Blonde Crazy - 1931

Blonde Crazy - Released November 14, 1931 - Directed by Roy Del Ruth

The film begins with the on screen title of: "The leading Hotel of a small mid-western city"

James Cagney is a smarmy bellhop constantly looking to run a minor con on someone, and he tries to do so on the new hotel employee played by Joan Blondell (she's a maid). But she's streetwise and can't be taken, and soon Cagney's cagey con-artist is upping his game to try and win her approval, and eventually the two become an enterprising con-artist team that travels higher into upper class society while specializing in stealing from other crooks (they target other crooks because the maid isn't going to tolerate stealing from the hoi polloi).

The title Blonde Crazy seems to be a play on two things: the phrase "gone crazy" and the obvious reference to pre-code era star Joan Blondell and her hair.

Cagney and Blondell are a good match because they're both sharp with their dialogue and fast, though Cagney's faster and sharper, which isn't usual with Blondell in a 1930's picture where she often leaves the male lead tagging along behind.

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Original Page December 2012 | Updated March 17, 2021