City Limits (1934) User Reviews (6)

Amusing B Comedy

[boblipton · 6/10 · 16 July 2019]

Railroad owner Frank Craven is taking over a competing line when his doctor orders him to take a vacation in the country. He falls off the railroad on the way and into the company of tramps James Burke and Jimmy Conlin, who believe him another tramp and delusional. Meanwhile, the other line, led by Claude Gillingwater fights back and Craven's daughter, Sally Blane, with the help of reporter Ray Walker, try to hold the situation together.

It's an amusing little comedy directed by oldtimer William Nigh, another director who had fallen from the A list with the coming of sound. He had directed Marion Davies and Lon Chaney. Now he was working for Paul Malvern and Trem Carr at Monogram. It's a decent script, with some nice understanding of how high finance operated in the period, but it's most fun when dealing with the tramps and Craven.

Rather tepid romance that promises little and delivers less.

[bigkids · 2 March 2001]

Jack Woodford was a prolific and highly talented writer. He was regarded as somewhat scandalous -- if not an outright pornographer -- in his day, but by contemporary standards his books were really rather sweet little romances, with just a dash of sex suggested, never described in salacious detail.

"City Limits" was one of his early novels, and Woodford fans would be eager to see it, if it were released on tape or DVD. However, they would be disappointed. There is very little resemblance between the film and Woodford's novel of the same name.

It's all about Pops, and he always pays....

[mark.waltz · 4/10 · 14 April 2013]

Pop is Frank Craven, the ruthless railroad president, is nagged by his family and doctor to take a vacation. He's already been stepping on his competitor's toes, so when he disappears off of his own train, they try and beat him at his own game. But like any hero of a Capra-like film, he is busy learning a thing or two about life, and that's through two hobos (George 'Gabby' Hayes and Jimmy Conlin), gains a sense of what's really important. His daughter (Sally Blane) falls in love with the newspaper reporter (Ray Walker) posing as a doctor out for a scoop on Craven, and what he finds will get him in good with his headline crazy editor (James Burke).

This pile of fluff tries to integrate comedy with some heartwarming human element and is strangled by its low budget. Craven, best known as the "stage manager" in "Our Town", is memorable, giving a performance filled with a Scrooge like greed and a Scrooge like awakening as he goes on his own journey of re-discovery. The Margaret Hamilton like Fern Emmett is very funny in the brief role of the farm woman who demands the hobos work in exchange for food then tries to get money in exchange for the scoop on Craven's whereabouts. Not bad or good, this is a formula programmer with good intentions that gives a few character actors some good material yet is ultimately unmemorable.

Nigh at well-nigh his best!

[JohnHowardReid · 8/10 · 25 October 2012]

One of the problems I encounter with most reference books, is that they ignore the products of Poverty Row – unless of course they have amassed a large cult following. So you won't find "City Limits" in any of the must-see reference books. A pity, because this Monogram comedy comes as a great surprise. The players, led by now under-rated Frank Craven – Craven had a fair-sized cult following fifty years ago, but it now seems to have evaporated – are not only extremely personable, but all give such a good account of the script that few viewers will notice the complete absence of background music. Not to over-emphasize the point, the cast is one of the best Monogram ever assembled. James Burke and Jimmy Conlin are especially delightful as a couple of well-spoken tramps, whilst George "Gabby" Hayes is commendably unrecognizable without his beard and his phony voice.

Also deserving of unstinted praise is the photography of Jerry Ash, which seems astonishingly "modern" and crisp. It also includes some excellent location work. As for William Nigh's well-paced direction, for once we can well believe that in the late 1920s, Nigh was a highly regarded, top-flight director of prestige, top-budget pictures starring Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's most prestigious talents including Joan Crawford, Lon Chaney, Ramon Novarro, and John Gilbert.

Who says B-movies are cheap or not worth seeing?!

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 29 April 2011]

B-movies were lower budgeted films intended as the second, or lesser, film in a double-feature during the 1930s and 40s. However, over the years, a 'B-movie' has often taken on another meaning--a bad or ultra-cheap film. But B's were often great entertainment and occasionally were better than most of the premier, or A-films. "City Limits" is a great example of a B (though a tiny bit longer than most B's) that simply is wonderful fun and I'd prefer seeing a film like this to MOST A-pictures--even if it has a few clichés and is a bit inconsequential.

The film starts with Jimmy Dugan (Ray Walker) dealing with his VERY clichéd boss at the newspaper. Like all clichéd editors, the guy is constantly complaining about his employees great work, demanding more is more hyperactive than a weasel on crack! But, Jimmy seems to understand the guy and vows to bring him in a great story about J.B. Matthews (Frank Craven)--a rich industrialist who refuses to talk to ANY reporter.

To get to Matthews, Dugan poses as a doctor and is able to gain admittance to the rich bloke. It seems that Matthews sister is constantly pushing him to take various medicines and abstain from anything resembling fun--so the 'doctor' is welcomed by her. But, Matthews isn't totally taken in and manages to pull a fast one on Dugan the new day. Not to be dissuaded, Dugan rushes to Matthews' train to get the interview.

However, once he makes it to the train, Matthews unexpectedly gets tossed off his private car--rolling down a hill and landing in front of two very nice bums. Instead of panicking, though, Matthews soon takes to the guys and realizes life like this has its advantages. He stops taking his medications and learns to relax and enjoy the company of his two new chums. Unfortunately, the timing of this is terrible, Matthews' old business nemesis takes this opportunity to try to steal away Matthews' company. The only way to stop him is to find Matthews--but no one knows where he's at and the only one who seems smart enough to save the day is Dugan.

While this all may sound very mundane, the plot works great for several reasons. Craven and his pals are excellent actors and make the film work. Plus, they are blessed with excellent and very clever writing. Plus, the director seemed to get the most out of this cast--with excellent editing and timing. Fun.

Likable old comedy

[suchenwi · 8/10 · 8 July 2010]

I don't know whether "bigkids" and I are discussing the same movie here. I watched City Limits (1934) from archive.org (start titles talk about TV, so it must have been a later edit in rather low resolution), and enjoyed it thoroughly.

The story is about a reporter, financial troubles at Bay City Line railroad, and most of all the railroad president living with hobos for a time.

I enjoyed it very much. Some car/motorcycle/train chases, but mostly the dialogs between the Prez and the hobos (and the farmer woman). For realism, maybe look elsewhere, but for a fun Depression movie, I liked it. Watch 1960s Boxcar Bertha for more hobo scenes, but this one is more (old) fun...