The Last Outpost (1935)
*** (out of 4)
Entertaining mix of action and romance set during WWI. The film has British soldiers Michael Andrews (Cary Grant) having his life saved by John Stevenson (Claude Rains). While Michael is sent to a hospital after being wounded, John goes back and continues the war efforts. While in the hospital Michael falls in love with his nurse Rosemary (Gertrude Michael) but he doesn't realize she's John's wife.
THE LAST OUTPOST is a film that should probably be better known than it is. This Paramount film is certainly what you'd call a "B" picture but it's certainly highly entertaining and it serves its purpose, which was probably a second feature on a double bill. The film was co-directed by Charles Barton and Louis J. Gasnier, which is quite a strange mix. I'm not sure what the history of the film was and if one was fired and the other hired or what but Barton is best remembered for ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN while Gasnier will always be remembered for REEFER MADNESS.
Back to this film, the main reason to watch it is for the two lead performances. Grant really delivers a strong performance here as he has to play that "good looking hero," which was something he was quite good at doing by this time. He was yet to become a star but all of the ingredients were starting to come together as he handled the romance, the action and the drama quite well. Michael is also good in her role of the love interest, although there's no question that the screenplay didn't do her character any justice. As for Rains, he easily steals the film as the stronger character and of course the second man. I really thought Rains was very believable as this war hero but the scene where he breaks down knowing the love he was coming home to is no longer there shows what a great actor he was.
There are some good action scenes scattered throughout the picture but the non-stop use of stock footage really makes you feel the "B" quality of the picture. This here really could have been an "A" picture but it's obvious Paramount wasn't ready to throw that type of money into a Grant picture. It's really too bad because this could have been an even better movie. As it is, THE LAST OUTPOST is a good "B" picture that remains entertaining throughout its running time.
