Larceny, Inc. (1942)

best movie i've ever seen.

A waste of 90 minutes of my life

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Warner Brothers released this gangster comedy during World War II, but you wouldn't know it was made in 1942 because there are no servicemen in the crowds. Indeed, unlike "All Through the Night," there are no Nazi saboteurs lurking in the wings. As the studio that had the greatest success with mob movies, Warner Brothers was foremost, having released both "The Public Enemy" with James Cagney and "Little Caesar" with Edward G. Robinson in 1931. These qualified as the seminal gang pictures of the sound era. Eventually, Warners would lighten up on mobsters and Robinson wound up making crime comedies such as the incomparable "A Slight Case of Larceny" in 1938 and then later "Brother Orchid" in 1940. Once a tough guy with a smoking gun in his fist, Robinson no longer wielded a firearm when he made director Lloyd Bacon's "Larceny, Inc." Actually, this above-average, entertaining, but largely uneven gangster comedy would inadvertently provide him with another character that he would play over the years as he grew older and more distinguished looking. He was no longer a man with a gun in his hand. Instead, he was the leader of a gang with the guns in their hands. Mind you, in "Larceny, Inc." there are few guns to be seen. Robinson's co-star Anthony Quinn brandishes a pistol on several occasions, but our protagonist has a weapon more dangerous than any gun and it is his gift of gab. Sadly, after a promising start and a build-up in the middle, "Larceny, Inc." nosedives. Jack Carson and Jane Wyman are the romantically paired couple and we never learn what happens to them in the long run. Meanwhile, our heroes narrowly stay out of jail the second time. Broderick Crawford plays the muscle man and he gives the best performance as a numskull who fractures his language and makes a fool of himself.The source of all comedy is incongruity and "Larceny, Inc." has the incongruity. J. Chalmers 'Pressure' Maxwell (Edward G. Robinson of "The Hatchet Man") is the brains of his outfit. Jug Martin (Broderick Crawford of "Beau Geste") is his muscle. They get out of prison at the outset of the action and 'Pressure' talks the warden out of suit of clothes so he will look good. Pressure plans to rob a bank. He buys a luggage store near the bank and Martin digs a hole in the cellar so that they can break into the bank vault on the other side of the masonry. The humor that grows out of this situation is that Pressure makes a lot of dough selling luggage. In fact, he helps his fellow entrepreneurs who are having trouble with a contractor. The street in front of their respective businesses is being torn up and the contractor is dragging his heels on the project. Pressure steps in and persuades the contractor to complete the project. Presto, the contractor finishes the job and everybody celebrates Pressure's triumph. Meanwhile, Jug has a jack hammer in the basement tearing a huge hole in the floor while Pressure and Weepy Davis (Edward Brophy of "All Through the Night") try to run off customers so they can finish their tunnel to the bank. No longer has Pressure become the toast of the sidewalk than the bank officials pay him a visit and offer to buy his business. At the same time, Jeff Randolph (Jack Carson of "The Male Animal") is a luggage salesman who sells Weepy lots of luggage and he hits it off with Pressure's adopted daughter, Denny Costello (Jane Wyman of "Honeymoon for Three") and they become a couple. Together, Randolph and Costello drum him up more business. Initially, Pressure had planned to rob the bank. Now, he finds that going straight is going to make him more dough than knocking over a bank.This house of cards collapses when the villainous Leo Dexter (Anthony Quinn of "City for Conquest") breaks out of prison after he learns what Pressure is up to and muscles in on their deal. Pressure had been thinking about letting the bank have the property when Leo shows up with a gun. Years earlier, Robinson would have been the man with a pistol in his fist, but he is the mastermind here. Later, he would reprise this role under different names, but he would play the mastermind of a fabulous robbery as in "Seven Thieves" (1960), "Grand Slam" (1967) and "The Biggest Bundle of Them All" (1968). Lloyd Bacon keeps the action humming in this 95-minute, black & white, mob comedy and the performances are first rate.

Very fast and very funny gangster-comedy from Laura and S.J. Perelman's play "The Night Before Christmas" features Edward G. Robinson as a just-sprung ex-con who finagles his way into becoming the owner and operator of a luggage store in New York City. Why? Because the National Bank is right next door...and its vault is just behind the cellar wall in Robinson's shop. Opening with a hilarious prison baseball sequence, the movie keeps rising higher with each new scene and eccentric new character, like a balloon you don't want to see pop. The dialogue is full of tickling, hard-boiled wit, and Robinson's cuddly cohorts-in-crime (Broderick Crawford and Edward Brophy) are absolutely wonderful. The picture doesn't have a mean-spirited thorn to quibble over, however the third act doesn't live up to the spirited lunacy of the rest--and the final tag jumps too far forward in time. Mostly a delightful enterprise, with a marvelous supporting cast including Jack Carson and Jane Wyman as would-be sweethearts. Woody Allen borrowed the basic premise in 2000 for his hit comedy "Small Time Crooks". *** from ****

This film's yet another example of wayyyyy under appreciated Warner's in house director, Lloyd Bacon. Why do people ignore this guy??? He was really good! Look at how he handled Cagney and O'Brien if you need convincing. As usual Eddie G steals the show.....How did he do it? I have yet to see him in a bad performance. This is a great little film that just builds and builds... Everything seems to be going well until Anthony Quinn shows up and throws a monkey wrench into the whole works and the "gang" have to go (reluctantly) legit. Jack Carson, as usual, plays a bumbling but earnest character, a-la his cop "playwright" done the same year in "Arsenic and Old Lace"( released oddly in '44.) Another film made the same year (again, on the eve of Pearl Harbor) was Bogie's "All Through the Night" that also included Gleason and a young Phil Silvers.....All in the same vein! Jeezus, why can't they make 'em like this anymore??

Last night I had a good time with a ginger ale and a movie recommended by a brilliant poster, our own misspaddylee. It was worth the watch...Oh uh, what was it? Why "Larceny Inc." (1942) of course. A great little comedy of crime with humor that moved fast and furious.2 crooks, J. Chalmers 'Pressure' Maxwell (Edward G. Robinson) and Jug Martin (Broderick Crawford), are released from prison. They enter the Warden's office for their 'stay out of trouble' pep talk and the Warden (Joseph Crehan) loses his suit to 'Pressure'. (Ya gotta see it to believe it. He is one smooth talker.) They are greeted, on the outside, by Maxwell's niece (and the apple of Jug's eye) Denny (Jane Wyman). On their lips are promises to go straight...it's too bad it's NOT written on their hearts.Oh yes, they do purchase a Luggage Shop from Horace Bigelow (Harry Davenport). That looks to be a positive move even if the shop is located next door to a bank with a full vault. Meanwhile Denny and new boyfriend Jeff (Jack Carson) get the real business moving by using Jeff's promotional know-how. This is to help the 'good guys' out. That's when real bad guy Leo Dexter (Anthony Quinn) escapes from jail, shows up at the shop and moves in for the take...from the bank not the luggage shop. From there the humor moves faster and more furiously. The crooks play off of each other. The dialog keeps you laughing.Seeing Jack Carson in a romantic lead seemed strange. Seeing Jack Carson in a romantic lead with Jane Wyman as the girl he adored seemed even stranger. But it added to the humor. And there are many other memorable roles, too. For example these played by Edward Brophy as Weepy Davis the gang member turned luggage salesman. John Qualen is Sam Bachrach a nosy shop owner. Barbara Jo Allen plays Mademoiselle Gloria who develops an instant interest in J. Chalmers Maxwell. Grant Mitchell as Mr. Aspinwall, the vault owner, ah I mean banker next door. And a certain Jackie Gleason does a short, memorable part as Hobart the lunch counter man. You have got to see those facial expressions...each and every facial expression.Stormy