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DramaCrime

Angels Over Broadway

- A Romance Born Between Dusk and Dawn

Small-time businessman Charles Engle is threatened with exposure for embezzling $3,000 for his free-spending wife. Deciding on suicide, he scribbles a note, stuffs it in his pocket and goes for one last night on the town. He is pulled into a poker game by conman Bill O'Brien and singer Nina Barone, but when they discover the dropped note, they resolve to turn the tables, get Engle his $3,000 and save his life.

Release Date : 1940-10-02

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Columbia Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Douglas Fairbanks Jr.

Character Name : Bill O'Brien

Original Name : Douglas Fairbanks Jr.

Gender : Male

Rita Hayworth

Character Name : Nina Barona

Original Name : Rita Hayworth

Gender : Female

Thomas Mitchell

Character Name : Gene Gibbons

Original Name : Thomas Mitchell

Gender : Male

John Qualen

Character Name : Charles Engle

Original Name : John Qualen

Gender : Male

George Watts

Character Name : Joseph Hopper

Original Name : George Watts

Gender : Male

Ralph Theodore

Character Name : Dutch Enright

Original Name : Ralph Theodore

Gender : Male

Eddie Foster

Character Name : Louie Artino

Original Name : Eddie Foster

Gender : Male

Jack Roper

Character Name : Eddie Burns

Original Name : Jack Roper

Gender : Male

Constance Worth

Character Name : Sylvia Marbe

Original Name : Constance Worth

Gender : Female

Harry Antrim

Character Name : Court Clerk (uncredited)

Original Name : Harry Antrim

Gender : Male

Walter Baldwin

Character Name : Rennick (uncredited)

Original Name : Walter Baldwin

Gender : Male

Richard Bond

Character Name : Stevie - Sylvia's Escort (uncredited)

Original Name : Richard Bond

Gender : Male

Jack Carr

Character Name : Tony (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Carr

Gender : Male

James Conaty

Character Name : Nightclub Patron (uncredited)

Original Name : James Conaty

Gender : Male

Frank Conlan

Character Name : Joe (uncredited)

Original Name : Frank Conlan

Gender : Male

Jimmy Conlin

Character Name : Pawn Shop Proprietor (uncredited)

Original Name : Jimmy Conlin

Gender : Male

Catherine Courtney

Character Name : Miss Karpin (uncredited)

Original Name : Catherine Courtney

Gender : Male

Carmen D'Antonio

Character Name : Nightclub Dancer (uncredited)

Original Name : Carmen D'Antonio

Gender : Female

Tommy Dixon

Character Name : Checkroom Boy (uncredited)

Original Name : Tommy Dixon

Gender : Male

Edward Earle

Character Name : Vincent - Headwaiter (uncredited)

Original Name : Edward Earle

Gender : Male

Bess Flowers

Character Name : Nightclub Patron (uncredited)

Original Name : Bess Flowers

Gender : Female

Caroline Frasher

Character Name : Street Walker (uncredited)

Original Name : Caroline Frasher

Gender : Male

Roger Gray

Character Name : Gambler (uncredited)

Original Name : Roger Gray

Gender : Male

Carlton Griffin

Character Name : Nightclub Waiter (uncredited)

Original Name : Carlton Griffin

Gender : Male

Ben Hecht

Character Name : Man in Night Court (uncredited)

Original Name : Ben Hecht

Gender : Male

Art Howard

Character Name : Night Court Judge (uncredited)

Original Name : Art Howard

Gender : Male

Jerry Jerome

Character Name : Gambler (uncredited)

Original Name : Jerry Jerome

Gender : Male

William Lally

Character Name : Stage Doorman (uncredited)

Original Name : William Lally

Gender : Male

Ethelreda Leopold

Character Name : Cigarette Girl (uncredited)

Original Name : Ethelreda Leopold

Gender : Male

Patricia Maier

Character Name : Girl (uncredited)

Original Name : Patricia Maier

Gender : Male

Blanche Payson

Character Name : Large Woman (uncredited)

Original Name : Blanche Payson

Gender : Female

Lee Phelps

Character Name : Police Lieutenant (uncredited)

Original Name : Lee Phelps

Gender : Male

Al Rhein

Character Name : Gambler (uncredited)

Original Name : Al Rhein

Gender : Male

Walter Sande

Character Name : Lunch Wagon Counterman (uncredited)

Original Name : Walter Sande

Gender : Male

Cy Schindell

Character Name : Jack (uncredited)

Original Name : Cy Schindell

Gender : Male

Harry Strang

Character Name : Gambler (uncredited)

Original Name : Harry Strang

Gender : Male

Fred Sweeney

Character Name : Mr. Hugo (uncredited)

Original Name : Fred Sweeney

Gender : Male

John Tyrrell

Character Name : 2nd Waiter (uncredited)

Original Name : John Tyrrell

Gender : Male

Billy Wayne

Character Name : Second Cabby (uncredited)

Original Name : Billy Wayne

Gender : Male

Reviews

J

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

No demons, just excellently written angels. Produced, directed and written by Ben Hecht, Angels Over Broadway is a film that I personally hadn't heard of until it showed up on one of the British Freeview stations this last week. The first thing what surprised was the bona fide classy cast list, Mr Charm himself, Douglas Fairbanks Jr, Miss Beautiful 1940, Rita Hayworth, Mr Ever Watchable, Thomas Mitchell & Mr Undermentioned, John Qualen. The next thing that surprised me was during a bit of research I learned that critics of the day gave the picture a hard time for not soft soaping the audience, madness really, because this is a razor sharp and highly efficient picture. Set around one night on Broadway, our four main characters come together courtesy of Charles Engle's {Qualen} intention to kill himself over a huge debt. Mistakenly thinking that Engle has loads of cash to burn, Bill O'Brien {Fairbanks} enlists Nina Barona {Hayworth} in the hope of luring Engle to a poker game run by seedy gangster types, and thus fleecing him of his cash, where of course the pair of them will get a cut. Yet boozy playwright Gene Gibbons {Mitchell}, upon learning of Engle's suicidal leanings, hatches a plan to turn the tables on the poker fiddlers and turn Engle's life around. Naturally tho, not everything is going to go to plan! A smashing film that shines brightly with quality acting and comically astute writing, so if you get the chance then give it a go and you might be as surprised as I was. 8/10

T

talisencrw

@talisencrw

2021-06-23

This was a fun watch, included in my oddly-titled yet truly economical Mill Creek 'Classic Romances' 8-pack, which I purchased because I love old movies and it was only $10. Though if you really stretch the definition of 'romance', the designation fits, that aspect is but a very minor component of this, and the other films', workings. The 2-time Oscar winner (both wins, and all six nominations, were for screenwriting prowess) Ben Hecht directed this, and he did a decent job, even throwing in the odd bit of idiosyncratic flair. I must admit though I admire him more for his writing--he's made such a mark on cinema with simply the handful I'll casually mention here (Underworld--an Oscar-winner, The Front Page, Scarface, Nothing Sacred, Angels with Dirty Faces, Gunga Din, His Girl Friday, The Shop Around the Corner, Foreign Correspondent, Lifeboat, Spellbound, Gilda, Notorious, Rope) from ones I have personally seen and adored. I must admit I'm more familiar with Douglas Fairbanks Sr.'s work than that of his son here, and it's really different watching Rita Hayworth at this stage of her career, playing a shy, naïve waif--nothing like the force of nature she would become just a few years later with 'Gilda' and her short, tempestuous marriage to Orson Welles. In short, the story works for me, that of a boozing playwright, struggling actress and hustler helping a suicidal man out of a jam. It's a sweet little movie that's worth owning and rewatching. I honestly wish they still made little wonders like this these days. Not everything has to be either Star Wars or Hamlet.