Although at the height of the Depression the unemployment rate was about 25%, you'd never have thought this based on movies coming out of Hollywood at the time. A few, such as "Wild Boys of the Road" (1933), talked about the widespread unemployment...but most films showed well-fed, happy and successfully employed people. You really wouldn't have believed that there was a Depression based on the movies...especially since so many had to do with very rich folks and seldom the very poor. Because of this, "Gentlemen Are Born" is an oddity because it deals with these struggles to find work during this era. And, it came from one of the only studios that DID talk about the Depression, Warner Brothers.When the film begins, four young men are eager and ready to graduate college and go into the job market. However, a rude awakening awaits three of them. Jobs are scarce and underemployment common. In other words, you find one of the guys taking on day labor and boxing just to have enough to eat...even with his diploma! And, through the course of the film, mostly the guys and their wives/girlfriends experience heartbreak after heartbreak as it seems as if the system is stacked against them. Suicides, crime, hospitalizations, unemployment and more make this a film that seems like a call for social change. And, considering how strong the voices were for socialism and communism were during this era and how adamantly the studios fought this, the film comes off as a bit shocking. But it's also well made and an excellent window into a sad bygone era...with excellent acting and lots of heartbreaking moments. A sad but fascinating and rather realistic (for a change) look at the Depression.

I don't know quite what to make of this film.On the surface, it's "just" the story of 4 fellows who graduate from college right in the middle of the Great Depression. One -- Franchot Tone -- seemingly does reasonably well moving into a job as a newspaper reporter, and finds his biggest challenges to be his love for a young woman in the upper class (Margaret Lindsay). His friend (Robert Light) goes to work for his wealthy father, and that turns sour when the father (Henry O'Neill...a fine character actor) commits suicide by jumping out of his office window...keep in mind that it is the middle of the Great Depression). Ross Alexander gets married fairly soon after graduation (to Jean Muir) and the newlyweds have a baby fairly quickly, and face the problems of paying to raise a family and medical bills. But the athlete of the group -- Dick Foran -- faces the biggest challenges as he can't find a coaching job, becomes a failed amateur boxer, falls in love, but can't keep his life together..Here's the question I have: what exactly does the title mean? Is it saying that only the true gentleman of the group -- Tone's character -- ends up being the successful one? Think about it if you watch this film.Franchot Tone does nicely here; I always found him to be an interesting actor -- not one of the great actors, but intriguing. Jean Muir, Margaret Lindsay, and Ann Dvorak do nicely as the love interests. Ross Alexander was an actor I wasn't very familiar with; after looking him up he led a disappointing life, even though he had potential as an actor. I always thought that Dick Foran was a limited actor, and here he proves that. I'm not saying it's a bad performance, but he was certainly a lightweight. Robert Light similarly turns in a light performance.As I was watching this film, I occasionally thought that I'm not exactly enjoying the film, yet I kept watching. I can't explain that. It's certainly better than a lot of films from 1934. So give it a try.

GENTLEMEN ARE BORN (First National Pictures for Warner Brothers, 1934), directed by Alfred E. Green, is not so much about one dealing with the birth of babies growing up to become gentlemen, but one about four classmates and what becomes of them after receiving their diplomas. An offspring to CHANGE OF HEART (Fox, 1934), starring Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell, and forerunner, perhaps to THE GROUP (United Artists, 1966), GENTLEMEN ARE BORN, using similar patterns of both, depicts realistically on the joys and hardships of graduates going out into the real world. With this one set fittingly during the Depression, the situations depicted are relevant in any generation.The narrative begins with a college graduation where "the gang," consisting of Bob Bailey (Franchot Tone), Tom Martin (Ross Alexander), "Smudge" Johnson (Nick Foran) and Fred Harper (Robert Light), along with other classmates, receiving diplomas from members of the faculty. After moving to New York where they share both apartment and expenses, Bob lands a job working for a newspaper while Tim, hoping to become an architect, intends on marrying his sweetheart, Trudy Talbot (Jean Muir) who, to become closer to Tim, also moves to New York where she finds and shares an apartment with Susan Merrill (Ann Dvorak), a librarian. While Smudge fails to obtain employment in his field of high school coach, he struggles endlessly finding work of any kind or at least holding on to them. As for Fred, he has it easy with his $25 a week desk job working in a brokerage firm under his father's (Henry O'Neill) business, Harper & Son. As the story progresses, Bob becomes romantically involved with Fred's sister, Joan (Margaret Lindsay), who loves him but falls victim of her snobbish society-minded mother (Marjorie Gateson) who very much prefers she'd marry Stephen Hornblow (Charles Starrett), a man more of "her social class." After a reunion with the "gang," Smudge, through Bob, meets, falls in love and marries Susan; Tom and Trudy's marriage later produces a son; while Fred faces financial troubles with his father's firm. The fate of these graduates unfolds with differing results, for as gentlemen are born, life goes on.GENTLEMEN ARE BORN may not be fast-paced excitement but something that seems to rely on character byplay, with characters viewers can easily relate to on an individual level. Franchot Tone (on loan-out assignment from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer), the leading member of the gentlemen graduates, is ambitious and knows exactly what he wants; Ross Alexander (in Warners debut) is the happy-go-lucky individual who looks at things on the positive side; Robert Light plays the spoiled son with everything given to him, only to learn life is not as easy as it seems; while Dick, billed "Nick Foran" (also in Warners debut, then on loan from Fox Studios), stands out among the others as the athletic type who becomes the tragic figure, making more mistakes than accomplishments with his goal in life. While the female co-stars are equally balanced in their portrayals, only Ann Dvorak is given a sort of thankless role that's phased out early in the story. Her disappearance is easily mentioned through a letter explaining of her return to Des Moines, Iowa. A fine blend of melodrama and "soap opera" that should hold one's interest for its 74 minutes, though are a couple of scenes left unresolved. Scoring to "Alma Malta" sets the tone during the college segments while "Romance Must Be Loved" a nice tune introduced by Dick Powell in HAPPINESS AHEAD, becomes the underscoring theme song during the romantic interludes.With likable principal leads, only Jane Darwell as the unruly landlady and Virginia Howell as the head librarian are two of the most unsympathetic characters. Bradley Page as Al Ludlow assumes his usual persona of a company thief, while stock players as Russell Hicks (The Newspaper Editor); Henry Armetta and Addison Richards take precedence in smaller roles.With Turner Classic Movies the leading cable channel for classic films since 1994, with many from the Warner Brothers library, GENTLEMEN ARE BORN is one that isn't shown as often as the others but worthy of rediscovery from the bygone era of the 1930s. (***)

Four (4) Friends graduate from College and start on the adventure of bringing about a new life for themselves. One which has been promised to them by their status as graduates. Unfortunately they are being thrust into the economic maelstrom of the 'Great Depression' which in 1934 was entering its darkest days.The Friends, lead by Franchot Tone (Bob Bailey) has journalistic ambitions, but finds himself writing for a Tabloid. Hardly what is he was looking for. Robert Light (Fred Harper) is on the fast track thanks to his Father (Mr. Harper) Henry O'Neill who is a Wall-Street Shark and crook. Ross Alexander (Tom Martin) just rolls with the punches and Dick Foran (Smudge Casey) All American finds that last years 'grid-iron hero' is todays bum. Intermingled with their struggle to earn a living is romance and love. Ably provided for, particularly by Margaret Lindsay (Joan Harper) for Tone and Ann Dvorak (Susan Merrill) who falls for 'Smudge' whose marriage ends rather sadly. 'Smudge' contracting lead poisoning. In the end some make it others like 'Smudge' do not, watch and see, it is worth it.The cast does a fine job in what is a 'B' picture. Particularly Tone and Foran as the doomed 'Smudge' with Dvorak. Another standout is Charles Starrett (Stephen Hornblow) a classmate on the way up, but has no time for those he sees as 'losers' like 'Smudge'. Starrett though after a promising start with Paramount and M.G.M. would spend the rest of his career in 'B' Westerns.GENTLEMEN ARE BORN (1934) is as timely today as back then, for in the early days of the 21st Century it's tough going out there. Even for those with a College Degree. It better be in something useful and not a 'Communications Major', nor a Lawyer, we have enough of those parasites already. After all there are only so many jobs in Professional Sports!