Week Ninety-Two
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"The Calling of Dan Matthews" 1937 Tommy (center) |
MOVIE NAME: THE CALLING OF DAN MATTHEWS
STUDIO: PRINCIPAL PRODUCTIONS
PRODUCER: SOL LESSER
DIRECTOR: PHIL ROSEN
DATE: 1935
TYPE: CRIME,DRAMA
CAST:
RICHARD ARLEN as Dan Matthews , CHARLOTTE WYNTERS as Hope Strong ,DOUGLASS DRUMBRILLE as Jeff Hardy , MARY KORNMAN as Kitty Marley , DONALD COOK as Frank Blair , FREDERICK BURTON as James B. Strong, LEE MORAN as Hypo TOMMY DUGAN as Herman , EDWARD McWADE as Partington, TOMMY BUPP, as boy at "Old Town"
SOURCE: A F I, Catalog of Feature Films 1931-1940
STORY: Pastor Dan Matthews of the Strong Memorial Church, who is normally broad minded launches a crusade against "Old Town," an apparently harmless amusement park that is actually the center of gambling and free-flowing liquor frequented by young people. James B. Strong, a leading citizen
transformed the slum area and was unaware that the builder he contracted to do the work Jeff Hardy, is the mastermind behind the vice dens. The contract allows Hardy to do any work necessary in Strong's name, and so Strong will be held accountable if Old Town's corruption is brought to light. Also unaware of Strong's unwitting complicity is his daughter Hope, who is romantically attracted to Dan. She persuades Dan to take her on an inspection of Old Town where they witness a young friend, Kitty Marley's death, after she comes out of one Hardy's cafes drunk and is hit by a car. Shocked by her friend's death Hope, pledges to support Dan's crusade through her father's radio stations and newspapers. A fake call to help someone nearly gets Dan murdered by Hardy's henchmen, but he is saved when a police ambulance he called shows up. Strong returns from a trip to Washington, and after hearing the story joins in with Dan and Hope. Hardy, who shows him the contract and explains that he is legally responsible for everything in old town, quickly destroys Strong's good intentions. Hardy demands $50,000 for the contract and his silence, and Strong's manager Frank Blair urges him to take the deal. Dan tells Strong that settling would be a cowardly solution. Blair, persuades Hope to take the matter in her own hands. After withdrawing money from her personal account, Hope goes to Hardy, who forcibly takes the money after making it clear, that he has no intention of surrendering the contract. Dan arrives and beats Hardy in a fistfight. Dan retrieves the contract and orders Hardy to get out of town, he then embraces Hope.
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