blackmail him. What he needs of the affair is proof and the letters and photos that Alex sent Lilly over time are the perfect blackmail items but Colima has only one problem: will Lilly go along with his plan.
Fair motion picture about greed as well as cheating on one's spouse. As well as a person who's noble intentions are used to destroy his character and extort his money that leads to a double murder that he ends up being framed for.
Both Mary Astor and Ginger Rogers are at their best, Mary at her stateliest and Ginger at her most glamorous, in this very earlier movie in their film careers. Look out for a very slim Andy Divine as Alex's chauffeur Oscar and future movie Charlie Chan actor Sidney Toler as officer Moron, an Irish/Chinese New York City Cop in the 1930's. There's also Dickie Moore who was a member of the Little Rascules as Alex's young 8 year-old son Tommy. J. Carrol Naish as the Burlesque theater manager is as usual the bad guy in the movie but he isn't too bright either. Colima lets Alex know what he planing for him and Lilly and even tells him that he not only knows about the incriminating letters that he sent Lilly but that he also has them on his person.
The movie has Alex on the brink of ruin as he stands trail for murder and his railroad empire left in shamble but in the end his good deeds more then made up from his momentarily loss of control as well as his very innocent but foolish indiscretion that he had with Lilly.
Alex has been happily married to his socialite wife Hettie, Mary Astor, but he's been going through a change of life lately. Now running into Lilly he feels that she's just what he needs to put him back on track. Showering Lilly with gifts and sending her very personal letters and photos has the working girl falling in love with the multi-millionaire rail-man. Alex keeps the relationship between him and Lilly platonic treating Lilly more like a friend then a lover which is more then fine with her; since she realizes that he really has genuine affection for her and is not interested in having her go to bed with him.
Back at the theater Lilly's manager Lou Colima, J. Carrol Naish, notices that Lilly is in loved with the big railroad magnet Alex Stream and his scheming mind come up with a plan to blackmail him. What he needs of the affair is proof and the letters and photos that Alex sent Lilly over time are the perfect blackmail items but Colima has only one problem: will Lilly go along with his plan.
Fair motion picture about greed as well as cheating on one's spouse. As well as a person who's noble intentions are used to destroy his character and extort his money that leads to a double murder that he ends up being framed for.
Both Mary Astor and Ginger Rogers are at their best, Mary at her stateliest and Ginger at her most glamorous, in this very earlier movie in their film careers. Look out for a very slim Andy Divine as Alex's chauffeur Oscar and future movie Charlie Chan actor Sidney Toler as officer Moron, an Irish/Chinese New York City Cop in the 1930's. There's also Dickie Moore who was a member of the Little Rascules as Alex's young 8 year-old son Tommy. J. Carrol Naish as the Burlesque theater manager is as usual the bad guy in the movie but he isn't too bright either. Colima lets Alex know what he planing for him and Lilly and even tells him that he not only knows about the incriminating letters that he sent Lilly but that he also has them on his person.
The movie has Alex on the brink of ruin as he stands trail for murder and his railroad empire left in shamble but in the end his good deeds more then made up from his momentarily loss of control as well as his very innocent but foolish indiscretion that he had with Lilly.
When Worlds Collide
1930s_Time_Machine18 November 2022
You are gently lulled into a simple, light hearted story but about half way through you find your your emotions are turned upside down as you're engrossed in something much darker with an unnerving tension to keep you on the edge of your seat.
What's refreshing, when compared with some lesser movies from this time is how well the characters have been written. Apart from Mary Astor who plays the wife with the coldness of alabaster needed to make the story work, the rest have a depth and complexity which makes them fascinating.
Warren William's multi-millionaire is a real person and like everyone has his faults but is essentially likeable. When he makes a wrong call, you get annoyed with him - that's the strength of good writing - you feel we know a character well enough not just to sympathise with them but to be angry with them because we don't want them to do.
The story constantly switches the way it asks you whether what William's character does is perfectly acceptable or morally wrong. You will know with certainty that of course it's fine and then moments later you will be thinking: no, how could you! It's a clever story, cleverly directed.
Ginger Rogers also plays a wonderfully complex character. She seems to be absolutely lovely but you just don't know. She has an enormously attractive natural and infectious enthusiasm for life, just by watching her you will find yourself smiling inexplicably. You want so much for her to be as lovely as she seems but even though you get to see her from a couple of different perspectives, you are still never quite sure. A very well written and well-acted character.
What's refreshing, when compared with some lesser movies from this time is how well the characters have been written. Apart from Mary Astor who plays the wife with the coldness of alabaster needed to make the story work, the rest have a depth and complexity which makes them fascinating.
Warren William's multi-millionaire is a real person and like everyone has his faults but is essentially likeable. When he makes a wrong call, you get annoyed with him - that's the strength of good writing - you feel we know a character well enough not just to sympathise with them but to be angry with them because we don't want them to do.
The story constantly switches the way it asks you whether what William's character does is perfectly acceptable or morally wrong. You will know with certainty that of course it's fine and then moments later you will be thinking: no, how could you! It's a clever story, cleverly directed.
Ginger Rogers also plays a wonderfully complex character. She seems to be absolutely lovely but you just don't know. She has an enormously attractive natural and infectious enthusiasm for life, just by watching her you will find yourself smiling inexplicably. You want so much for her to be as lovely as she seems but even though you get to see her from a couple of different perspectives, you are still never quite sure. A very well written and well-acted character.
The power of a chain reaction coupled with the question - Does motivation count for anything?
AlsExGal22 February 2015
Warning: Spoilers
What seems like another simple little precode is actually asking some complex questions here and I think it deserves to be more fondly remembered.
Alexander Stream (Warren William) is a wealthy railroad tycoon. He's got a wife (Mary Astor) and son that he adores, but his wife is just more interested in being a society matron with all of its trappings than paying Alex needed attention. She apparently just thinks he's on autopilot and will never stray. It's not that she's a cold person, she's just preoccupied.
Alex's life changes one day when, while yachting, he rescues a drowning girl (Ginger Rogers as chorus girl Lilly Linda). He drives her back to her flat, and he follows her inside for what is supposed to be just a minute. That turns into bunches of minutes as they hit it off. Alex's puzzled male secretary and chauffeur go up to see what happened and walk in on an innocent but strange scene. Lilly and Alex are playing piano and singing "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf" with Alex dressed up in some strange kind of head gear! Alex should be afraid, but not of the Big Bad Wolf, because in this beautiful young woman he is finding the companionship and fun he would like to have with his wife if only his wife would notice his frantic yoo-hooing! The friendship between Lilly and Alex turns to an affair when Alex's wife first forgets their anniversary and goes to a society event instead, and then goes on a weeks long yacht trip with her society friends while the son is off at military school. There are two flies in the ointment. First, in the only real malicious act Alex performs in this entire film, he gets a cop (Sidney Toler as officer Moran) demoted to walking a beat for giving him not only a traffic ticket but some attitude. The second fly in the ointment is Lilly's - I guess you could call him a boyfriend, but he sure acts like an abusive pimp (J. Carroll Naish as Lou Colima). The only reason I can figure Lilly doesn't give him the air is that he put her in the show she is working in, and she had said before she hadn't been able to find work for a long time. So she needs this creep to butter her bread, but he has bigger ideas. He wants to use letters Alex has written to Lilly to blackmail the tycoon. Lilly wants no part of this, because she actually loves Alex.
In a confrontation gone terribly wrong, Colima threatens Alex with exposure when he comes to see Lilly one night, a fight ensues, and Colima fires Lilly's gun at Alex, hitting and killing Lilly instead when she jumps between the two. Alex finds an oh so convenient second gun (Exactly how many guns did Lilly have lying around this apartment anyways?) and, in self defense, shoots Colima dead.
Now Alex has committed no crime, but even if the police believe his story, he is embroiled in a scandal that will ruin not only him, but his wife and child. He switches the bullets in one gun with the bullets in the second gun to make it look like a murder/suicide, hides the second gun, takes his letters from Colima's coat pocket, and discretely drives away. His trick actually fools the homicide detectives, but there is one problem. Remember that beat cop who got demoted because of Alex and knows it was Alex that got him demoted? He is at the scene, saw Alex's car earlier in the evening while walking his beat, and looks around and finds the second gun and discovers the trick. He convinces his sergeant to give him 48 hours to solve the crime. How does this all pan out?Watch and find out. And remember that this is still the precode era.
When I asked at the beginning of the review - does motivation count for anything? - I am really talking about Alex and the beat cop, Moran, whose career Alex damaged. The cop probably is more interested in destroying Alex, because he assumes he is a probable suspect, than he is in getting justice. If he succeeds in bringing in Alex, he will be a hero by deed, but by motivation he is just doing all of this investigating for petty revenge. Alex never had any malicious intent in his affair with Lilly. He met Lilly completely by coincidence and did a good deed when he fished her out of the water. He would never have succumbed to her charms had his wife noticed he was alive, but here he is embroiled in at best a love nest scandal, and at worst a murder case if he is exposed.
Give this one a look if you have the chance. Ginger was never lovelier and this is one of Warren William's more complex roles. Highly recommended.
Alexander Stream (Warren William) is a wealthy railroad tycoon. He's got a wife (Mary Astor) and son that he adores, but his wife is just more interested in being a society matron with all of its trappings than paying Alex needed attention. She apparently just thinks he's on autopilot and will never stray. It's not that she's a cold person, she's just preoccupied.
Alex's life changes one day when, while yachting, he rescues a drowning girl (Ginger Rogers as chorus girl Lilly Linda). He drives her back to her flat, and he follows her inside for what is supposed to be just a minute. That turns into bunches of minutes as they hit it off. Alex's puzzled male secretary and chauffeur go up to see what happened and walk in on an innocent but strange scene. Lilly and Alex are playing piano and singing "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf" with Alex dressed up in some strange kind of head gear! Alex should be afraid, but not of the Big Bad Wolf, because in this beautiful young woman he is finding the companionship and fun he would like to have with his wife if only his wife would notice his frantic yoo-hooing! The friendship between Lilly and Alex turns to an affair when Alex's wife first forgets their anniversary and goes to a society event instead, and then goes on a weeks long yacht trip with her society friends while the son is off at military school. There are two flies in the ointment. First, in the only real malicious act Alex performs in this entire film, he gets a cop (Sidney Toler as officer Moran) demoted to walking a beat for giving him not only a traffic ticket but some attitude. The second fly in the ointment is Lilly's - I guess you could call him a boyfriend, but he sure acts like an abusive pimp (J. Carroll Naish as Lou Colima). The only reason I can figure Lilly doesn't give him the air is that he put her in the show she is working in, and she had said before she hadn't been able to find work for a long time. So she needs this creep to butter her bread, but he has bigger ideas. He wants to use letters Alex has written to Lilly to blackmail the tycoon. Lilly wants no part of this, because she actually loves Alex.
In a confrontation gone terribly wrong, Colima threatens Alex with exposure when he comes to see Lilly one night, a fight ensues, and Colima fires Lilly's gun at Alex, hitting and killing Lilly instead when she jumps between the two. Alex finds an oh so convenient second gun (Exactly how many guns did Lilly have lying around this apartment anyways?) and, in self defense, shoots Colima dead.
Now Alex has committed no crime, but even if the police believe his story, he is embroiled in a scandal that will ruin not only him, but his wife and child. He switches the bullets in one gun with the bullets in the second gun to make it look like a murder/suicide, hides the second gun, takes his letters from Colima's coat pocket, and discretely drives away. His trick actually fools the homicide detectives, but there is one problem. Remember that beat cop who got demoted because of Alex and knows it was Alex that got him demoted? He is at the scene, saw Alex's car earlier in the evening while walking his beat, and looks around and finds the second gun and discovers the trick. He convinces his sergeant to give him 48 hours to solve the crime. How does this all pan out?Watch and find out. And remember that this is still the precode era.
When I asked at the beginning of the review - does motivation count for anything? - I am really talking about Alex and the beat cop, Moran, whose career Alex damaged. The cop probably is more interested in destroying Alex, because he assumes he is a probable suspect, than he is in getting justice. If he succeeds in bringing in Alex, he will be a hero by deed, but by motivation he is just doing all of this investigating for petty revenge. Alex never had any malicious intent in his affair with Lilly. He met Lilly completely by coincidence and did a good deed when he fished her out of the water. He would never have succumbed to her charms had his wife noticed he was alive, but here he is embroiled in at best a love nest scandal, and at worst a murder case if he is exposed.
Give this one a look if you have the chance. Ginger was never lovelier and this is one of Warren William's more complex roles. Highly recommended.
okay film with Warren William
blanche-24 January 2011
Warren William, Mary Astor, Ginger Rogers, and Sidney Toler star in "Upperworld," a 1934 film. William plays a railroad tycoon, Alexander Stream, whose beautiful wife (Astor) is too busy being a social butterfly to spend time with him. He drifts into a relationship with a chorus girl (Ginger Rogers) whose producer wants her to milk Stream for all she can get. She's actually a good kid and doesn't want to do that. Sidney Toler plays a policeman who's demoted after being rude to Stream, and he attempts to blackmail him when tragedy strikes.
I'm a big fan of Warren William, and he's marvelous. He's not the fun-loving, relaxed detective of later films, nor the scoundrel of earlier ones. He plays basically a good man who's lonely. Also, he has a son (Dickie Moore) who, though no one calls him a brat, is a horror show.
Nice ending. Nothing original about the story, but the acting is good.
I'm a big fan of Warren William, and he's marvelous. He's not the fun-loving, relaxed detective of later films, nor the scoundrel of earlier ones. He plays basically a good man who's lonely. Also, he has a son (Dickie Moore) who, though no one calls him a brat, is a horror show.
Nice ending. Nothing original about the story, but the acting is good.
While parts of the film are very interesting, the overall package just doesn't work
planktonrules4 October 2007
Warning: Spoilers
This is a very odd little film in many ways. Although Warren William's character is a lot like many other characters he played (here he is yet again a rich industrialist), his motivations and actions seem very indecisive and weak--as well as very, very inconsistent. At first, he is shown in some nice family scenes with the cute and scene-stealing Dickie Moore. However, while these scenes show that William loved his young boy, just a bit later this good father is chasing after young Ginger Rogers like a dog responding to the sound of a can of dog food being opened! All this in spite of the fact he's married to Mary Astor and loves the boy. Sure, it's pretty clear that Astor is too busy with her society friends and that is much of the reason for William's wandering eye, but still it just didn't seem to fit in with the fatherly image at the beginning.
Later, William's character became an even greater enigma. When Ginger is killed by a scumbag intent on blackmailing William, William grabs a gun and plugs the evil jerk. This is tough to believe, but he really was innocently defending himself--yet he then behaved stupidly and tried to cover up his involvement--and it's done in a very sloppy manner. Then, once this occurs, he still acted so indecisive and dumb that it's hard to feel sorry for the man. Yet, inexplicably, even though he grossly tampered with evidence, he's acquitted of all charges in the end and he and his family are seen in a tender familial scene! This happy ending just made very little sense to me.
As a "Pre-Code" film, it was pretty tame--so tame that it wasn't all that interesting. On one hand, the film is about adultery, but then later it becomes a family values film even after the double-killing--like the producers weren't sure whether to make this a sexy thriller or a conventional soap opera. What I strongly suspect is that this film was in production just as the strengthened Production Code was being adopted--forcing changes to the script to conform to the family-friendly Code. Because of this, the film seems to be in limbo--not juicy or sleazy enough to be Pre-Code but also very confusing and filled with sexual innuendo! In the end, because it is such a mixed bag, the film is just a time-passer. William and the rest simply made better films that you should probably see first--save this one for when you've seen A LOT of films and are willing to accept second best!
Later, William's character became an even greater enigma. When Ginger is killed by a scumbag intent on blackmailing William, William grabs a gun and plugs the evil jerk. This is tough to believe, but he really was innocently defending himself--yet he then behaved stupidly and tried to cover up his involvement--and it's done in a very sloppy manner. Then, once this occurs, he still acted so indecisive and dumb that it's hard to feel sorry for the man. Yet, inexplicably, even though he grossly tampered with evidence, he's acquitted of all charges in the end and he and his family are seen in a tender familial scene! This happy ending just made very little sense to me.
As a "Pre-Code" film, it was pretty tame--so tame that it wasn't all that interesting. On one hand, the film is about adultery, but then later it becomes a family values film even after the double-killing--like the producers weren't sure whether to make this a sexy thriller or a conventional soap opera. What I strongly suspect is that this film was in production just as the strengthened Production Code was being adopted--forcing changes to the script to conform to the family-friendly Code. Because of this, the film seems to be in limbo--not juicy or sleazy enough to be Pre-Code but also very confusing and filled with sexual innuendo! In the end, because it is such a mixed bag, the film is just a time-passer. William and the rest simply made better films that you should probably see first--save this one for when you've seen A LOT of films and are willing to accept second best!
Tragedy and Scandal
bkoganbing25 March 2010
The Upperworld of railroad tycoon Warren William almost crashes into a show girl rather abruptly with his speeding power boat nearly running down a swimming Ginger Rogers.
Now more than likely she would have picked herself up, dusted herself off and started all over again as she did in a song she sung in a later film normally. But Warren William's marriage to Mary Astor is running into some rough seas itself. She's too busy being a socialite to have time for her husband and son, little Dickie Moore. Consequently William is ripe for a relationship with Rogers. One that her sleazy boyfriend J. Carrol Naish is ready to take advantage of.
One of the things I found fascinating with Upperworld is the rather rigid roles for the sexes that are defined. William is king of his castle and the wife is their for him. Astor is condemned for wanting something more than being the dutiful wife and mother, a career of her own is not even mentioned as a possibility. She's condemned for being social butterfly and later is properly repentant when tragedy strikes.
As for Rogers even though she gets into this quite by accident, she's still a homewrecker and a person in a not quite respectable profession of showgirl.
Upperworld is a story of tragedy and scandal and the leads are given a good group of supporting players fitting comfortably into roles they've all played before. Please make note of Andy Devine as the chauffeur and Robert Grieg as the butler to William and Astor. Both serve as confidantes at various times of the film to William. Also note Sidney Toler as the beat cop and righteous voice of working class America determined to bring Warren William down. His deductions are worthy of Charlie Chan.
This view of the mores of high society is what we get from Upperworld, a most typical product of the working class studio that was Warner Brothers back in the day.
Now more than likely she would have picked herself up, dusted herself off and started all over again as she did in a song she sung in a later film normally. But Warren William's marriage to Mary Astor is running into some rough seas itself. She's too busy being a socialite to have time for her husband and son, little Dickie Moore. Consequently William is ripe for a relationship with Rogers. One that her sleazy boyfriend J. Carrol Naish is ready to take advantage of.
One of the things I found fascinating with Upperworld is the rather rigid roles for the sexes that are defined. William is king of his castle and the wife is their for him. Astor is condemned for wanting something more than being the dutiful wife and mother, a career of her own is not even mentioned as a possibility. She's condemned for being social butterfly and later is properly repentant when tragedy strikes.
As for Rogers even though she gets into this quite by accident, she's still a homewrecker and a person in a not quite respectable profession of showgirl.
Upperworld is a story of tragedy and scandal and the leads are given a good group of supporting players fitting comfortably into roles they've all played before. Please make note of Andy Devine as the chauffeur and Robert Grieg as the butler to William and Astor. Both serve as confidantes at various times of the film to William. Also note Sidney Toler as the beat cop and righteous voice of working class America determined to bring Warren William down. His deductions are worthy of Charlie Chan.
This view of the mores of high society is what we get from Upperworld, a most typical product of the working class studio that was Warner Brothers back in the day.
Tame, disappointing ... so much pre-code potential wasted
Ursula_Two_Point_Seven_T14 September 2005
I assume this is a first-half of 1934 release (and, thus, technically a "pre-Code") as there is no Production Code certificate # displayed on the beginning credits. For a pre-Code, however, it is extremely tame and toothless. With Warren William and Ginger Rogers, this movie could've really been fun if only it had been a little more racy.
In brief, Warren William plays Alex Stream, a railroad magnate very much in love with his wife Heddy (Mary Astor) who is more interested in her social parties and dinners than in spending time alone with her husband. This leads Alex to start spending time with Lily Linda (Ginger Rogers), a burlesque dancer whom he happened to meet by chance when he was out in his boat and she was swimming in the river in distress.
Lily is the burlesque dancer with a heart of gold -- she has no interest whatsoever in squeezing the big bucks out of her rich new sugar daddy. Lily's boyfriend cum manager, Lou, has other ideas and steals Alex's love letters to Lily in an attempt to blackmail Alex. Before Lou can leave Lily's apartment with the letters, however, Alex comes in, there is a confrontation, Lou ends up shooting Lily, Alex ends up shooting Lou.
From there, the movie becomes a cat and mouse game with a policeman whom Alex recently had demoted doggedly determined to prove that Alex is the second murderer (the police found Lou's prints on one gun and an unknown person's (Alex's) prints on the second gun).
I expected more from a W.William/G.Rogers pre-code vehicle. For instance, when Alex has kept his secretary and chauffeur waiting on the street for more than an hour while he's been in Lily's apartment, the secretary finally goes upstairs to fetch Alex. What does the secretary see when he opens the apartment door? Warren William dressed in a feather hat and pig snout singing "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf" while Ginger Rogers plays the tune on the piano. It doesn't get much more wholesome than that, folks. This should've been my clue to turn the danged movie off!
A couple of funny flubs - one big, one minor. Marcus the secretary is waiting in front of Lily's apartment for Alex. He announces it's 2:30, and Alex has a 1:00 meeting. Then up in the apartment Lily cooks a brunch for Alex, they eat it, clear the table, and start singing. Cut back to Marcus and he announces it's 2:45. How did Alex and Lily have time to cook a meal and eat it within a span of 15 minutes? Then, after fetching Alex and dragging him back to the car, the gang gets stopped by a policeman who gives the chauffeur a ticket. Finally, they are on their way again and make their way to the skyscraper "Alexander Stream" building. The camera pans to an upper floor, indicating this is where Alex is. We then see Alex walking past numerous employees who greet him. In the background there is a clock, which reads 2:45! How can it be 2:45 NOW when it was 2:45 back before Marcus ever went upstairs to Lily's apartment to fetch Alex. Then they drove, got stopped by a cop, given a ticket, drove further to the office building, rode the elevator to an upper floor, and it is STILL 2:45!
The tiny flub is Ginger Rogers's character's name is spelled "Lily" in the film -- on the marquee outside the theater where she's performing and in the newspaper headline after she's been killed. However, in the opening credits her name is spelled "Lilly".
I'm guessing the continuity person at Warners wasn't very good at their job. However, that's the least of this tame, tame film's problems.
I wouldn't waste my time with this if I were you. Unless you're a big G.Rogers fan and want to catch an early flick of hers. This one's not even worth it for Warren Williams's fans.
Good supporting roles by Andy Devine as Oscar the chauffeur, Ferdinand Gottschalk as Marcus the secretary, and Robert Greig as Caldwell the butler.
In brief, Warren William plays Alex Stream, a railroad magnate very much in love with his wife Heddy (Mary Astor) who is more interested in her social parties and dinners than in spending time alone with her husband. This leads Alex to start spending time with Lily Linda (Ginger Rogers), a burlesque dancer whom he happened to meet by chance when he was out in his boat and she was swimming in the river in distress.
Lily is the burlesque dancer with a heart of gold -- she has no interest whatsoever in squeezing the big bucks out of her rich new sugar daddy. Lily's boyfriend cum manager, Lou, has other ideas and steals Alex's love letters to Lily in an attempt to blackmail Alex. Before Lou can leave Lily's apartment with the letters, however, Alex comes in, there is a confrontation, Lou ends up shooting Lily, Alex ends up shooting Lou.
From there, the movie becomes a cat and mouse game with a policeman whom Alex recently had demoted doggedly determined to prove that Alex is the second murderer (the police found Lou's prints on one gun and an unknown person's (Alex's) prints on the second gun).
I expected more from a W.William/G.Rogers pre-code vehicle. For instance, when Alex has kept his secretary and chauffeur waiting on the street for more than an hour while he's been in Lily's apartment, the secretary finally goes upstairs to fetch Alex. What does the secretary see when he opens the apartment door? Warren William dressed in a feather hat and pig snout singing "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf" while Ginger Rogers plays the tune on the piano. It doesn't get much more wholesome than that, folks. This should've been my clue to turn the danged movie off!
A couple of funny flubs - one big, one minor. Marcus the secretary is waiting in front of Lily's apartment for Alex. He announces it's 2:30, and Alex has a 1:00 meeting. Then up in the apartment Lily cooks a brunch for Alex, they eat it, clear the table, and start singing. Cut back to Marcus and he announces it's 2:45. How did Alex and Lily have time to cook a meal and eat it within a span of 15 minutes? Then, after fetching Alex and dragging him back to the car, the gang gets stopped by a policeman who gives the chauffeur a ticket. Finally, they are on their way again and make their way to the skyscraper "Alexander Stream" building. The camera pans to an upper floor, indicating this is where Alex is. We then see Alex walking past numerous employees who greet him. In the background there is a clock, which reads 2:45! How can it be 2:45 NOW when it was 2:45 back before Marcus ever went upstairs to Lily's apartment to fetch Alex. Then they drove, got stopped by a cop, given a ticket, drove further to the office building, rode the elevator to an upper floor, and it is STILL 2:45!
The tiny flub is Ginger Rogers's character's name is spelled "Lily" in the film -- on the marquee outside the theater where she's performing and in the newspaper headline after she's been killed. However, in the opening credits her name is spelled "Lilly".
I'm guessing the continuity person at Warners wasn't very good at their job. However, that's the least of this tame, tame film's problems.
I wouldn't waste my time with this if I were you. Unless you're a big G.Rogers fan and want to catch an early flick of hers. This one's not even worth it for Warren Williams's fans.
Good supporting roles by Andy Devine as Oscar the chauffeur, Ferdinand Gottschalk as Marcus the secretary, and Robert Greig as Caldwell the butler.
Nice Drama
Michael_Elliott28 February 2008
Upperworld (1934)
*** (out of 4)
Above average crime drama from Warner with direction by Roy Del Ruth. A ruthless businessman (Warren William) is getting bored with his wife (Mary Astor) who's only interested in climbing the social ladder so he starts a fling with a showgirl (Ginger Rogers) but this turns out to be a mistake when her manager (J. Carrol Naish) tries to blackmail him, which leads to a double murder. There's a lot to recommend here but the key thing is the performances from the fine cast, which shines throughout the film. William is his typical cool self and Astor is in good form in the few scenes that she's in. The real highlight is Rogers who gets to play a lot of sexuality in this Pre-Code and that includes one scene where she's in a short bathing suit and trips over a bed so that her behind can be facing the camera. Dickie Moore is also good as William's son and Naish nearly steals the film as the ruthless wannabe gangster. Sidney Toler, the future Charlie Chan, plays the cop out to break William. Andy Devine rounds out the cast. The story has a few plot holes along the way and the ending is a letdown but this is still highly entertaining.
*** (out of 4)
Above average crime drama from Warner with direction by Roy Del Ruth. A ruthless businessman (Warren William) is getting bored with his wife (Mary Astor) who's only interested in climbing the social ladder so he starts a fling with a showgirl (Ginger Rogers) but this turns out to be a mistake when her manager (J. Carrol Naish) tries to blackmail him, which leads to a double murder. There's a lot to recommend here but the key thing is the performances from the fine cast, which shines throughout the film. William is his typical cool self and Astor is in good form in the few scenes that she's in. The real highlight is Rogers who gets to play a lot of sexuality in this Pre-Code and that includes one scene where she's in a short bathing suit and trips over a bed so that her behind can be facing the camera. Dickie Moore is also good as William's son and Naish nearly steals the film as the ruthless wannabe gangster. Sidney Toler, the future Charlie Chan, plays the cop out to break William. Andy Devine rounds out the cast. The story has a few plot holes along the way and the ending is a letdown but this is still highly entertaining.
trapped By His Own Success
skinnybert19 January 2023
Funny seeing other reviewers complain about what this movie is not. Not that they are wrong; if you want a big emotional dramatic finish, you're better off with Gone With The Wind or Casablanca or a dozen other movies which do just that.
This could have been one of those movies, but it isn't; Upperworld is a gentler film. Watching this after, oh, Skyscraper Souls, immediately shows the difference: our central tycoon is not a man of steel and grit but a mere human being, trapped by his own success. He's a devoted husband and father to the extent his life allows; his wife is equally devoted -- and divided.
This trap is of course also a world of privilege, and Upperworld is interesting for highlighting the effect this has on others -- in this case, the policeman who makes the mistake of treating our wealthy protagonist as subject to the same laws as everyone else. Most movies would have this as central plot; an open/shut issue to either satisfy or outrage the viewer.
His driver tells us straight up that the best place to find a girl is not on stage but in a library. But his life doesn't involve libraries; chance encounter brings him a showgirl instead. Their subsequent friendship isn't based on extramarital desire but simply companionship. But (as we soon see) even that he cannot pursue without consequences.
So we have what starts out almost as romantic comedy. Made in 1934 but written years earlier, the Depression hardly registers. By the time Warren William and Ginger Rogers are singing by the piano, it feels almost like a deliberate effort to take us away from the man-at-the-top characters he was portraying in 1933.
By the middle, we've moved into more of a crime-story vein, as J Carroll Naish's character becomes more involved. What seemed like comedy becomes closer to tragedy.
While we are accustomed to seeing the last act of such a drama wrought with more flash and sizzle, legal procedure is actually more humdrum than movies usually make out; the gentle tension here is nicely carried in the slow-but-sure pacing, and Warren William's measured performance.
As I said at the top, plenty of movies have more explosive finishes. But Upperworld isn't so much about dramatic finish as showing that difficulties and disappointments exist even for the apparently successful -- trapped by their own success.
This could have been one of those movies, but it isn't; Upperworld is a gentler film. Watching this after, oh, Skyscraper Souls, immediately shows the difference: our central tycoon is not a man of steel and grit but a mere human being, trapped by his own success. He's a devoted husband and father to the extent his life allows; his wife is equally devoted -- and divided.
This trap is of course also a world of privilege, and Upperworld is interesting for highlighting the effect this has on others -- in this case, the policeman who makes the mistake of treating our wealthy protagonist as subject to the same laws as everyone else. Most movies would have this as central plot; an open/shut issue to either satisfy or outrage the viewer.
His driver tells us straight up that the best place to find a girl is not on stage but in a library. But his life doesn't involve libraries; chance encounter brings him a showgirl instead. Their subsequent friendship isn't based on extramarital desire but simply companionship. But (as we soon see) even that he cannot pursue without consequences.
So we have what starts out almost as romantic comedy. Made in 1934 but written years earlier, the Depression hardly registers. By the time Warren William and Ginger Rogers are singing by the piano, it feels almost like a deliberate effort to take us away from the man-at-the-top characters he was portraying in 1933.
By the middle, we've moved into more of a crime-story vein, as J Carroll Naish's character becomes more involved. What seemed like comedy becomes closer to tragedy.
While we are accustomed to seeing the last act of such a drama wrought with more flash and sizzle, legal procedure is actually more humdrum than movies usually make out; the gentle tension here is nicely carried in the slow-but-sure pacing, and Warren William's measured performance.
As I said at the top, plenty of movies have more explosive finishes. But Upperworld isn't so much about dramatic finish as showing that difficulties and disappointments exist even for the apparently successful -- trapped by their own success.
Forgotton, risque drama
HotToastyRag12 March 2019
You'll think, when you start this movie, that it's a silly Ginger Rogers comedy. It does start out that way, but before long, it turns into a pretty heavy drama with twists and turns that will shock you. For a pre-Fred Ginger, and the star who no doubt hated Melvyn Douglas's success, Warren William, check out this romantic drama, Upper World.
Warren is a famous millionaire with a beautiful house, beautiful wife Mary Astor, and adorable and playful son Dickie Moore. He's completely satisfied, except for the small disagreement that Mary likes hosting high-society parties and he doesn't. Then, a random occurrence on his yacht connects him with burlesque dancer Ginger Rogers. He rescues her from drowning, then accompanies her back to her apartment, then stays and cooks breakfast with her. Before long, he's buying her twelve thousand dollar diamond bracelets and sitting in the front row during her very risqué dance numbers. Ginger's boyfriend, J. Carrol Naish, finds out about the affair and hopes to blackmail Warren, but his plans go awry.
This isn't the most dramatic movie out there, and it probably won't be your favorite, but it's worth watching if it appeals to you. There are so many movies from the 1930s that have been forgotten about, and many of them are quite good.
Warren is a famous millionaire with a beautiful house, beautiful wife Mary Astor, and adorable and playful son Dickie Moore. He's completely satisfied, except for the small disagreement that Mary likes hosting high-society parties and he doesn't. Then, a random occurrence on his yacht connects him with burlesque dancer Ginger Rogers. He rescues her from drowning, then accompanies her back to her apartment, then stays and cooks breakfast with her. Before long, he's buying her twelve thousand dollar diamond bracelets and sitting in the front row during her very risqué dance numbers. Ginger's boyfriend, J. Carrol Naish, finds out about the affair and hopes to blackmail Warren, but his plans go awry.
This isn't the most dramatic movie out there, and it probably won't be your favorite, but it's worth watching if it appeals to you. There are so many movies from the 1930s that have been forgotten about, and many of them are quite good.
I'll toss in a theory, i.e., guess
vert0016 March 2016
Warning: Spoilers
There's no doubt that UPPER WORLD splits into two different movies at around its 2/3 mark. For about 55 minutes we get a proto-Film Noir minus the noir lighting and with way too many wisecracks for that genre, but nevertheless a plot that isn't much different from the later Noir PITFALL. After that we get one big mess that doesn't even make any sense. The usual explanation is that the Hays Code is responsible, but the movie was released in April 1934, months before the Code came into serious effect (Jan. 1934 is a decent guess as to when it was actually shot), and movies simply didn't play in theaters for very long back then. There doesn't seem to have been any real reason to make UPPER WORLD comply with the Code, but the studio had second thoughts about something. A look at the cast list given by IMDb shows that no less than six actors (including Mickey Rooney!) had all of their scenes deleted. As it stands, the Sidney Toler subplot, which looks like it was to be the spine of the second half of the film, seems to have been forgotten by one and all by the movie's denouement. The trial scene, a natural climax one would think, is so abbreviated that it now serves as nothing but a crumbling plot bridge to that denouement. As for the ending of UPPER WORLD, it's pretty generally agreed that few conclusions are less satisfying. So what happened?
Well, I don't know, but if I had to guess I'd stick to a mundane explanation. As it stands, the film comes in at 73 minutes. That's about the limit for a programmer in 1934 and it's clear that a lot of the movie has been cut out. My guess is that the picture was meant to be a major A-List production, which would likely clock in at something between 110 and 130 minutes, but that the studio had second thoughts when it saw what it had. They massively cut the second half of their film so that it now stands as only the final third of it. The Toler revenge subplot, which probably was the whole point of the second half, got truncated into incoherence, most of the trial was jettisoned, possibly the happy ending was added (happy endings almost always play better at the box office, then and now). We were not in the era of Noir yet, and UPPER WORLD would have been a far better movie if we had been.
MAJOR SPOILERS FOLLOW!!!!
The cast is superb, indeed, in Mary Astor's case it's way too good for the material. Warren William is always fun to see and never fails to give a solid performance, UPPER WORLD being no exception. As everyone agrees, Astor was wasted in the role of a frivolous wife, the terrific comedy support got better scenes than she, especially the put-upon butler whose name, alas, I'm always forgetting (Robert Keith?), and Andy ("What are you doin' tonight, babe?" "Plenty, but not with you.") Devine. Ginger Rogers is wonderful as about the nicest little homewrecker you'll ever come across. Pretty much all her scenes with William are gems (the boisterous 'Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?', the anniversary party in which she substitutes for William's missing wife, their kiss after the airplane ride, what I believe is Ginger's only death scene in movies, all are just outstanding). One guesses that the movie is intact until Ginger's shooting simply because the movie dies right along with her character. She was more than ready for the big time.
One final note on how movies at that time worked. William makes two phone calls to Rogers. In the first, she picks up a homely receiver while ironing her underwear in the dumpy apartment in which she's living, her sleazy lover (J. Carroll Naish) sitting beside her on a beaten-up sofa. That is the day of the airplane ride and subsequent kiss. The next time we see Ginger she's again taking Warren's call. Again Naish is beside her, but now Ginger's dressed to the nines, she's speaking into one of those fancy French type receivers, the sofa is plush and expensive and her apartment is now large and elegant. Nothing is said about why her financial circumstances are so improved and nothing has to be said, yet I have the nagging feeling that plenty of a modern audience would miss the whole point. But perhaps I'm wrong about that.
EDIT: The butler is played by the always excellent Robert Grieg.
Well, I don't know, but if I had to guess I'd stick to a mundane explanation. As it stands, the film comes in at 73 minutes. That's about the limit for a programmer in 1934 and it's clear that a lot of the movie has been cut out. My guess is that the picture was meant to be a major A-List production, which would likely clock in at something between 110 and 130 minutes, but that the studio had second thoughts when it saw what it had. They massively cut the second half of their film so that it now stands as only the final third of it. The Toler revenge subplot, which probably was the whole point of the second half, got truncated into incoherence, most of the trial was jettisoned, possibly the happy ending was added (happy endings almost always play better at the box office, then and now). We were not in the era of Noir yet, and UPPER WORLD would have been a far better movie if we had been.
MAJOR SPOILERS FOLLOW!!!!
The cast is superb, indeed, in Mary Astor's case it's way too good for the material. Warren William is always fun to see and never fails to give a solid performance, UPPER WORLD being no exception. As everyone agrees, Astor was wasted in the role of a frivolous wife, the terrific comedy support got better scenes than she, especially the put-upon butler whose name, alas, I'm always forgetting (Robert Keith?), and Andy ("What are you doin' tonight, babe?" "Plenty, but not with you.") Devine. Ginger Rogers is wonderful as about the nicest little homewrecker you'll ever come across. Pretty much all her scenes with William are gems (the boisterous 'Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?', the anniversary party in which she substitutes for William's missing wife, their kiss after the airplane ride, what I believe is Ginger's only death scene in movies, all are just outstanding). One guesses that the movie is intact until Ginger's shooting simply because the movie dies right along with her character. She was more than ready for the big time.
One final note on how movies at that time worked. William makes two phone calls to Rogers. In the first, she picks up a homely receiver while ironing her underwear in the dumpy apartment in which she's living, her sleazy lover (J. Carroll Naish) sitting beside her on a beaten-up sofa. That is the day of the airplane ride and subsequent kiss. The next time we see Ginger she's again taking Warren's call. Again Naish is beside her, but now Ginger's dressed to the nines, she's speaking into one of those fancy French type receivers, the sofa is plush and expensive and her apartment is now large and elegant. Nothing is said about why her financial circumstances are so improved and nothing has to be said, yet I have the nagging feeling that plenty of a modern audience would miss the whole point. But perhaps I'm wrong about that.
EDIT: The butler is played by the always excellent Robert Grieg.
upperworld
mossgrymk12 April 2024
I'm probably over rating this code straddling film by at least a point because I'm a big Warren William fan and an even bigger Ginger Rogers one. I say code straddling because the movie has the look of something that got in just under the censor's barbed wire, with stuff that is obviously pre code, like a general dearth of twin beds and more of Ginger's nubile bod than you'd normally see, mixed in with post code crap like the adulteress (but not the adulterer) having to get bumped off so that the hubby and wife and obnoxiously cute kid could live happily, and boringly, ever after. Give it a C plus.
pre-Code drama
SnoopyStyle7 April 2024
Railroad tycoon Alexander Stream (Warren William) has his wife Hettie Stream (Mary Astor) and young son Tommy. Both father and son are tired of mommy's society parties and her social climbing. The husband is on his yacht when he rescues drowning showgirl beauty Lilly Linda (Ginger Rogers).
This is a pre-Code drama. I'm not exactly thrilled with Alexander. He is the old powerful businessman who flirts with the much younger girl. It's not exactly new or appealing. It's also not the worst thing in the world. I've always had problems with these unavailable men building a trap of their own making. At least, he seems to be a good father. The drama is a slow build. Ginger Rogers is the standout. It's not my favorite type of stories, but this is done well.
This is a pre-Code drama. I'm not exactly thrilled with Alexander. He is the old powerful businessman who flirts with the much younger girl. It's not exactly new or appealing. It's also not the worst thing in the world. I've always had problems with these unavailable men building a trap of their own making. At least, he seems to be a good father. The drama is a slow build. Ginger Rogers is the standout. It's not my favorite type of stories, but this is done well.
Rich Man Being Socially Stupid
view_and_review8 March 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Warren William and being a boss. Warren William and being a boss with an incorrigible appetite for women. That's his M. O.
In "Upperworld," Warren William played Alexander Stream, the owner of a railroad company. He was your standard tycoon who was bored with his marriage and found company in another woman. His wife Hettie (Mary Astor) never had time for him as she was always in one social engagement or another. She was very imperceptive and didn't pick up the signs that her husband desired her.
The side piece was Lilly Linda (Ginger Rogers), a burlesque dancer. Even though she legitimately liked Alex, there was another man in her life that wanted her to bilk Alex for a million dollars. The hustler was a man named Oscar (Andy Devine) and he was holding all the cards. Technically he was holding letters from Alex to Lilly.
It always baffles me how some rich people can be so smart as to amass a fortune yet be so stupid at the same time. I wanted to tell Alex, "Even IF you believed Lilly was on the level, why would you write her letters?"
But, such are the decisions of a man infatuated.
The rather passe movie had an uptick in drama when Oscar tried to shakedown Alex. Instead of giving in to Oscar's demands he punched him, which led to a shootout. Oscar shot at Alex, Lilly jumped in the way and took the bullet, then Alex grabbed a gun and shot Oscar.
All this only a couple of days before a big merger.
Alex went from possibly being involved in an infidelity scandal to being involved in a murder scandal.
Jumping to the end, because that's the next thing of significance: Alex was acquitted of murder.
Moral of the story: rich people may make stupid decisions at times, but they have enough money to cover up a lot of their mistakes. And somehow the ending was a happily ever after with Alex and Hettie sailing together on a second honeymoon.
I was surprised to see such an ending be depicted as a happily ever after. Sure, Alex won, but society lost. Another rich man acts impulsively, two lives are lost, and he gets to sail away with his wife whom he cheated on. Make it make sense.
Free on Odnoklassniki.
In "Upperworld," Warren William played Alexander Stream, the owner of a railroad company. He was your standard tycoon who was bored with his marriage and found company in another woman. His wife Hettie (Mary Astor) never had time for him as she was always in one social engagement or another. She was very imperceptive and didn't pick up the signs that her husband desired her.
The side piece was Lilly Linda (Ginger Rogers), a burlesque dancer. Even though she legitimately liked Alex, there was another man in her life that wanted her to bilk Alex for a million dollars. The hustler was a man named Oscar (Andy Devine) and he was holding all the cards. Technically he was holding letters from Alex to Lilly.
It always baffles me how some rich people can be so smart as to amass a fortune yet be so stupid at the same time. I wanted to tell Alex, "Even IF you believed Lilly was on the level, why would you write her letters?"
But, such are the decisions of a man infatuated.
The rather passe movie had an uptick in drama when Oscar tried to shakedown Alex. Instead of giving in to Oscar's demands he punched him, which led to a shootout. Oscar shot at Alex, Lilly jumped in the way and took the bullet, then Alex grabbed a gun and shot Oscar.
All this only a couple of days before a big merger.
Alex went from possibly being involved in an infidelity scandal to being involved in a murder scandal.
Jumping to the end, because that's the next thing of significance: Alex was acquitted of murder.
Moral of the story: rich people may make stupid decisions at times, but they have enough money to cover up a lot of their mistakes. And somehow the ending was a happily ever after with Alex and Hettie sailing together on a second honeymoon.
I was surprised to see such an ending be depicted as a happily ever after. Sure, Alex won, but society lost. Another rich man acts impulsively, two lives are lost, and he gets to sail away with his wife whom he cheated on. Make it make sense.
Free on Odnoklassniki.
Circumstances And Motive
boblipton8 April 2024
There's trouble in Paradise for Warren William. True, he's the CEO of a major railroad, plotting a consolidation of all the roads int he country. He's got a huge place, an adorable son in Dickie Moore, but he and wife Mary Astor have grown distant. He's still obviously in love with her, but she's distracted by society. So when burlesque star Ginger Rogers almost drowns in his pond -- or maybe it's a lake, or even an ocean -- he drives her back to her apartment and becomes distracted. Then her boyfriend/manager, J. Carroll Naish sees this as a chance to blackmail him. Miss Rogers objects, and there's a shootout in her apartment just as the merger is about to go through, and Naish winds up dead. William changes the setting so it looks like Naish shot Miss Rogers and then committed suicide, and leaves. But beat cop Sidney Toler spots William's car and his registration outside the building.
It's still early in the year, so the Production Code still hasn't fully taken hold, but there are indications of it here. For a Warner Brothers movie of the period, it's very sympathetic to William, who seems bored and lonely in the midst of magnificence. Mostly it's a well-done story of circumstances directed by Roy Del Ruth, one of Warners' workhorse directors of the period. With Andy Devine, Felix Gottschalk, and Robert Greig as -- surprise! -- the butler.
It's still early in the year, so the Production Code still hasn't fully taken hold, but there are indications of it here. For a Warner Brothers movie of the period, it's very sympathetic to William, who seems bored and lonely in the midst of magnificence. Mostly it's a well-done story of circumstances directed by Roy Del Ruth, one of Warners' workhorse directors of the period. With Andy Devine, Felix Gottschalk, and Robert Greig as -- surprise! -- the butler.
everyone has their price in this film ...except Ginger
kidboots19 September 2007
Warning: Spoilers
This would have to be the most depressing film. There are no nice people in this movie (suprisingly even Dickie Moore plays a pretty bratty kid)...except Ginger. The moral of the film is everyone has their price - even the lowly janitor played by John Qualen. SPOILER ALERT: Mary Astor plays Hettie Stream, a society wife, who has little time for her husband and son. As the film opens Dickie Moore is bawling out the butler because he is not allowed to play in the ballroom. Throughout the film the father is often seen giving tips to his son on how to be more like him. Warren William plays Alex Stream, who is used to having his own way in all situations. A chance meeting with Lily Linda (Ginger Rogers) a burlesque dancer creates a diversion for him but Lily begins to fall for him. In Lily he finds someone who is sweet and good and delights in simple pleasures. I couldn't believe when Lily is shot ( it happens about half way through the film) Alex callously cleans the apartment to get rid of evidence that would incriminate him. Lily is a good person but no-one cares about her - except a policeman (Sidney Toler). He has been demoted for daring to give tycoon Stream a speeding ticket and he is determined to see justice done. From then on it is as though she doesn't exist. Stream is completely unremorseful and he and his wife renew their love for each other and plan to go away. But Hettie doesn't intend to stand by her man. The ending has to be seen to be believed - especially since it was made in 1934 - so it isn't a pre-coder. Fortunately Ginger would soon leave these sort of thankless roles behind her.
Slight but entertaining, although a bit overstuffed
Like_Wu_told_me16 September 2013
Warning: Spoilers
While slight and insignificant, Upperworld's performances keep it interesting, and it entertains throughout its overstuffed 73-minute runtime.
The film follows Warren William, whose society-obsessed and self-absorbed wife Hettie (Mary Astor) leaves him lonely and wanting more. As a result, he meets Linda (Ginger Rogers) and begins to spend more time with her, becoming infatuated. Her "man" (J. Caroroll Naish) wants her to con William for his money, but she loves him and refuses. A confrontation leaves Rogers and Naish dead, with William eventually being acquitted of their murder (he shot Naish but only after Naish killed Rogers).
The plot is a bit overstuffed and tries to cover too much ground, from the murder to the trial to the investigation and it ends up a bit rushed. But William is handsome and solid, without coming off as a selfish rich jerk like he might have. He has great chemistry with Rogers, and you can tell he genuinely cares about her. He illustrates his competing affections well.
Astor is beautiful and funny in her role as his wife. She is undeniably self-absorbed, but Astor puts enough touches of genuine caring and love throughout that we can clearly see she cares for William deeply. This is a woman who is caught up in her own life (her biggest flaw) but she is not mean-spirited or careless, and she genuinely appreciates her husband and son even though she doesn't always treat them well or give them as much attention as she should. Rogers gives a fresh, sensitive, and touching performance of a young woman in over her head and caught between conflicting emotions and motives.
The morality lessons about not straying from marriage ultimately feel a bit rushed and cheesy toward the end, and the film is a bit dated in this respect. But William's scenes with Ginger Rogers are wonderful, and if you love pre-code cinema I'd certainly recommend giving it a watch.
The film follows Warren William, whose society-obsessed and self-absorbed wife Hettie (Mary Astor) leaves him lonely and wanting more. As a result, he meets Linda (Ginger Rogers) and begins to spend more time with her, becoming infatuated. Her "man" (J. Caroroll Naish) wants her to con William for his money, but she loves him and refuses. A confrontation leaves Rogers and Naish dead, with William eventually being acquitted of their murder (he shot Naish but only after Naish killed Rogers).
The plot is a bit overstuffed and tries to cover too much ground, from the murder to the trial to the investigation and it ends up a bit rushed. But William is handsome and solid, without coming off as a selfish rich jerk like he might have. He has great chemistry with Rogers, and you can tell he genuinely cares about her. He illustrates his competing affections well.
Astor is beautiful and funny in her role as his wife. She is undeniably self-absorbed, but Astor puts enough touches of genuine caring and love throughout that we can clearly see she cares for William deeply. This is a woman who is caught up in her own life (her biggest flaw) but she is not mean-spirited or careless, and she genuinely appreciates her husband and son even though she doesn't always treat them well or give them as much attention as she should. Rogers gives a fresh, sensitive, and touching performance of a young woman in over her head and caught between conflicting emotions and motives.
The morality lessons about not straying from marriage ultimately feel a bit rushed and cheesy toward the end, and the film is a bit dated in this respect. But William's scenes with Ginger Rogers are wonderful, and if you love pre-code cinema I'd certainly recommend giving it a watch.
Before Citizen Kane
jarrodmcdonald-117 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Some of Mary Astor's best films have her embroiled in a love triangle. She memorably played the other woman in DODSWORTH, and here in UPPER WORLD she plays a wealthy wife who gets cheated on by her cad of a husband (Warren William). Miss Astor is third-billed and has less screen time than Mr. William and also less screen time than costar Ginger Rogers who takes the other woman role.
Still it's interesting to watch Astor make the most of her part. She's a snobby spouse obsessed with putting on airs and the sort of reputation she can cultivate with society pals. It doesn't hurt that her hubby is a highly successful titan of industry. She will see to it that they get all the right publicity, and that their little boy (Dickie Moore) receives all the finer advantages in life.
Of course, things do not go as planned for her. This is a precode after all, and her husband's affair with a burlesque queen (Rogers) is scandalous stuff. One thing that reviewers seem to neglect is that the story is obviously based on the marriage of William Randolph Hearst and his wife Millicent Willson...particularly how their union was jeopardized by his public relationship with actress Marion Davies.
Screenwriters Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur bend the facts enough so that this is not a pure biography, but it's certainly a veiled biography about Hearst and his complex love life. Warren William's character is not a media tycoon, but he's a railroad tycoon, close enough. Ginger Rogers' character is not a Broadway showgirl but she's a burlesque queen that catches his attention, close enough.
Hecht and MacArthur exploit the fact that Hearst and Davies were known for lavish costume parties. They recreate these scenes by having the wife (Astor) lead the parties instead of the mistress.
I am sure audiences in 1934 were very well aware who this movie was really about. It's kind of ironic that Warner Brothers would attempt this sort of production and risk Hearst's ire, since they would soon be wooing Miss Davies from MGM to their lot where she would make her last four films from 1935 to 1937.
***
The article on TCM's database for this film focuses primarily on Ginger Rogers, since she was on the cusp of stardom when she appeared in UPPER WORLD. She does get plenty of juicy scenes to play.
The courtship between Rogers and William advances quickly because this is only a 73-minute film. In no time at all, she goes from being saved from drowning to wowing him on stage, to shacking up with him in a posh apartment on the down-low.
Complicating matters is a sleazy friend (J. Carrol Naish) who thinks they can blackmail William. After all, William isn't going to want to be sued for divorce by his wife or lose custody of his son if the affair got out. Initially, Rogers does entertain the notion of squeezing dough out of her paramour, until she realizes she loves the guy too much to do such a thing. When she turns on Naish, all heck breaks loose.
William intervenes, and Rogers ends up being the one who's shot. Warren kills Naish then makes it seem like a murder-suicide, removing all traces that he'd even been there. A pesky cop (Sidney Toler) that he'd antagonized earlier in the movie gets embroiled in the investigation. Toler is determined to nail William for the crime, and he gathers evidence to support a conviction.
Somehow, the evidence that Toler collects gets lost. Though William goes on trial, he is ultimately cleared by the jury. Some viewers seem to think this is an example of what makes UPPER WORLD a precode, because justice isn't fully carried out. That may be true, but I think the main idea was to give the film a happy ending. To show that Warren has had time to reflect and realize the error of his ways, to atone. So when he is acquitted, he can logically reconcile with his wife and make up for his previous lapses in judgement.
In real life William Randolph Hearst never gave up Marion Davies. His wife Millicent Willson remained married to him. She lived her own life separate from him during the last fifteen years of their marriage, and they were not buried together.
Still it's interesting to watch Astor make the most of her part. She's a snobby spouse obsessed with putting on airs and the sort of reputation she can cultivate with society pals. It doesn't hurt that her hubby is a highly successful titan of industry. She will see to it that they get all the right publicity, and that their little boy (Dickie Moore) receives all the finer advantages in life.
Of course, things do not go as planned for her. This is a precode after all, and her husband's affair with a burlesque queen (Rogers) is scandalous stuff. One thing that reviewers seem to neglect is that the story is obviously based on the marriage of William Randolph Hearst and his wife Millicent Willson...particularly how their union was jeopardized by his public relationship with actress Marion Davies.
Screenwriters Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur bend the facts enough so that this is not a pure biography, but it's certainly a veiled biography about Hearst and his complex love life. Warren William's character is not a media tycoon, but he's a railroad tycoon, close enough. Ginger Rogers' character is not a Broadway showgirl but she's a burlesque queen that catches his attention, close enough.
Hecht and MacArthur exploit the fact that Hearst and Davies were known for lavish costume parties. They recreate these scenes by having the wife (Astor) lead the parties instead of the mistress.
I am sure audiences in 1934 were very well aware who this movie was really about. It's kind of ironic that Warner Brothers would attempt this sort of production and risk Hearst's ire, since they would soon be wooing Miss Davies from MGM to their lot where she would make her last four films from 1935 to 1937.
***
The article on TCM's database for this film focuses primarily on Ginger Rogers, since she was on the cusp of stardom when she appeared in UPPER WORLD. She does get plenty of juicy scenes to play.
The courtship between Rogers and William advances quickly because this is only a 73-minute film. In no time at all, she goes from being saved from drowning to wowing him on stage, to shacking up with him in a posh apartment on the down-low.
Complicating matters is a sleazy friend (J. Carrol Naish) who thinks they can blackmail William. After all, William isn't going to want to be sued for divorce by his wife or lose custody of his son if the affair got out. Initially, Rogers does entertain the notion of squeezing dough out of her paramour, until she realizes she loves the guy too much to do such a thing. When she turns on Naish, all heck breaks loose.
William intervenes, and Rogers ends up being the one who's shot. Warren kills Naish then makes it seem like a murder-suicide, removing all traces that he'd even been there. A pesky cop (Sidney Toler) that he'd antagonized earlier in the movie gets embroiled in the investigation. Toler is determined to nail William for the crime, and he gathers evidence to support a conviction.
Somehow, the evidence that Toler collects gets lost. Though William goes on trial, he is ultimately cleared by the jury. Some viewers seem to think this is an example of what makes UPPER WORLD a precode, because justice isn't fully carried out. That may be true, but I think the main idea was to give the film a happy ending. To show that Warren has had time to reflect and realize the error of his ways, to atone. So when he is acquitted, he can logically reconcile with his wife and make up for his previous lapses in judgement.
In real life William Randolph Hearst never gave up Marion Davies. His wife Millicent Willson remained married to him. She lived her own life separate from him during the last fifteen years of their marriage, and they were not buried together.
Hypotenuse is Ginger
GManfred9 November 2017
... in a love triangle that doesn't have much love in it. Railroad tycoon (Warren William) is unhappily married and is neglected by his social climbing wife (Mary Astor). He finds some happiness in a dalliance with a chorus girl (Ginger Rogers), which the plot assures us it is platonic in nature. The overall timbre of the screenplay is a gentle, good-natured feeling, with geniality in good supply all around.
Midway through, the story takes a serious, melodramatic tone as the tycoon tries to extricate himself from blackmail and a double murder, exacerbated by the chorine's boyfriend (J.Carroll Naish). The movie is more interesting and absorbing than you would imagine, and worth every bit of my rating. At only 73 minutes it is well worth your time.
Midway through, the story takes a serious, melodramatic tone as the tycoon tries to extricate himself from blackmail and a double murder, exacerbated by the chorine's boyfriend (J.Carroll Naish). The movie is more interesting and absorbing than you would imagine, and worth every bit of my rating. At only 73 minutes it is well worth your time.
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