Below the Deadline (1936)

Sometimes the major Hollywood studios would test a new contract player's potential by lending her out to one of the Poverty Row concerns. As this "loan" really amounted to a major screen test, no money usually changed hands as both parties stood to benefit. In this case, the credit titles tell us that the star, Cecilia Parker, appears "by courtesy Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer" – and a fine job she makes of her role too. In fact, she appears to better advantage in Alpha's 69-minutes version than in many of her home studio movies. As the official release version runs only 61 minutes, I assume that the extra 8 minutes contain Parker scenes that were cut from the actual release print. No doubt this was the print Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer executives viewed when it was decided to groom Miss Parker for major stardom. This didn't actually happen. In fact, she was soon to find herself stuck in the "Andy Hardy" series as Andy's elder sister. So the Alpha version of Below the Deadline is a wonderful showcase for Cecilia Parker, and proves what a major star she may have become if M-G-M had taken more care with her. Although outshone, the other players in Below the Deadline are competent enough, while Charles Lamont has directed it all with fast-paced confidence and even a bit of style. The script offers a few interesting plot twists. It tends to be a bit technical, but I found it quite fascinating. On the other hand, the action climax is a bit tame, but you can't have everything!