User reviews

Interesting story of a sly old fox (George Arliss), owner of the Reeves Shoe Company, who seems like he'd rather be fishing with his pal in Maine than running the business, so heads off for a fishing holiday, leaving his conceited nephew in charge of biz. While out fishing, he accidentally meets up with the son and daughter of Hartland, his recently deceased one-time friend and biggest rival in the shoe business. Giving them a fake name, the two youths have no idea he is rival Reeves, but they are really more interested in contacting bootleggers, throwing drunken parties, and running through their inheritance anyway. After heading back home with these two to get an "inside look" at the workings of their shoe factory and make an offer to buy the company, Reeves sees that the company is being run into the ground and decides he would rather help these Hartlands out instead - see, he was once in love with their mother, not to mention his swollen-headed nephew thinks he's too old to run a business anymore - he'll show the young whippersnapper! So he gets the Hartland's to make him their new trustee/guardian (and they do it 'cause they think he is just a simple "old fisherman" who will give them all the money they want to run wild with), then takes a firm hold of the running of the company and the young Hartlands!

Really good film with excellent script and performances all around. George Arliss is an old charmer, really endearing in this film - he makes you really want to root for him. Bette Davis looks real cute in this, and does a great job, as always, in her part. The story is lots of fun to watch, and left me with a smile at the end - credit for this film really belongs to George Arliss who dominates the film and makes it a good one.

I just saw this gem on TCM and was completely delighted. The story is clever and well-paced. All the supporting acting is excellent, all the way down to the tiny roles of the cook and maid. It was a treat to see Bette Davis so young and sparkling.

But the greatest pleasure for me was my first chance to closely observe George Arliss. I am glad I learned years ago to watch a really good movie at two levels: to accept the reconstructed or imagined reality of the film and simultaneously to see it as an artistic creation blending acting, set design, photography, music, etc., etc. This split focus allowed me to absolutely believe Arliss' character while at the same time marveling at the ease with which he played the part, particularly since the role involved a secret identity which he moved back and forth between. I can now understand Arliss' once nearly legendary reputation and I will look forward to every other Arliss movie I can find.

Almost as great a pleasure to me was to see a film that revolves around the business world without demonizing it. Our hero is truly "The Working Man", which title has two meanings, referring both to Arliss' character's pretended lowly identity and to his actual position as the hard-working head of a major enterprise. There is one sleazy businessman in the story, but it is clear that he is a rat and an exception and that successful businesses depend on hard-working, foresightful, intelligent, and dedicated men. (And women; I was surprised by a Bette Davis line about all the women doing great things running businesses. In 1933?). Compare this to films and TV of the last 10 or 20 years which are just as likely to show business giants as swindlers, thieves, murderers, etc., or at least as callous megalomaniacs. Arliss's character HAS character, and integrity, and intelligence, and I was glad to see a positive portrait of a great businessman, especially as depicted by a great actor.

So why didn't I give the movie a 10? I can enjoy the now antique music of that era, but I thought it was intrusive at several points. Also, I thought the cleverly interwoven plot threads resolved themselves too abruptly at the end, which strained my belief for the only time in the story. But 9 out of 10 makes it still a great little film, and I'd give George Arliss more than 10 if I could.

I'd never seen this film before today, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Parenthetically, I never saw either of its predecessors, either, which may be why I was surprised at this delightful film. George Arliss and Bette Davis absolutely charm here. The "farce" approach of this picture adds a tingle of excitement with every near-discovery of the real identities of the characters and their relationships to one another. While many TCM patrons and film enthusiasts will enjoy this for the pleasurable experience that classic films bring, I'd suggest that it be shared with folks who are relatively new to this area as an introduction to how wonderful classic films can be. The only gripe I have w/the construction of the film is the way the ending is so quickly and neatly tied up. There was an abrupt resolution without a gradual denouement to allow the audience to enjoy the conclusion longer. Other than that detail, I enjoyed everything else immensely. I recommend this wholeheartedly to both old viewers and new ones.

This was the second of two films that a young Bette Davis made with the great English actor George Arliss. In both films this one and The Man Who Played God, Arliss plays an older man who enjoys manipulating events and people for their own good as he sees it. In fact that other title is rather self explanatory.

The Working Man casts Arliss as a wealthy shoe manufacturer who is taking a long needed vacation and he leaves his nephew Hardie Albright in charge of the company. While on that vacation he meets the children of a recently deceased rival who are nice kids, but are wastrels and spendthrifts without a thought as to how the money they spend is made. In fact dad's company is tobogganing into bankruptcy due to bad management.

Bette Davis and Theodore Newton could have been his kids. The great manipulator gets him appointed the man who administers their trust and installs some discipline in both their lives. The end absolutely rights itself.

Bette Davis was never known for praising her colleagues save for a few. But George Arliss was one of the few who saw some of the talent and the fire in that woman to succeed and said so loudly and publicly to the brothers Warner. She writes in her memoirs how ever grateful she was to him for the rest of her life.

The fire in Davis burns rather brightly here because it contrasts with both Theodore Newton and Hardie Albright, a pair of young actors who give good performances, but really are rather bland next to Davis.

And Arliss is always a delight in comedy or drama. You've got to love that foxy old guy. And love The Working Man as well.

I've always immensely enjoyed comedies involving deception of sorts, where the audience is in on who a person really is, while most of the cast in the movie are not (The Devil and Miss Jones (1941) comes to mind as an example). This film is one of the best of that type, with wealthy shoe manufacturer George Arliss overhearing his nephew (Hardie Albright) saying he should retire so he can run the business and do it better. A little angry, Arliss goes on a fishing vacation to Maine where his old buddy J. Farrell MacDonald lives, and quite by accident meets up with the heirs (Bette Davis and Theodore Newton) of his chief competitor, who had just died. Arliss uses an alias, and they think he is somewhat of a bum when they take him back to New York with them because of a minor injury to his hand. There Arliss sees the sorry state their finances are in and how their shoe plant is purposely being run down by Gordon Westcott, who wants to buy it at a cheap price. Arliss somehow convinces the trustees of the estate to make him Davis' and Newton's guardian, and the fireworks begin as he takes charge of his competitor's shoe plant. Only MacDonald knows who he really is, and he keeps Arliss informed about any mail sent by Albright, who thinks he still is on vacation in Maine. So Arliss plays both ends against the middle, so to speak, and in the process teaches Davis, Newton and Albright a thing or two about life and business.

The real joy in the film is the very clever screenplay, but George Arliss is also terrific in the lead, with Davis and Newton not far behind. Arliss knew the role well having done it in the 1924 silent called "$20 a Week." And Gordon Westcott makes a good heavy. This is a very underrated gem of a comedy.

You know as soon as you hear Leo Forbstein's opening music from 42nd Street that this is going to give you that warm, slightly edgy but comfy high you only get from a Warner Brothers pre-code movie. This one's witty, it's upbeat but maybe a bit too 'nice.' Some reviewers seem to love this more than life itself - I thought it was ok.

It's got a nice vibe about it and although it's not at all sentimental it does have one of those 'let's celebrate the human spirit' types of moral message. The grown-up story and script however are cleverly written so its Capra-like message is delivered in a non-preachy way without ramming any of it down your throat. Like one of Capra's late 30s films, this also leaves you quite uplifted and inexplicably pleased with yourself for being one of those nice humans! If you're feeling a bit down, you'll feel better about life when you've watched this.

The one thing which lets this down is the acting - we're talking extras in FLASH GORDON skill levels here! During the early thirties, director John Adolfi was synonymous with George Arliss - he directed Mr Arliss quite well but he seemed to have ignored the rest of his cast. Being a silent film director, he didn't seem to notice how dreadful and totally unnatural the rest of the actors are. There doesn't seem any consistency in the characterisations - some are blustering with gestures like a villain from a Chaplin film whereas others just seem bored. One person does stand out - Theodore Newton gives one of the worst acting performances ever: you feel embarrassed for him. Obviously Bette Davis is predictably and annoyingly perfect actor but as for the rest of them, including George Arliss, it all seems a bit under-rehearsed. Coming from Warner Brothers, that's probably true - the whole thing was shot in just over a fortnight so maybe if they'd devoted a little more time to this it could have been less amateurish. I'm thinking it was the timescale because Adolfi did CENTRAL PARK with Joan Blondell a year earlier and the acting in that was perfectly fine.

Overall it's surprisingly more entertaining than you think it's going to be. It's a happy film - and an intelligently written film too. I'm not sure I'd call it a comedy though.

This obscure "Bette Davis" film is obscure enough that I had never seen it. I had heard that this was another of the minor programmers Davis made towards the beginning of the Warner Brothers career. I had also seen a number of George Arliss films and while I enjoyed them, I always thought Alriss' style of theatrical acting was quite out of date in 1933.

What a pleasant surprise! This was shown on TCM today, and is a cleverly written story about a man helps a rival company out of his problems due to his prior love for the late rival's late wife, and the fact that he met and like her children! This is not a typical Warner Brothers programmer....in many ways it's one of the brightest, most enjoyable Warner Brothers films of the period.

Gee, it would be swell to see Warners put it out on DVD.

George Arliss does his usual enjoyable turn as a wily old patriarch running rings round the rest of the cast while adroitly covering his tracks in 'The Working Man', which takes him out of his usual historical fancy dress and instead places him at the helm of a very contemporary tale of post-Crash America; complete with a Thoroughly Modern young female lead in the form of Arliss's young blonde protégé Bette Davis.

With America at the time sunk in the depths of the Great Depression, Arliss's extraordinary manipulation of two competing shoe manufacturers pretty much on a whim - played as good-natured farce - provides a bizarre commentary on its time; and Arliss remains fun to watch over seventy years after his death.

THE WORKING MAN appointed to watch over the inheritance of a couple of young wastrels, unbeknownst to them, is actually the old tycoon once in love with their late mother.

This is a very well produced little comedy from Vitaphone/Warner Bros., featuring another splendid performance from the old master of character acting, Mr. George Arliss. This was an actor who could fascinate an audience merely by sitting still, letting his face act for him. Here, playing a great shoe manufacturer, Arliss is tremendous fun, whether haranguing his salesmen, or, switching sides, working for his own biggest competitor with equal gusto. It is doubtful that Arliss ever gave anything less than an entertaining cinematic performance. It is a shame that this wonderful actor is nearly forgotten today.

Arliss is given good support by a trio of young actors: Hardie Albright as his stuffy, conceited nephew - ‘The Young Napoleon of Shoes;' as well as Theodore Newton and a very pert & pretty Bette Davis as the spendthrift offspring of his late rival. Miss Davis always credited Mr. Arliss for giving her an important hands-up at this early stage in her screen career.

J. Farrell MacDonald is very down-to-earth as Arliss' fishing buddy in Maine; Edward Van Sloan appears briefly, but effectively, as Arliss' company auditor.

The Working Man (1933) : Brief Review -

A corporate crossover like never before. One good thing about pre-code era movies was that they were forming a new genre and cinema for future generations. Things were getting new sub-genres and treatments, and even the audience was enjoying it. The Working Man is for sure one of them, even though it's not a classic film. The film shows a corporate crossover like never before, and I am afraid if there are any films made later. It is a corporate comedy, again a new concept for its time. The amount of comedy is low, though. However, the drama and light tone keep it going smoothly, and the runtime is short too. The Working Man is about an old man, the head of a successful shoe company, who joins his opponent's firm to prove his worth. As he says, "I wanted to know how Old I have become," the film gives the message that talent never gets old. With enough experience, a man can do wonders at a late age too. That's all there is to it. The film fails to generate a high level of repeat value. I have many rom-coms and dramedies in my favourites list from the same period which have immense repeat viewing features. The romance here is too rushed and unnoticeable. George Arliss owns this film with his effortless dialogues. You kind of enjoy an old man talking so much, and those tiring pauses are there as well. Betty Davis looked so cute in her early days. She was being used as a "powder nose girl," but did they know that this pretty girl would turn out to be the greatest actress of all time in the next 6-7 years? Davis' innocence and childish nature suit the tone but add no essential values to the narrative. Theodore Newton was better than her. I don't think I have seen any films by John G. Adolfi before, so I won't be too judgmental about him. Overall, a healthy comedy with some brainstorming ideas engulfed by the corporate world. And let me remind you, it came in a depression era.

RATING - 7/10*

By - #samthebestest.

New York shoe tycoon George Arliss (as John Reeves) clashes with nephew Hardie Albright (as Benjamin Burnett) over managing the family business. To show how the company will do without him, Mr. Arliss goes off on an extended vacation. While fishing, Arliss meets young swimmers Bette Davis and Theodore Newton (as Jenny and Tommy Hartland), inheritors of his deceased rival's shoe company. Arliss is immediately taken with Ms. Davis and Mr. Newton; he once courted their mother, also now deceased...

But the young duo party while manager Gordon Westcott (as Fred Pettison) runs their business into the ground...

Arliss decides to teach all the youngsters a lesson by assuming the identity of "John Walton" and taking over the rival shoe company. With a typically masterful performance, Arliss makes this lightweight story work beautifully. The younger players glow in his presence; this was acknowledged by Davis, who would eventually possess a similar magical screen presence. Arliss and director John G. Adolfi obviously work very well together, and with the cast. An Arliss picture had to be great experience for the actor.

******** The Working Man (4/20/33) John G. Adolfi ~ George Arliss, Bette Davis, Theodore Newton, Hardie Albright

Starring a great actor, George Arliss, whose talents are on display throughout this film, The Working Man also features a young Bette Davis, Hardie Albright, and Theodore Newton, all of whom should have become major star vehicles for Warner. In a plot that is unusual, but easy to follow, the best of human nature is brought to the surface and that is always a winner with an audience. This film feels "right" from beginning to end, and all of the people involved in its production deserve credit for an early lighthearted masterpiece. This should be considered a classic in that vein. A must see for any film aficionado or just an entertaining evening watching a movie for the family. This is worthy of the highest ratings.

George Arliss is a shoe manufacturer, whose greatest joy is the fight against the competitor who married the girl they both loved. When he finds his competitor is dead, he goes fishing in Maine and runs into the man's two children, Bette Davis and Theodore Newton, two young wastrels who are drinking all the bootleg in the United States, while the factory's management guts the business. So he decides to reform them all.

It's another of Arliss' modern dress comedies, which are my favorites. It's also his second movie with Miss Davis -- his first was THE MAN WHO COULD WORK MIRACLES. At this point in her career, she was considered an absolute dub, whom one executive said "has as much sex appeal as Slim Summerville." Arliss saw something in her. It turned out he was right.

Do need to see more of George Arliss, but what has been of him has been very entertaining and has made me interested in seeing more. It was also interesting to see one of cinema's most legendary actresses Bette Davis in a very early role very young pre-stardom. The story sounded like a real charmer and it definitely would have been very frustrating to me if it didn't work, being somebody who hates waste of potential and talent.

'The Working Man' is a long way from being a waste of potential and talent. Actually found it to be a complete and utter delight and so close to being completely bang on the money. To me, it did not matter at all that the story was silly because it was so full of energy and charm, never dulling for a second, that it didn't distract me at all. Sometimes silly stories can be a problem, but it is very much dependent on how silly it gets/is and how everything else is executed. 'The Working Man' doesn't get excessive in it, nowhere near, and there was so little to fault.

In fact, for me its only flaw was the rushed and abrupt ending. Otherwise the film was great.

Although not one of those big in spectacle films, not that kind of film, 'The Working Man' has some nice production values all round. Not over-elaborate or overblown, nor too static or cheap, instead just right for the type of film it was. The script sparkles effortlessly in sharp wit and charm, while creating endearing characters worth caring for. It doesn't get too crowded or too complex, while always treating the viewer with respect and not taking the enjoyment away from them.

Story-wise, the silliness didn't bother me for reasons already stated. Plus it is so good-natured, so warm-hearted and so energetic that it made me feel good and relaxed. Armliss is a complete and utter joy from start to finish, and has irresistible chemistry with bubbly and quite enchanting Davis.

Concluding, a delight. 9/10

Jenny and Tommy Hartland are jet-setting spoiled brats, heirs of a shoe manufacturing company. While vacationing in Maine, they meet John Reeves, who looks to be a poor fisherman when he is in fact a very wealthy man who...owns a shoe manufacturing company. What the Hartlands do not know is that their father and John were once best friends, until Mr. Hartland stole his girl. Jenny and Tommy also do not know that the woman married Hartland-their mother. They also do not know that their bookkeeper is doing what he can to make their business a failure so he can buy it on the cheap. They really don't care, as they seem intent in spending their inheritance in record time. Reeves sort of worms his way into their lives. He plays dumb but has a close eye on everything--the kids, their bookkeeper, as well as his own nephew back at his own company, who thinks Reeves is a doddering old fool. Reeves becomes the Hartland's guardians, mainly out of loyalty to their mother, who he loved, and their father, who was once his best friend. The kids are positive they can continue on with their partying ways...that is until John Reeves puts the kibosh on it. He saves their company, straightens the kids out, puts his own nephew firmly in place and sets everything straight by movie end.

I really enjoyed this movie about a businessman (George Arliss0 putting a shoe company back on its feet to compete with their arch-rivals which happens t be run by his nephew. The movie makes note to the Great Depression raging in the background when companies were folding and people were losing their jobs at record numbers. This film looks at the people trying to keep their companies afloat during the hard economical times. Bette Davis, playing the part of spoiled rich girls, is very beautiful, as well as very likeable in this film. A good potboiler.

A great mix of older, seasoned actor George Arliss and new to the scene Bette Davis. Arliss had played "Disraeli" TWICE already, and easily moved into talkies. Davis was just getting started in hollywood. Reeves (Arliss) runs a shoe company, and takes a vacation. While on vacation, he gets involved in his rival's company, and leaves his own company in the hands of his nephew Benjamin. Reeves had been good friends with the rival, but parted ways years before to run their own companies. and after his own nephew said he's too old to run the business, Reeves is itching to show Benjamin he can still run a business, while helping his rivals' kids at the same time. But there are some twists along the way. Interesting take on how people handled the depression; so many families started with big money. some kept it, some lost it. Directed by John Adolfi, who only made one more film for Warner Brothers before he passed away at age 52. it's a fairly simple story, but has a fun sense of humor along the way.

THE WORKING MAN (Warner Brothers, 1933) directed by John G. Adolfi, stars George Arliss in this charming tale mixing fate, humor and sentiment. Based on the story "The Adopted Father" by Edgar Franklin, and earlier filmed in the silent movie era as $20 A WEEK (Selznick, 1923) also starring George Arliss, this latest edition, pure Arliss, would be further interest today due to the presence of young Bette Davis, who earlier worked with Arliss in her first important movie role THE MAN WHO PLAYED GOD (Warner Brothers, 1932), that also led to Davis' 18 year association for the studio, many that have become classics.

After the opening credits roll to the underscoring to the then popular song hit, "Young and Healthy" introduced in 42nd STREET (1933), the story introduces John Reeves (George Arliss), president of Reeves Shoe Company in Buffalo, New York, who reads in a newspaper that his friend and rival, Tom Hartland, has died. He soon breaks away from stress and strain from business by leaving his conceited nephew, Benjamin Burnett (Hardie Albright) in charge to go fishing in Maine with his good friend, Henry "Hank" Davids (J. Farrell MacDonald). While fishing, John loses his bait because of the swimming presence from a nearby yacht of Jenny (Bette Davis) and Tommy (Theodore Newton), who turn out to be the spoiled children of Tom Hartland. It is soon learned that John, who never married, had lost the only woman he ever loved to Tom. After many years of competing with the Harland Shoe Company based in New York City, who's new manager. Freddie Pattison (Gordon Westcott), is slowly ruining the once prospering company, John goes under the guise of John Walton, an unemployed bookkeeper, with intentions of changing Hartland's grown children from their reckless ways of life of all night partying and boozing to become responsible human beings. Aside by becoming their live-in "adoptive father," John finds himself competing against himself by keeping his identity a secret trying to get the Hartland Shoe Company back on its feet. As much as John would prefer fishing with Hank, he faces further problems when Jenny, wanting to learn the shoe business from the bottom up, being employed for the Reeves Shoe Company under the name of Jane Grey. Co-starring Edward Van Sloan, Ruthelma Stevens, Douglass Dumbrille, Frederick Burton and Charles Evans.

While George Arliss is better known for his historical figures as DISRAELI (1929), ALEXANDER HAMILTON (1931) and VOLTAIRE (1933), it's those modest modern-day light comedies that show Arliss to best advantage. Far from young and handsome, Arliss always manages to hold audience interest from start to finish. One fine moment comes when Arliss' John looks sentimentally towards a photo of a woman he could have married, thus thinking her children could have been theirs. Once more Arliss works well with Bette Davis, who, unlike THE MAN WHO PLAYED GOD, plays her fatherly figure rather than her fiance In spite of its age, THE WORKING MAN is quite entertaining through much of its 78 minutes.

Never distributed onto home video, but available on DVD, THE WORKING MAN can be seen occasionally on Turner Classic Movies. (*** shoes).

Working Man, The (1933)

*** (out of 4)

Extremely far-fetched but entertaining tale of a millionaire shoe maker (George Arliss) who decides to go work undercover at his rival's shoe factory. He wants to see if his nephew can really take care of the business but while undercover he begins to feel for the kids (Bette Davis, Theodore Newton) of the other shoe owner so he wants to teach them how to properly run a business even if that means he's going against his own. THE WORKING MAN has a very stupid story and I think the ending is pretty silly but at the same time Arliss is just so wonderful in the leading part that you can overlook the flaws with the story. I'm really not sure what the goal of the film was as it could have been to show young people what hard work is all about but it might also just be a story about one man caring for other people when he doesn't have any kids of his own. The story is very far-fetched but at the same time you can't help but enjoy watching Arliss play both sides against one another and in the end making everyone see what the most important things are. Needless to say, it's Arliss that steals the film with a remarkable and rather restrained performance. I really enjoyed how good Arliss was in regards to everything that the role called for. At times he had to be a strong disciplinary while the next scene might call for him to be a loving father type. He has to scream and shout to get the business going but then be caring enough to do what's best for these kids. Arliss nailed everything the screenplay called for and this was certainly a role the actor did justice for. Davis was still making a mark for herself so one shouldn't come to this film and expect to see that classic Davis. With that said she's still quite good here as you have no problem believing her in the part. Newton, Gordon Westcott and Hardie Albright add some nice support and horror fans will be happy to see Edward Van Sloan in a small role. THE WORKING MAN is certainly a message movie but while that message might get lost in some of the wackiness of the screenplay, what does stand is the strong performance by Arliss and that's reason alone to check this film out.