Road to Paradise (1930) User Reviews (12)

The title and the plot are goofy...yet I liked it!

[AlsExGal · 7/10 · 18 June 2011]

There is nothing of highways or of heaven in this film, so I don't know why it was named as it was. Loretta Young plays a foundling raised by a couple of thieves who decide to rob rich girl Margaret Waring, who looks just like Loretta's character, Mary Brennan, trading on the fact that the two are physically identical. Unfortunately once inside the rich girl's darkened mansion things begin to go awry. The rich girl's boyfriend shows up (Jack Mulhall) and Mary must make him believe she is the real thing - she does all too good a job of it. Then the real Margaret Waring reappears at the house unexpectedly, there's a shooting, Mary's accomplices desert her, and the police arrive at the scene to find two Margaret Warings, one of whom is unconscious.

So what's goofy about the plot besides what I've mentioned? Well, there's a rather far-fetched mind reading plot device that figures heavily into matters, the fact that the police are examining every tree for evidence yet manage to miss the forest, and that Jack Mulhall's character can fall in love based on three sentences from someone who is - at the time - just trying to get rid of him.

The whole thing is a rather suspenseful yet fun mystery/comedy of errors. It really is one of Warner's better early talkie efforts. What's really amazing here is that Loretta Young was only 17 when she made this one yet she can hold her own with any of the older leading actresses of the day that made such drawing room dramas.

rather sweet

[blanche-2 · 5/10 · 4 January 2013]

"Road to Paradise" is a 1930 film starring Loretta Young in a dual role.

Mary Brennan is a lovely young woman who is in with thieves who raised her. One night at a Chinese restaurant, they all spot her lookalike, Margaret Waring, who is very wealthy. The cons decide to go to her house while she's out, using Mary as her double, and rip her off. Of course, things don't go off without a couple of hitches.

This film, even though it's short, seems long as it moves slowly. It's a very early sound movie, and the actors hadn't yet perfected the speech rhythms.

Loretta Young is luminously beautiful - here, she's about 17 years old. She does a wonderful job of differentiating between the two women as well. Worth seeing for her, not much else.

unusual premise

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 12 November 2023]

Mary Brennan (Loretta Young) hangs out with her unsavory friends, Nick (Raymond Hatton) and Jerry (George Barraud). She's an orphan who doesn't know her past and seems to be a mind-reader. Socialite Margaret Waring (Loretta Young) and clinging suitor George Wells (Jack Mulhall) arrive at the same Chinese restaurant as Mary and her friends. Jerry spies Mary and Margaret are lookalikes. Jerry and Nick convinces Mary to impersonate Margaret so they can rob her mansion.

What a fascinating and unusual premise. I don't think that it would work now. Twins don't have identical fingerprints. During this earlier era, people don't usually get fingerprinted. The psychic ability is a little odd. Otherwise, this is an interesting puzzle box of circumstances. I couldn't guess at where the story is headed. The ending is a little rushed. At the very least, I expect Mary to be taken to the police station after Jerry gets identified.

Where's Bing & Bob?

[crispy_comments · 4/10 · 10 January 2006]

Not bad, although the love story is incredibly rushed, and there are some distracting plot holes/contrivances. For instance, when the cop finds out who Jerry 'The Gent' really is, wouldn't he be more suspicious of Mary and her connection to him? After all, she introduced Jerry as "Mr. Jones" and they clearly had a relationship. So, discovering that this guy is a criminal, (and presumably figuring that he's one of the men who broke into Margaret Waring's home), ought to make the cops question Mary/Margaret some more. Does Mary ever learn that Jerry was arrested?

I also find it hard to believe that Margaret would wake up with no ill will whatsoever towards the girl who was part of a break-in which led to Margaret getting shot. Okay, fine, sisterly love, I guess. But even harder to swallow, is Margaret's statement that she *knew* she had a twin, and had been searching for her. We saw no evidence of this at the start of the movie - Margaret seems carefree, enjoying her wealth, going to parties, etc - she doesn't behave like someone on a serious mission to find her long-lost sister. Also, it's contrived that Margaret's father supposedly told her to keep the knowledge of Mary's existence, a secret, until she found her. Why? Wouldn't it be easier to locate her sister if she had, oh, I dunno, the *police* and everybody else keeping an eye out for her double? It just doesn't make sense. One more thing, how dumb is it that Mary never once thought to try to open her locket? It didn't occur to her that it *could* be opened. Even though lockets *always* have pictures inside them...I mean, come on.

Oddly enough, I find these things more implausible than I do the whole psychic/mind-reading plot device! Having said all that, Loretta Young is charming and fairly natural - she doesn't overact with broad gestures as so many stars did during the rough transition between silent films and talkies. I was impressed by the technical aspects of "Road To Paradise" as well - the variety of camera angles and the trickery employed to have Mary and Margaret in the same shot. Well done, especially for such an early movie.

Film Is Totally Implausible, But Loretta Looks Great!

[ccthemovieman-1 · 4/10 · 3 April 2007]

"I could never understand this desire for respectability. It always seemed kind of morbid to me."

So says one of two crooks who raised respectable, honest "Mary Brennan" (Loretta Young) as an orphan girl and can't understand where they went wrong in raising her! Poor Mary, though, winds up out of work and needs something, and winds up joining these guys in a scheme after they discover has an amazing twin, a rich woman named "Margaret Waring" (Young, playing two roles in this movie). These guys also discover that Mary has amazing mind-reading talents.

This movie turned out to be disappointing because it got more and more ludicrous as it went on. I found the last 25 minutes extremely frustrating and an insult to anyone's intelligence. There are so many holes in this story it would make your head spin. It reminded me of the old Superman TV series, with one thing after another that had no credibility. Unlike Superman, which was fun to watch for a number of reasons, there was only one thing to keep my interest here: a young and beautiful Young.

However, after admiring her looks for about a half hour, I needed the story to make some sense and keep my interest....and this made NO sense. Also, "Mary," who was supposed to be so honest, lied throughout the film. I wonder how Loretta viewed this role in latter years.

Loretta's divine, but oh that script...

[mark.waltz · 4/10 · 13 November 2020]

A very young Loretta Young gets her one opportunity to play a dual role, much like contemporaries Bette Davis and Olivia de Havilland did later. Both of her characters are decent, but one's rich and the other's poor. As Mary and Margaret, Loretta's two characters go through a strange but predictable revelation, coming only after the poor girl ends up in her rich lookalike's home in an attempted robbery.

The script here gets a bit too talky for its own good, talking about 15 minutes too long for what could have been wrapped up in under an hour. The featurecast isn't memorable at all, and this ends up being a kurio mainly for its star and director, quick take William Beaudine who direct hundreds of B movies over the next several decades. Only Fred Kelsey, typecast as his frazzled and pompous police officer seems to be giving any oomph with Jack Mulhall rather dull in the leading romantic role. For a pre-code mixture of crime and society drama, this ends up being a disappointment for how slow and static and stagey it is.

Loretta Young's most luminous appearance.

[arthursward · 10/10 · 21 October 2002]

Please make an effort to view this early talkie drama even if you're not a Loretta Young fan. Here is a fluidly filmed thriller showing an overlooked director at the height of his great powers.

Before you glance back at the top of the page and go "William Beaudine? No way!", I know this is the guy whose name appeared in big, cursive letters before the Bowery Boys did their stuff. Yes, this IS the director of "Bela Lugosi Meets A Brooklyn Gorilla", "Green Hornet" TV shows, and finished his career with the unforgettable "Billy The Kid vs. Dracula". I couldn't believe it either, but after watching 1925's "Little Annie Rooney", I was so impressed that I checked his biography. Not only was the same man, his numbers were amazing. Beaudine directed over 250 feature films in 51 years, numerous TV shows (including 70 "Lassie" episodes), and at the time of his death was recognized as Hollywood's oldest active director. I then purchased and viewed Mary Pickford in "Sparrows". The performances he coaxed from these children was only surpassed by the splendid visuals he arranged. And on the strength of this, I chose to view "The Road To Paradise".

The film concerns itself with two crooks [one high-line, one common] who have raised an orphan girl. While discussing their next caper, she ARRIVES. A perfectly composed frame fills with a face both radiant and smiling as though she's surprised by a best friend. I've seen Loretta Young all my life, but NEVER have I seen her look so natural and personal. George Barraud and Jack Mulhall as her crook 'parents' comport agreeably and soon draw their ward, Mary (Young) into their latest scheme. While discussing the crime, Mary reveals one of her para-normal talents to be that of mind reading (made possible by her highly empathetic nature). I won't discuss the plot further, but should point out Loretta has a dual role which is handled flawlessly. Don't waste your time trying to catch a split screen or double because you won't. I still framed sequences and can assure you, the director has gotten away with it.

The film creates unrelenting tension throughout. Unlike other early talkies, "drawing room" scenes are broken into many different set-ups with the viewers' perspective constantly changing. These shifts are small and you never get lost in the room. Another plus is a very nice rooftop sequence with many different set-ups.

Mr. Beaudine filmed this as "Cornered", a 1920 silent. Write me if you know where I can see it.

Pre-Code Young

[Michael_Elliott · 28 February 2008]

Road to Paradise (1930)

** (out of 4)

Incredibly far fetched drama about a young woman (Loretta Young) who helps two criminals rob from her look alike. This is certainly a film you'd have to see to believe because the story is so far fetched that you can never take it serious. The screenwriter made the mistake of making this a drama when it probably would have worked better as a screwball comedy. The ending is so out there you can't help but laugh when it's supposed to be dramatic. Young gives a good performance in her duel role but the rest of the cast is pretty dull. Directed by William Beaudine.

Disappointing, except...

[elefino-912-408457 · 3/10 · 13 November 2023]

Ten stars for a double dose of Loretta Young, one of the most beautiful women to ever grace the silver screen. Now deduct one star each for the awful script, dialog, acting, directing, cinematography, sound, and plot.

It seems as though Hollywood thought audiences would be so enamored with the new addition of sound in these early talkies that they wouldn't notice the exclusion of all else a movie needs to hold their attention.

No action, combined with a feeble plot and too many implausible coincidences and plot holes simply adds up to a complete boor. Except - and this is a massive exception - except when the screen is filled with images of the lovely Miss Young, albeit at a still tender age and not quite yet adjusted to the pacing of the new form nor yet yet displaying the artistry she would develop just a few years later. Still, she is the ONLY reason to watch this stinker. And that is reason enough to give it a peek even though you've been warned not to expect much else.

Watch for Loretta Young (x2) only

[gbill-74877 · 4/10 · 27 January 2024]

"Why, she looks more like me than I do myself."

This pre-Coder has not one but two young Loretta Young's, and at age 17 she's as composed and radiant as ever. I wish I could say she was put to good use, but the premise to this one is about as farfetched as they come. Twin sisters have been separated at birth, and one of them has been raised by thieves (but has an honorable streak "a yard wide," to their consternation), and the other has been raised in affluence. The former is persuaded by her "fathers" to help rob from the mansion of the latter one night, after a little surveillance work in disguise as an inspector has resulted in the butler blatantly telling them that they have no burglar alarms. Oh, and did I mention that the twins are psychic too, literally able to read the minds of others if they concentrate and repeat the saying on a little charm they have on their necklace? We find this odd fact out for the crooked sister early on, and while it's unused for the longest time, naturally it will play a crucial role in the story later.

Aside from how ridiculous this is, the investigation which follows when the burglary is botched grinds the film to a crawl, and there are repeated instances of questionable character motivations. The ending is also all tidied up in a way that's most unsatisfying, particularly when you think of the possible directions the story could have taken. Certainly don't watch this if you expect the title to mean anything either, because it doesn't; it's just another example of the studio marketing departments that seemed to work with particular zeal in 1930-31 to find ways of enticing customers to go to the cinema in the early years of the Depression.

The story is at its most interesting in the beginning, when we get little bits like the less well off Young character informing her fathers that she had to leave her job for the same old reason, that her boss had gotten "fresh" with her, calling out harassment in the workplace while at the same time informing us of her virtuousness. We also get a Chinese American waiter saying tersely, without a stereotypical accent, that they don't serve "seagull" in response to a snarky comment. Those are just little tidbits of course, and during the bulk of the film there isn't snappy dialogue, pre-Code naughtiness, or any other little things from the period peppered in which might sustain interest. It's just Loretta Young, who certainly ain't bad, but even fans of hers should keep their expectations low for this film.

Will the Real Margaret Waring Please Stand Up!!

[kidboots · 8/10 · 15 May 2013]

There was a reason Loretta Young's career lasted five decades - it wasn't just her dazzling beauty but had to do with her steely and ruthless determination. By 1930 First National saw her as an extremely decorative leading lady and it was only towards the end of her contract that she was given roles of more depth ("Life Begins", "Heroes for Sale" etc). Just before "Road to Paradise" she met the man who gave her the nickname of "the steel butterfly" - her luckless first husband, Grant Withers. In 1930 he was one of First National's hopeful future stars but his career fizzled out whereas Loretta's went ahead by leaps and bounds which was one of the reasons the marriage failed.

This film, based on the Broadway play cornered which opened in 1920 to a respectable 143 performances and starred Madge Kennedy, gave Loretta a chance to play twins but there was not a lot of character differentiation, it was done so much better by Norma Shearer in a similarly plotted film "Lady of the Night" (1925).

Beautiful Mary Brennan has been bought up by a couple of small time criminals but has always been guided by an inner core of honesty. One night at a club they come across a slumming party of society types and Jerry "the Gent" is amazed to see that the young heiress, Margaret Waring, is the mirror image of Mary. They make plans, with Mary in tow, to rob the house but a curious cop throws a spanner in the works which sees the "dynamic duo" stranded on the roof and Mary caught in the house. Of course she is taken for Margaret, especially by Margaret's boyfriend George (the ever reliable Jack Mulhall) who finds the "new" Margaret a warmer and more loving person but the real one comes home unexpectedly, is injured in the crossfire and the rest of the film is taken up with determining just who is who!!!

This was an interesting take on the "drawing room dramas" that abounded in the very early days of sound. Most of the action took place in the bedroom but it was all very innocent. There was a quick intake of breath when the suspicious sergeant (good old Purnell Pratt) asked her to open the safe as "Margaret" was the only person who knew the combination but Mary with the aid of mental telephony (of course!!) is able to read the numbers from Margaret's mind!! When Margaret pulls through there are no recriminations or calls for the constable (it all had to be wrapped up in 5 minutes) - no! Margaret already knew she had a twin, she could also read minds, had a similar locket and had been searching for Mary for a year!! In fact Mary's consumptive guardian (good old Raymond Hackett) was completely forgotten about. With all the problems of script and story, the only complaint the critics had was Loretta's over clear diction. Considering that the year before, Hollywood was importing stage stars ahead of screen favourites, that nit picking seems weird to me!!

Loretta Young Looks A Lot Like Loretta Young

[boblipton · 8/10 · 13 November 2023]

Loretta Young is your average young crook, with an ability to read people's minds. She is blighted, as the two mugs who reared her note, with an unfortunate streak of honesty. Still, she's a hard-working girl, so when they're breaking into a millionaire's home and people start coming home early, she doesn't blink when the young lady of the house gets shot unconscious. She is startled by the fact they seem to be physical doubles, and she is soon accepted as such by butler Winter Hall, and Jack Mulhall, who went to grade school with the lady, and his mother. Police inspector Purnell Pratt isn't so sure.

It's very well shot by John Seitz under the direction of William Beaudine; Beaudine had also directed the 1922 version. There are lots of moving shots, and although the sound recording lends unexpected tones to voices It's a surprisingly facile movie in the year when the talkies were learning to move.