"No Limit" - 1931

Tonight I watched another Clara Bow film I had never seen before, 1931's "No Limit", the 2nd to last film she made at Paramount.

As was often the case, the leading man was bland, bland, bland! This time it was Norman Foster, who has been in some decent films like Under 18 and Skyscraper Souls and went on to direct some interesting pictures as well, Journey Into Fear, Rachel and the Stranger and Woman on the Run being the ones I've seen, but he's hardly able to hold his own with Clara. The way Paramount continually cast such weak males opposite their most popular star is perplexing.

Let's see, oh yeah the plot... Clara plays an usherette at a theater, being awkwardly wooed by shy, clumsy and inarticulate Stuart Erwin (did he ever play any other kind of man?) who just inherited a Rolls Royce and huge Park Ave Apartment from his recently dead uncle. OK he's leaving on a boat and asks Clara to watch the place for him...well turns out it was a gambling joint when his uncle was alive and so everyone thinks its "Open for Business" again. She ends up hooking up with a millionaire played by Norman Foster, who at first just wants to get Clara in the sack (go figure?) but of course falls for her, they get married, then she discovers he's a big time Jewel thief! She ends up nearly going to the big house for his biggest crime (stealing some huge ass diamonds from Thelma Todd) but he comes to the police station posing as her lawyer and turns himself and all the diamonds over to the police. When he gets out of jail early for good behavior Clara is of course ready to take him back!

I'll take that light and sweet one...

*sigh*

An early scene in the film takes place in an automat. Those places were nifty, lots of chrome and glass! These pics are all recent net finds.