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Dangerous Curves

5 votes

A young bareback rider in a circus is in love with a trapeze artist, but he has two problems: he drinks too much and he's fallen under the spell of a "vamp" who's nothing but trouble for him.

Status: Released

Released Date: 1929-07-12

Runtime: 75 mins

Director: Lothar Mendes

Writer: Florence Ryerson, Donald Davis, Viola Brothers Shore

Spoken language: English

Genres: Drama

Original title: Dangerous Curves

Production Companies: Paramount Pictures

Production Countries: United States of America

Cast

Clara Bow

Richard Arlen

Kay Francis

David Newell

Anders Randolf

Joyce Compton

Stuart Erwin

May Boley

T. Roy Barnes

Reviews

Geronimo1967

If there were any doubts about Clara Bow making the transition from silent to talkie films, then this ought to put those to bed. That said, it’s not the most imaginative of plots that sees her “Pat” and married, mischievous and dipso circus trapeze artist “Zara” (Kay Francis) seemingly squabbling over the attentions of the handsome but rather drippy “Larry” (Richard Arlen). Now we know that the latter lady has an ulterior motive but neither of the others do and so as the emotions kick in, well let’s hope they have a safety net! We also discover that alcoholism might be contagious and bitterness and jealousy are amongst it’s best friends, so things start to look quite precarious for the airborne “Larry” too as the poor man isn’t quite sure where to turn - or fall! It is a bit wordy, procedural and perhaps even earnest at times, but there is still plenty active swinging going on - even if I doubt either the studio nor their insurers would have allowed Miss Bow much more than four foot off the ground. These films were all an integral part of cinema’s recalibration to sound and at times there’s a bit of rigidity to the set piece scenes here as it looks like both Arlen and Bow are a shade uncomfortable finding their microphone spots from time to time. The lively circus scenario allows for plenty of fluidity from a production and direction that delivers quite proficiently a story that does just about enough.

2025-03-19

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