Rhythm Racketeer is a 1937 British musical film directed by James Seymour and starring Harry Roy, Princess Pearl and James Carew. It was written by Jack Byrd, Betty Laidlaw, Robert Lively and James Seymour, and made at Rock Studios, Elstree, by the independent producer Joe Rock.
Contents
Cast
Harry Roy as Harry Grant and Napoleon Connors
Princess Pearl as Karen Vosper
James Carew as Clinton Vosper
Norma Varden as Della Nash
Johnny Hines as Nifty
Johnnie Schofield as Spike
Judith Wood as Lola
Georgie Harris as The Rat
Syd Crossley as minor role
George Merritt as Inspector Hunt
Charles Paton as assistant in chemist shop
James Pirrie as Bugs Cole
Pamela Randall as minor role
Terry-Thomas as extra
Reception
The Daily Film Renter wrote: "Stilted treatment and banal plot against London, New York and liner backgrounds, with song and spectacle sequences. Personality show from star in typical numbers, but acting otherwise patchy and direction slipshod. Comedy material and dialogue childish, but general effect makes fair popular subject on melody angles and stellar pull."
Kine Weekly wrote: "Harry Roy frequently drops the baton, to essay a dual role, but finds the responsibility beyond his compass. The story, too, is weak, nor is the Anglo-American atmosphere convincing. The tunes and lavish technical trimmings are really the high spots of the production. Moderate light booking, mainly on star potentialities, for industrial and provincial halls."
Picturegoer wrote: "Dance band interludes punctuate this gangster comedy-drama, which, in trying to emulate American pictures of the same type, falls down and fails to register at all effectively. Harry Roy lacks the experience to put over the dual role of Napoleon, American gangster on a visit to London, and Harry, a dance-band leader. Princess Pearl is quite good as the heroine whom Harry protects from rival gangsters. The music is the best part of the production."