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DramaHistory

In Old Chicago

- The Great American Motion Picture!

The O'Leary brothers -- honest Jack and roguish Dion -- become powerful figures, and eventually rivals, in Chicago on the eve of its Great Fire.

Release Date : 1938-04-15

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Darryl F. Zanuck Productions20th Century Fox

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Tyrone Power

Character Name : Dion O'Leary

Original Name : Tyrone Power

Gender : Male

Alice Faye

Character Name : Belle Fawcett

Original Name : Alice Faye

Gender : Female

Don Ameche

Character Name : Jack O'Leary

Original Name : Don Ameche

Gender : Male

Alice Brady

Character Name : Molly O'Leary

Original Name : Alice Brady

Gender : Female

Andy Devine

Character Name : Pickle Bixby

Original Name : Andy Devine

Gender : Male

Brian Donlevy

Character Name : Gil Warren

Original Name : Brian Donlevy

Gender : Male

Phyllis Brooks

Character Name : Ann Colby

Original Name : Phyllis Brooks

Gender : Female

Tom Brown

Character Name : Bob O'Leary

Original Name : Tom Brown

Gender : Male

Sidney Blackmer

Character Name : General Phil Sheridan

Original Name : Sidney Blackmer

Gender : Male

Berton Churchill

Character Name : Senator Colby

Original Name : Berton Churchill

Gender : Male

June Storey

Character Name : Gretchen

Original Name : June Storey

Gender : Female

Paul Hurst

Character Name : Mitch

Original Name : Paul Hurst

Gender : Male

Tyler Brooke

Character Name : Specialty Singer

Original Name : Tyler Brooke

Gender : Male

J. Anthony Hughes

Character Name : Pat O'Leary

Original Name : J. Anthony Hughes

Gender : Male

Gene Reynolds

Character Name : Dion O'Leary (as a boy)

Original Name : Gene Reynolds

Gender : Male

Bobs Watson

Character Name : Bob O'Leary (as a boy)

Original Name : Bobs Watson

Gender : Male

Billy Watson

Character Name : Jack O'Leary (as a boy)

Original Name : Billy Watson

Gender : Male

Madame Sul-Te-Wan

Character Name : Hattie

Original Name : Madame Sul-Te-Wan

Gender : Female

Spencer Charters

Character Name : Commissioner W.J. Beavers

Original Name : Spencer Charters

Gender : Male

Rondo Hatton

Character Name : Rondo - Body Guard

Original Name : Rondo Hatton

Gender : Male

Thelma Manning

Character Name : Carrie Donahue

Original Name : Thelma Manning

Gender : Male

Ruth Gillette

Character Name : Miss Lou

Original Name : Ruth Gillette

Gender : Female

Eddie Collins

Character Name : Drunk

Original Name : Eddie Collins

Gender : Male

Scotty Mattraw

Character Name : Beef King

Original Name : Scotty Mattraw

Gender : Male

Joe Twerp

Character Name : Stuttering Clerk

Original Name : Joe Twerp

Gender : Male

Clarence Wilson

Character Name : Lawyer

Original Name : Clarence Wilson

Gender : Male

Frank Dae

Character Name : Judge

Original Name : Frank Dae

Gender : Male

Harry Stubbs

Character Name : Fire Commissioner

Original Name : Harry Stubbs

Gender : Male

Joe King

Character Name : Ship's Captain

Original Name : Joe King

Gender : Male

Francis Ford

Character Name : Driver

Original Name : Francis Ford

Gender : Male

Bob Murphy

Character Name : Police Officer

Original Name : Bob Murphy

Gender : Male

Wade Boteler

Character Name : Police Officer

Original Name : Wade Boteler

Gender : Male

Gustav von Seyffertitz

Character Name : Dutch - Politician in Jack's Office

Original Name : Gustav von Seyffertitz

Gender : Male

Russell Hicks

Character Name : Politician in Jack's Office

Original Name : Russell Hicks

Gender : Male

Brooks Benedict

Character Name : Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)

Original Name : Brooks Benedict

Gender : Male

George Chandler

Character Name : Onlooker (uncredited)

Original Name : George Chandler

Gender : Male

Bess Flowers

Character Name : Woman with Colby (uncredited)

Original Name : Bess Flowers

Gender : Female

Vera Lewis

Character Name : Wedding Witness (uncredited)

Original Name : Vera Lewis

Gender : Female

Bert Moorhouse

Character Name : Opening Night Guest (uncredited)

Original Name : Bert Moorhouse

Gender : Male

William H. O'Brien

Character Name : Senate Waiter (uncredited)

Original Name : William H. O'Brien

Gender : Male

Martin Turner

Character Name : Refugee

Original Name : Martin Turner

Gender : Male

Reviews

C

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2022-04-04

The two "O'Leary" brothers grow up without their father in an house where their widowed mother runs quite a successful laundry business. One son, "Jack" (Don Ameche), shows promise as a lawyer; the other "Dion" (Tyrone Power) is a more inventive sort of fella. After a few, quite entertaining wooing antics, the latter hooks up with visiting chanteuse "Belle" (Alice Faye) and together they start a business that rapidly expands so as to soon dominate the rather rundown "Patch" area of Chicago. The city government is riddled with corruption and so a group of civil libertarians nominate brother "Jack" to be mayor - a plan supported, for other reasons, by his now very wealthy sibling. It's only a matter of time before the two clash - but who will prevail? Power is charming and engaging here, he has a twinkle in his eye and there is certainly some chemistry between him and Faye. The ending, though impressive to watch with all the pyrotechnics of the Great Fire of 1871 that devoured thousands of the predominantly wooden structures of the area, is all a bit hurried and weak. The more interesting political and personal struggles between the two men, and agitator "Warren" (Brian Donlevy) should have featured more, with less emphasis on the initial character development and I could have done without the musical numbers that though ably enough performed by Faye, just sucked too much of the pace of this Cain and Abel style of story. Still, it's enjoyable to watch and gives us a hint at just how corruption and power-brokering functioned back then.