Blood Money (1933 film)

Blood Money is a 1933 American Pre-Code crime drama film directed by Rowland Brown about a crooked bail bondsman named Bill Bailey, played by George Bancroft, with Chick Chandler as crime boss Drury Darling, Judith Anderson, in her film debut, as Drury's sister and Bailey's lover, and Frances Dee as a thrill-seeking, larcenous beauty who fatefully catches Bailey's eye. The film was considered to be lost for nearly forty years before reappearing.^[1]

Blood Money
Film poster
Directed by	Rowland Brown
Written by	Rowland Brown Hal Long (continuity) Speed Kendall (uncredited)
Produced by	Darryl F. Zanuck Joseph M. Schenck (uncredited)
Starring	George Bancroft Judith Anderson Frances Dee
Music by	Alfred Newman
Production company	Twentieth Century Pictures
Distributed by	United Artists
Release date	November 17, 1933 (1933-11-17)
Running time	65 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Cast

• George Bancroft as Bill Bailey
• Frances Dee as Elaine Talbart
• Chick Chandler as Drury Darling
• Judith Anderson as Ruby Darling
• Blossom Seeley as Singer
• Etienne Girardot as Bail Bond Clerk
• George Regas as Charley

Dee, normally cast in wholesome roles, described Talbert in the 2002 Turner Classic Movies documentary Complicated Women as "... a rather weird character, to say the least. She was a kleptomaniac, a nymphomaniac, and anything in between."^[2]

Reception

New York Times critic Mordaunt Hall was unimpressed, writing, "This whimsical little tale of thievery, thuggery and attempted slaughter was mistaken for entertainment by Darryl Zanuck".^[3] He appreciated the skills of many of the actors, but thought the plot lacked logic and characterized the film overall as "flat stuff".^[3]