An MGM CRIME DOES NOT PAY Short Subject.
Living in the luxury provided by robbing parked motorists provides A THRILL FOR THELMA--until the Law starts to close in...
This was the fourth entrant in MGM's series illustrating the futility of crime. Some of the acting is reasonably good and the production values are competent, making the brief film an enjoyable time filler. All of the players are unbilled--William Tannen appears as the MGM Reporter; sturdy Robert Warwick plays the police captain; and Irene Hervey is the luckless Thelma. A fine bit of acting is provided by Robert Livingston as Thelma's violent lover.
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Often overlooked or neglected today, the one and two-reel short subjects were useful to the Studios as important training grounds for new or burgeoning talents, both in front & behind the camera. The dynamics for creating a successful short subject was completely different from that of a feature length film, something akin to writing a topnotch short story rather than a novel. Economical to produce in terms of both budget & schedule and capable of portraying a wide range of material, short subjects were the perfect complement to the Studios' feature films.
A Thrill for Thelma
1935
Crime / Drama
A Thrill for Thelma
1935
Crime / Drama
Plot summary
Thelma Black, a young inmate in a women's prison, tells the story of how she wound up in jail. Recently graduated from high school and then beauty college, Thelma, who dreamed of a life of wealth, got a job working as a beautician. She married Steve Black, whose high life she thought she wanted to emulate. She did not know however that Steve is a thief. In one of his escapades in which she was an unwitting accessory, the outcome goes horribly wrong. Despite the problems of that situation, Thelma enjoyed the thrill, but more importantly the easy wealth associated with holding up people. Steve and Thelma believe they are one step ahead of the law. The police, however, are able to piece together the evidence, which includes a distinguishing characteristic of Thelma herself. Beyond the prison sentence, Thelma's crimes have a more profound effect on her life than she could have imagined.
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Car Crimes
good cautionary tale
It's MGM Crime Does Not Pay Series #4. Thelma starts out with all the promise in the world but ends up as one of the woman inmates in the opening scene. She wanted to enjoy herself and becomes entangled by her husband Steve Black. He pulls her further and further into his crimes.
A lot of these Crime Don't Pay shorts are a little silly but this one is actually a good cautionary tale. Most women in prison are there due to their partners' crimes. That doesn't make this good cinema but most of these aren't.
The criminal lifestyle
This 'Crime Does Not Pay' short subject from MGM examines the case of a woman who got caught up in criminality because of who she married and because she found herself enjoying the thrill.
Irene Hervey is our protagonist and she's looking like she's on the straight and narrow even marrying a good looking chap Robert Livingston. But when Livingston has her along on a robbery, she really likes the thrill.
As in all the MGM 'Crime Does Not Pay' shorts, they slip up as criminals do in real life too.
I'm agreeing with the other reviewer, a bit heavy handed but effective.