atlasmb Bert Harris (James Cagney) is a bellhop at a small town hotel. When a looker (Joan Blondell as Anne Roberts) arrives, he arranges for her employment in the housekeeping department.Bert is a schemer who is loose with the truth and has a love of the ladies. He says, "The world owes me a living." Despite the fact Bert is "not a collar ad", Anne is intrigued by his persona. But she is a good girl, immune to his advances. Still, they become partners and use a small-time frame to finance their move to a larger city.Being a fan of films about grifting, I really enjoy this film, which includes multiple examples of the con. The stakes get higher as the story continues. One con is reminiscent of "The Sting".It is also fun to watch pre-Code films, with their peculiar characteristics and their vernacular. Bert, though a criminal, displays an odd code of ethics that is central to the story, though unacceptable by Hays' standards.Cagney displays his usual bluster and bravado. Blondell is charming. Watch for the very young Ray Milland.

jinx_malone this movie positively crackles with the banter and the chemistry between cutie-pie joan--a woman that i've tried to emulate all my life, as should all good girls--and quick on his feet, handsome jimmy. i love these two as a couple no matter what they're in together and in this film they're particularly good.the dialogue is the kind that bubbles like good champagne, the gowns are exquisite, and there's even a touch of pathos when you realize that the conman is getting conned himself. towards the end the film takes a somewhat scary turn and i felt myself getting pretty nervous that we weren't going to have a happy ending, but all's well that ends well in the movies, at least in this picture.a forgotten gem that shines like the diamonds you know bert wants to shower his beloved anne with. watch this one, you'll love every second of it.

Michael_Elliott Blonde Crazy (1931) ** 1/2 (out of 4) James Cagney and Joan Blondell are small time con artists in a small town but they get in over their heads when they go to the big city. This is a decent little film but if it weren't for the stars then I'm positive it would have been worse. Cagney is good in his role but it's certainly not among his best performances. I think the character was meant to be annoying so I can't really blame Cagney for this. Blondell certainly steals the show and her scene in the bathtub was certainly the highlight. Ray Milland plays a small role and comes off quite stiff. A couple others have mentioned the ending and said it was stupid because Milland wouldn't have done what he did but I'm not so sure I agree. A rich rat would do just about anything and trying to get Cagney out of the picture seems like something he could do. I doubt the screenwriters did much thinking about it but in the end this film has some nice pre-code stuff.

David (Handlinghandel) Roy del Ruth directed one exciting, racy movie after another in the days between the advent of talkies and the advent of the Code. This is definitely high on the list; but the lot sort of undoes everyone: It starts off as a naughty romp about a bellboy an a girl he gets a job in the hotel laundry. They are played by James Cagney (in one of his best roles, "White Heat" being probably my other favorite) and the always, always lovely and appealing Joan Blondell.Their spats, his calling her "Hon-EE" are charming. The scene in which she's in the bath and tells him her money is in brassiere is pretty darn risqué. Not to mention his holding her panties in front of his own lower torso and then, very quickly sniffing the finger that's held her undergarments! Their fleecing of Guy Kibbee is fine. He's a classic movie boob and they don't take him for a lot.Suddenly, though, Louis Calhern is a genuine gangster and they hook up with him. And this is not funny. Then the young, not very good or attractive Ray Milland appears and the plot gets really ugly.(I do like Milland in his later roles but he was a baby here.) Had it simply stayed a saucy comedy it would have rated an 8 or maybe a 9. It covers too many bases, though, and the