Corsair (1931)
THE SCREEN; A Gallant Hijacker.
By Mordaunt Hall
Published: November 19, 1931
Humor, most of it as unintentional as that one might now find in "The Lights o' London," runs through "Corsair," Roland West's production which is now at the Rialto. Here there is Alison Corning, the daughter of an unscrupulous Wall Street operator, who sets her cap at John Hawks, a young football player, and prevails upon him to enter her father's office instead of following his own ambition to become a gridiron coach.
Hawks's experience in financial circles terminates when he has hot words with old Corning concerning the latter's business methods. The young man wastes no time in taking up a new vocation, that of a hijacker. The picturing of the scenes at sea and on land is sometimes quite interesting, but the dialogue is invariably most amateurish.
The determined Alison in an early scene tells Hawks that she regrets having wasted a kiss on him and, more in contempt than in affection, Hawks takes her in his arms and embraces her, saying that it is a good-bye from a he-man-son-of-the West, which she had called him a moment or so before.
It is not a case of the villain pursuing the heroine, but of the girl pursuing the bright young man, who has discovered that old man Corning's interests are not confined to stocks and bonds, for the latter is responsible for financing Big John's bootlegging activities. Hence the taking up of hijacking not only serves to help Hawkes keep the wolf from the door, but also to even up matters with Steve Corning.
On the bad ship Corsair Hawks and his men disguise themselves in naval uniforms, and they make trouble for Big John and his zealous lieutenant, Fish Face. Now and again there are some ingenious melodramatic stunts in this film, such as signaling by the Morse code while typewriting and having Slim, who joins forces with Hawks, an expert at talking without moving his lips. Big John is a die-hard, when it comes to protecting his champagne and liquor, and toward the close of the hectic doings this bootlegger tries to trap Hawks by filling cases supposed to contain bottled goods with pineapple bombs. In this end he is, however, defeated, for Hawks, after being captured by Big John's men, is in turn rescued through the craftiness of one of his own band. And in this supposedly exciting turn of events Alison also figures, for she and a comic companion have swum out to the Corsair in defiance of Hawks's instructions.
Fish Face pretends to be sympathetic with Slim's girl, but he decides that no good can come of her continuing to live and therefore shoots her. Slim is shot while he is warning the persons on the Corsair that the cases they have stolen from Big John's vessel are filled with pineapple bombs and another man goes to his death, weighted down by a case of whisky.
The sea scenes are often quite effective bits of photography. Chester Morris gives a stern portrayal as Hawks. Fred Kohler makes Big John sufficiently brutal. Emmett Corrigan does well as Corning, but Alison Loyd is merely amusing. William Austin's comedy falls rather flat in this ruddy piratical affair.
A Gallant Hijacker.
CORSAIR, based on a story by Walton Green; directed by Roland West; released by United Artists.
John Hawks . . . . . Chester Morris
Alison Corning . . . . . Alison Loyd
Richard Bentinck . . . . . William Austin
"Chub" Hopping . . . . . Frank McHugh
Stephen Corning . . . . . Emmett Corrigan
"Big John" . . . . . Fred Kohler
"Fish Face" . . . . . Frank Rice
"Slim" . . . . . Ned Sparks
Sophie . . . . . Mayo Methot
Susie Grenoble . . . . . Gay Seabrook
Jean Phillips . . . . . Addie McPhail
