Riffraff

1935
Approved
1h 34m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Spencer Tracy and Jean Harlow in Riffraff (1935)

Charismatic tuna fisherman Dutch rises in union ranks but pride costs him job, marriage to cannery worker Hattie after failed strike. Despite deep love, they must overcome stubbornness.Charismatic tuna fisherman Dutch rises in union ranks but pride costs him job, marriage to cannery worker Hattie after failed strike. Despite deep love, they must overcome stubbornness.Charismatic tuna fisherman Dutch rises in union ranks but pride costs him job, marriage to cannery worker Hattie after failed strike. Despite deep love, they must overcome stubbornness.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.2/10

1.2K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Photos45

+ 38

More like this

6.4

Reckless

6.9

Hide-Out

6.7

The Beast of the City

6.9

6.5

5.7

6.3

7.0

6.5

6.1

6.2

6.2

Storyline

Edit

Did you know

Edit

Trivia
One news item noted that Riffraff (1935) was using 42 contract players, the largest ever used in an M-G-M picture.

On the night of October 30, 1935, the 40 female extras set, many of them elderly or in frail health, were filmed in a simulated rain sequence that included the use of a sprinkler rig, fire hoses and wind machines. Multiple extras sustained bruises, temporary blindness, and loss of consciousness, with many suffering from pneumonia as a result. The crew was found to be understaffed and lacking the necessary supplies to properly warm and dry the extras between takes.

A charge of negligence was brought against MGM by the California State Industrial Welfare Committee by Mrs. Mabel Kinney on behalf of the 40 female extras who were drenched in the prison rainstorm sequence. It contended that women who lost work because of illness after that sequence should be compensated. Each of the extras received an extra $15 (about $340 in 2024) as an initial compensation.

Goofs
During the prison escape when Hattie and friend hop into the getaway car, the seat backs already are wet before the two drenched escapees get into the auto. Obviously this was not the first take of the scene.

Quotes
Dutch Muller: [showing his bride Hattie his place] It's genuine artificial roses. They never wear out!

Connections
Featured in Babes in Arms (1939)

Soundtracks
You Are My Lucky Star
(1935) (uncredited)
Music by Nacio Herb Brown
Lyrics by Arthur Freed
Played and sung by a chorus at the July 4 celebration party
Sung a cappella by Jean Harlow in prison

User reviews24

Review

Featured review

4/10

What did she see in Tracy anyway?

In watching Riffraff again I'm struck with the burning question, what did Jean Harlow see in Spencer Tracy?

Both are working class people, he's a commercial fisherman she's his sweetheart who works in the cannery owned by Joseph Calleia. He's a blustering, pigheaded, egomanaical boorish lout of a human being, kind of lovable in his own crude way. But stack him up against Joseph Calleia, foreign accent and all, there ain't a contest. Calleia is the guy all the fishermen deal with as independent contractors with their catch. He's shrewd and clever, ruthless at times, but definitely not stupid.

Frankly if it were me in Harlow's place, there's no contest. Take up with Joseph Calleia and give Spence the old heave-ho. But if Jean did that there'd be no movie.

Tracy's taking a part that normally would have been given to Wallace Beery at MGM. Maybe before San Francisco that's how MGM executives saw Tracy, a B picture Beery. It's similar to some of the roles he played at Fox. But I can't recall another film where he played a guy so dumb.

In fact the film is an odd property for MGM. This thing should have been made at Warner Brothers with Cagney and O'Brien.

But Jean loves her man through thick and thin, even goes to jail to protect him. I can hear Fanny Brice singing in the background.

Riffraff doesn't belong at the top of the list of film credits for either Tracy or Harlow. Mickey Rooney as Harlow's younger brother, Joseph Calleia as the boss, and J. Farrell MacDonald as the wise and compassionate head of the fisherman's union have the best roles.

But you want to see Tracy and Harlow sparkle? Go buy or rent Libeled Lady.