ME AND MY GAL (Fox, 1932), produced and directed by Raoul Walsh, not to be confused with the Judy Garland and Gene Kelly musical, FOR ME AND MY GAL (MGM, 1942), is a nifty little comedy/drama that teams Spencer Tracy and Joan Bennett for the second time (following their initial pairing in SHE WANTED A MILLIONAIRE (Fox, 1932)). Although Tracy reportedly didn't have much regard for the movies he did over at Fox during his five years (1930-1935) at the studio, he was said to have been proud of this production, and it's easy to see why. Under the good direction of Walsh, ME AND MY GAL has both good story and sharp dialogue to keep the pace moving at a high degree.The story revolves around Danny Dolan (Spencer Tracy), a new Irish cop on the waterfront beat of New York City's Pier 13, going through his daily duties. After acquiring a dog and dealing with Joe Morgan (Will Stanton), a stumbling drunk, Dan comes to Ed's Chowder House Sea Food diner where he meets Helen Riley (Joan Bennett), a sassy, gum- chewing waitress/cashier with all the answers to Dan's questions. Helen has a sister, Katherine (Marion Burns), who's engaged to marry a nerdy buck-tooth, bespectacled Eddie Collins (George Chandler). Katherine has a shady past, having previously been involved with Duke Castenega (George Walsh), a gangster she cannot resist, especially when wanting her to go against her will by giving him a combination number list for safe deposit boxes. After saving a man's life from drowning, Dan is promoted detective working along with Al Allen (Adrian Morris), a fellow detective who earlier missed seeing Duke and his thugs departing the ship from South American on Pier 13. Duke gets arrested for a robbery and later breaks out of prison. As for Dan's courtship with Helen, he gets to meet the rest of her family, including Kate and their father, Pat (J. Farrell MacDonald). Situations become involved as Dan is assigned to locate Duke's whereabouts, unaware that he's hidden away in the attic of Kate's apartment as witnessed by Kate's war veteran father-in-law, John Collins, (Henry B. Walthall) paralyzed in a wheelchair with his only means of communication blinking code signals through his eyes. Others in the cast include of Noel Madison (Baby Face Castenega); with Eleanor Wesselhoeft, Russell Powell, Billy Bevan and Frank Moran in smaller roles. Be sure to stay tuned for J. Farrell MacDonald's full face close-up fade-out.A very fast-paced 79 minute production with Tracy and Bennett doing their best competing with one another. Their most memorable moment is their parody to Eugene O'Neill's stage production (and later 1932 MGM drama) to STRANGE INTERLUDE where the two speak out their thoughts through their minds heard only by the movie going audience. This may be a loss to contemporary viewers, but in 1932, many understood the humor of it all.Remade by 20th Century-Fox as PIER 13 (1940) starring Lloyd Nolan and Lynn Bari in the Tracy and Bennett roles, there's no doubt which version is better. Tracy and Bennett wouldn't work together again until many years later in the classic FATHER OF THE BRIDE (MGM, 1950) and its sequel, FATHER'S LITTLE DIVIDEND (MGM, 1951). Never distributed to home video, ME AND MY GAL did enjoy some rare showings in revival movie houses, public television in the early 1990s, before turning up on cable television's Fox Movie Channel, Turner Classic Movies (TCM premiere: October 2, 2012) and then availability onto DVD. Considering how movies from the old Fox Film library have been lost or lay forgotten in the studio vaults, at least this not only is still available for viewing, but also one that can still be seen and surprisingly appreciated today. Check! (***)

Raoul Walsh's direction is a bit jerky as far as film editing and continuity goes, but there is one marvelous bit of continuity business when the Joan Bennett character phones her sister. In fact, with its striking compositions, long takes and occasional fluid camera movements, the movie has some really good moments overall, despite some held-far-too-long slapstick scenes, such as that with the inebriated fisherman. Spencer Tracy and Miss Bennett have a grand time, the support cast is A-1, and production values are great. The Depression humor and philosophy comes across with force, and, despite its many topical allusions, the movie does not seem particularly dated. Even the running gag about flat feet is amusing in this context. Marion Burns (whatever happened to her? Maybe she got married and gave movies the flick?) makes an unforgettable impression as Bennett's sister. Incidentally, the plot device with the Morse code is wildly implausible, but who cares?

I saw this the first time the other day on the fox movie channel.It'a an early Spenser Tracy classic.He plays an honest cop who work on a pier.He meets Joan Bennet who works at a café as a cash register. Her sister is getting married to a sailor. The wedding is being planned but she still in love with her old boa who a crook He tries to persuade her to help him in the crime.during the wedding party every one get drunk with illegal booze.Joans father throws the radio out of the window after his daughter husband has listen to a song about a gigolo. some body complains and Spenser shows up to stop the noise but lets the party go on any way. She and him get even more smitten There's a drunk joke in the picture for humor but its not funny the actor who plays Spensers assistant .I though it the actor who would play jack Benny's announcer, Don something, It looks like him. but it's not. Well Spenser gets promoted as detective. Joans sisters ex boa is now in prison.But he breaks out. and gets her sister to hide him at her house . But her paralyzed husband father on a wheel chair.played by Henry B. Walthal. Knows what going on and communicates with his eyes through Morse code. As Joan and Spenser are leaving his dog at her sister house. she takes the notes and the next day studies it and finds out whats going on. she flies out of the café the go to her sister house to get the crook to leave before Spenser finds out and throws her sister in jail for helping criminal. but tract finds out and get the criminal but makes up to the police chief that he was chasing him and not Joan's sister. this is a fair classic and the few ones made in the early thirties that fox movie channel shows occasionally since most of their movie they show are late dates.

"Me and My Gal" is an ingratiating pre-Code comedy-drama enhanced by spirited banter between Spencer Tracy and Joan Bennett who play two young people feeling each other out as potential mates. Bennett is surprisingly good as a wise-cracking, down-to-earth waitress who speaks her mind and can easily hold her own against Tracy's New York City cop. The pre-Code era's lack of pretense about sexuality makes their impassioned kiss in the diner -- as the two knock over items on the lunch counter -- all the more humorous. Bennett, both impressed and amused by Tracy's kiss, responds: "If you're gonna kiss me like that, you're gonna have to marry me." It's a magical little moment that caused the passage of time since 1932 to drop away and left me there with them to enjoy the fun.A sub-plot involves Bennett's newly married sister, a good girl who nevertheless can't resist her bad boy gangster ex-boyfriend. When he needs to hide from the police, she installs him in a spare bedroom, under the nose of her disabled father-in-law who is confined to a wheelchair, can't speak a word and communicates only by blinking his eyes in Morse code. Later, when everything gets resolved, Tracy tells the father-in-law that the daughter-in-law is a good kid at heart in spite of what she did, expressing pre-Code generosity for forgiveness and tolerance, even in sexual transgressions with gangsters.