Frank Tuttle – No Limit (1931)

adminJuly 19, 2018

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Theater usherette Bunny O’Day (Clara Bow) inadvertently becomes hostess of a private gambling den, and gets involved in a romance with a ne’er-do-well gambler.

Review:
Clara Bow, less boisterous than usual and all the more effective for her sobriety, may be seen at the Paramount this week in an extravaganza of New York life, called “No Limit,” many of the scenes for which were photographed here. This narrative of a poor working girl and her adventures in high gambling society never approaches plausibility, but it emerges as fair entertainment because of the excellent comedy provided by Stuart Erwin and Harry Green. Mr. Erwin contributes another of his clever comic performances in the role of a bashful suitor for Miss Bow’s hand, and the only regret is that a full half of the film has to struggle on without him.

In the course of her work as an usher Bunny O’Day (Miss Bow) finds a cigarette case and immediately falls in love with its owner, Douglas Thayer, played by Norman Foster. Her befuddled suitor, Ole Oleson (Mr. Erwin), lends her a limousine and a luxurious Park Avenue apartment to which he has fallen heir. Bunny, with her room-mate from Second Avenue, steps into high society and eventually marries Thayer, not knowing him to be a smooth-working thief and her apartment to be the headquarters of a notorious gambling club.

Matters grow steadily less credible as the film progresses, but when Mr. Erwin is not on the scene to relieve the situation with his faithful-dog expression, Harry Green takes charge as the suspicious manager of the theatre and confidante of the two naïve girls. Bunny is finally arrested on suspicion of being implicated in a daring jewel robbery at the theatre. She discovers her husband’s part in the theft and is prepared to sacrifice her own happiness for his. Thayer, however, gives himself up and goes to prison, while Bunny settles down to await his return.

Norman Foster gives a pleasing performance, and the whole production is as good as the story permits.

— New York Times.