I Like Your Nerve

1931
5.3| 1h2m| en| More Info
Released: 12 September 1931 Released
Producted By: First National Pictures
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Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
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Synopsis

Romance and political intrigue highlight director William C. McGann's 1931 comedy about a playboy smitten with the stepdaughter of a corrupt government official in a fictional Central American country. The cast includes Loretta Young, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Henry Kolker, Boris Karloff (in the small role of a secretary), Edmund Breon, Claude Allister and Luis Alberni.

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Reviews

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.
ThedevilChoose When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.
Kien Navarro Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.
Deanna There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.
JohnHowardReid Copyright 8 September 1931 by First National Pictures, Inc. New York opening simultaneously at the Warners Strand and the Brooklyn Strand: 12 September 1931. 6,298 feet. 70 minutes.SYNOPSIS: After consulting a fortune teller, Larry (Douglas Fairbanks, junior) journeys to a Central American republic where political corruption is rife. He forces his company on Diane (Loretta Young), but discovers she is about to marry a wealthy suitor to save her father from ruin.COMMENT: Although it tends at times to become dialogue-bound and even degenerates into the occasional shouting match (principally between Henry Kolker and Edmund Breon) or worse, gross caricature (Claud Allister's stage Englishman is the chief offender here with his "I say what, dear old egg!"), "I Like Your Nerve" runs mostly along the breezy lines of an ingratiating romantic comedy. Doug Fairbanks junior does all right by dad in a part that, whilst it lacks senior's acrobatics, packs in plenty of his charming aggressiveness.Loretta Young looks very svelte as the heroine and does her costumer proud.Boris Karloff has been handed some brief bits as Kolker's butler which he plays in his usual solemn accent (no trace of Italian) in a sinisterly sepulchral manner that will no doubt delight his legion of fans. Although lensed on a "B" budget, McGann's direction is surprisingly assured and polished, utilizing lots of varied camera set-ups, interspersed with effective long shots that show off the art director's attractive sets to their full advantage. True, there is evidence of hasty shooting here and there, but, by and large, a commendable job. Ernest Haller's superb photography also deserves a Highly Commended certificate.All in all, I'd rate this as a very pleasing addition to the current crop of cult movies. I wonder why it hasn't made the grade among cineastes? Could it be the simple fact that our tunnel-vision TV and most DVD suppliers pander almost exclusively to the newer movies brigade?
kevin olzak 1931's "I Like Your Nerve" is an alleged First National comedy that wears out its welcome in record time. Coming off the classic gangster thriller "Little Caesar," Douglas Fairbanks Jr. does what he can with a clichéd character of idle rich American Larry O'Brien (the kind of role that Harold Lloyd played in 1923's "Why Worry?"), sent to the South American town of San Arango, where he indelicately falls in impulsive love with beautiful Diane Forsythe (Loretta Young), despite her imminent betrothal to the much older Clive Lattimer (Edmond Breon). Displaying as much nerve as the title suggests, Larry manages to court the admittedly reluctant bride, going so far as to address her father, Ariel Pacheco (Henry Kolker), who happens to be the nation's Minister of Finance, a position with an unpleasant recent history of violent death. It's not long before the impetuous youth uncovers the sadly obvious reason behind the arranged marriage, but as usual the instant attraction between the two stars comes off as wholly forced and labored. Of the small credited cast of just six players, it's a pleasure to see Boris Karloff listed last as Pacheco's retainer Luigi, as one would think that a dozen lines and about a minute and a half on screen might have gone unbilled, about five months prior to "Frankenstein." Fairbanks and Young do make an attractive couple, but nothing feels natural about their relationship, and even the supposedly happy ending makes one wonder where the pair can go, since they hardly know each other; I had the same problem with the conclusion of "The Graduate" - what exactly does victory entail? Not entirely dull, but lacking in humor and real substance. Director William McGann was a former cinematographer for the elder Fairbanks, while Boris Karloff and Loretta Young would be reunited nearly three years later, opposite George Arliss in "The House of Rothschild."
movingpicturegal This film features a basic plot line we've all seen many times in many different films and that is this - a more appropriate, more handsome man tries to catch, before it's too late, a woman about to be married to a less appropriate, "wrong" man. In this film, Loretta Young plays the beautiful daughter of the Minister of Finance, and she is set to marry, in four days time, a wealthy, but gruff and rather ugly old man (well - there's really no other way I could put it!) - the reasons for her odd choice of partner are a secret. When she meets grinning, conceited Larry O'Brien (played by Douglas Fairbanks Jr.), he is immediately in love and uses a bunch of tricks and schemes in an attempt to win her for himself. She seems to dislike him (but, of course, in the way of most movies from then to now, she *really* secretly likes him).There is some humor in this, mostly of the Three Stooges / slap-in-the-face variety, plus some funny scenes with Claud Allister as Larry's gay sidekick Archie. Loretta Young really has little to do in this film other than look gorgeous in beautiful gowns and dangling earrings. Boris Karloff also has little to do in this film other than slink in and out of the room as butler. The actor who plays her father acts in a sort of bugged-out eyes style, but I guess it's supposed to be funny. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. tries to be charming, but he comes across to me as not particularly interesting - he's just sort of there. Okay film, but nothing great - a middle-range time filler, mainly for fans of Loretta Young.
John Seal Doug Fairbanks Jr. stars as an ugly American-style tourist stranded in a corrupt Central American Ruritania, only to fall in love with the daughter (Loretta Young) of the country's finance minister (Henry Kolker) days before her wedding to the local millionaire (Edward Breon). This First National production was obviously done on the cheap, as there are numerous technical flaws and even a few flubbed lines by Fairbanks. The film was attractively shot by Ernest Haller, however, and there are some impressive sets probably left over from a big budget feature. Sixth billed Boris Karloff has about two dozen words as Luigi, the butler, character actor Luis Alberni shows up as a local restarauteur, and Claud Allister plays a gay British diplomat ("everyone KNOWS I'm a bachelor!"). It's a cheap and cheerful early talkie, so suspend your disbelief and enjoy the ride.