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Bad Guy

  • 19371937
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 9m
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
125
YOUR RATING
Bad Guy (1937)
  • Crime
  • Drama
"Lucky" Walden is a power lineman-turned-criminal. He is due to go to the electric chair, which he helps prison electricians wire correctly, when his sentence is commuted for an act of heroi... Read all"Lucky" Walden is a power lineman-turned-criminal. He is due to go to the electric chair, which he helps prison electricians wire correctly, when his sentence is commuted for an act of heroism. But he finds the wrong side of the law more attractive, and returns to his nefarious w... Read all"Lucky" Walden is a power lineman-turned-criminal. He is due to go to the electric chair, which he helps prison electricians wire correctly, when his sentence is commuted for an act of heroism. But he finds the wrong side of the law more attractive, and returns to his nefarious ways.
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
125
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Edward L. Cahn
  • Writers
    • Earl Felton(screen play)
    • Harry Ruskin(screen play)
    • J. Robert Bren(from a story by)
  • Stars
    • Bruce Cabot
    • Virginia Grey
    • Edward Norris
Top credits
  • Director
    • Edward L. Cahn
  • Writers
    • Earl Felton(screen play)
    • Harry Ruskin(screen play)
    • J. Robert Bren(from a story by)
  • Stars
    • Bruce Cabot
    • Virginia Grey
    • Edward Norris
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 6User reviews
    • 4Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos6

    Bruce Cabot, Charley Grapewin, and Virginia Grey in Bad Guy (1937)
    Virginia Grey in Bad Guy (1937)
    Bruce Cabot and Virginia Grey in Bad Guy (1937)
    Virginia Grey in Bad Guy (1937)
    Jean Chatburn, Virginia Grey, and Edward Norris in Bad Guy (1937)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Bruce Cabot
    Bruce Cabot
    • John 'Lucky' Walden
    Virginia Grey
    Virginia Grey
    • Kitty Ryan
    Edward Norris
    Edward Norris
    • Steve Carroll
    Jean Chatburn
    Jean Chatburn
    • Betty Ryan
    Cliff Edwards
    Cliff Edwards
    • 'Hi-Line'
    Charley Grapewin
    Charley Grapewin
    • Dan Gray
    Warren Hymer
    Warren Hymer
    • 'Shorty'
    John Hamilton
    John Hamilton
    • Warden Summers
    Clay Clement
    Clay Clement
    • Bronson
    Ernie Alexander
    • Drunk at Ball
    • (uncredited)
    Richard Allen
    • Guard
    • (uncredited)
    Polly Bailey
    • Spectator
    • (uncredited)
    Jack Baxley
    • Carnival Worker
    • (uncredited)
    Georgie Billings
    • Urchin Flying Kite
    • (uncredited)
    James Blaine
    James Blaine
    • Detective
    • (uncredited)
    Don Brodie
    Don Brodie
    • Carnival Barker
    • (uncredited)
    Francis X. Bushman Jr.
    Francis X. Bushman Jr.
    • Lineman Driver at Station
    • (uncredited)
    Joe Caits
    Joe Caits
    • Prison Lineman
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Edward L. Cahn
    • Writers
      • Earl Felton(screen play)
      • Harry Ruskin(screen play)
      • J. Robert Bren(from a story by)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This film received its initial television broadcasts in Altoona PA Wednesday 15 May 1957 on WFBG (Channel 10) and in Chicago Friday 17 May 1957 on WBBM (Channel 2), followed by Los Angeles Thursday 23 May 1957 on KTTV (Channel 11); in Seattle it first aired 1 July 1957 on KING (Channel 5), in Syracuse NY 9 September 1957 on WHEN (Channel 8), in Miami 16 September 1957 on WCKT (Channel 7), in Norfolk VA 18 December 1957 on WTAR (Channel 3), in Baltimore 2 January 1958 on WJZ (Channel 13), and in Philadelphia 14 April 1958 on WFIL (Channel 6); it finally reached San Francisco 24 December 1959 on KGO (Channel 7) and New York City 5 September 1962 on WCBS (Channel 2).

    User reviews6

    Review
    Top review
    5/10
    Not a Bad Movie
    Bruce Cabot winds up in prison, gets paroled, plays rough as a line man in this MGM programmer.

    The direction by Edward Cahn is mostly adequate visually, but weak in terms of line reading -- Virginia Grey, as the girl Cabot and his brother, Edward Norris both want is poor, seemingly more interested in her enunciation than her feelings. It also appears that the human side of the story was so short that they had to cut in half a reel or more of Norris attending a lecture on high voltage, so the audience can be fascinated by images of electricity ladders. Because I saw such things in grade school, I wasn't.

    There's a potentially interesting character study of a guy who actually doesn't feel any fear, but the powers-that-be were either incapable of or unwilling to offer such a story. Instead it turns into a straight melodrama, diverting for an hour, but not much more.
    helpful•4
    0
    • boblipton
    • Jan 10, 2019

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 27, 1937 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Black Lightning
    • Filming locations
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 9 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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