Hold Your Man

Director: Sam Wood

Overview

There's nothing wrong with Hold Your Man that a little editing wouldn't cure. Clark Gable plays a raffish young petty crook who hides out in hard-boiled Jean Harlow's apartment after he pulls off a robbery. Harlow enjoys Gable's company, and soon the two are living together. Gable puts his criminal career on hold for a while, but when Harlow, jealous of her boy friend's womanizing, fabricates a romance with "wealthy" laundry owner Paul Hurst, Gable decides to knock over Hurst's establishment. Hurst is accidentally killed, whereupon Gable runs off to parts unknown, leaving Harlow to take the rap. While in prison, Harlow discovers she's pregnant with Gable's baby. The conscience-stricken Gable tries to fix things by sneaking into prison and hastily marrying Harlow. By coming out of hiding, Gable allows himself to be arrested, but Harlow promises to wait for him. Hold Your Man starts out as an acerbic "sez you" comedy-drama, then bogs down into a big pile of sentimental goo (a common problem with MGM films of the early 1930). Still, the first few reels are infinitely entertaining, thanks to the chemistry between Clark Gable and Jean Harlow.

Product Details

Release Date:	10/16/2012
UPC:	0883316649657
Original Release:	1933
Source:	Warner Archives
Region Code:	A
Sound:	[monaural]
Language:	English
Time:	1:27:00
Sales rank:	35,887

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Jean Harlow	Ruby
Clark Gable	Eddie
Dorothy Burgess	Gypsy
Muriel Kirkland	Bertha
Stuart Erwin	Al Simpson
Garry Owen	Slim
Barbara Barondess	Sadie Kline
Paul Hurst	Mitchell
Elizabeth Patterson	Miss Tuttle
Theresa Harris	Lily Mae Crippen
Inez Courtney	Maizie
Blanche Frederici	Mrs. Wagner
George Reed	Rev. Crippen,Rev. Crippen
Helen Freeman	Miss Davis
Ruby Adams	Jean Harlow
Guy Kibbee	Actor
Louise Beavers	Maid
Jack Cheatham	Cop
Frank Hagney	Cop,Cop
Jack Randall	Dance Extra
G. Pat Collins	Phil Dunn
Harry Semels	Neighbor
Addison Randall	Dance Extra
Nora Cecil	Miss Campbell
Eva McKenzie	Cooking Teacher

Technical Credits

Sam Wood

Producer

Editorial Reviews

The first two-thirds of Hold Your Man is a snappy romantic comedy with a bit of an edge, and it's a shame that the powers that be at MGM couldn't have left good enough alone. Unfortunately, though this was made before the Production Code really had power, MGM decided to police itself and so the final third of the film becomes moralistic. There's nothing necessarily wrong with telling a moral story, but the filmmakers have to believe in it, and that's clearly not the case here. As a result, Man comes across rather schizoid, and the final third not only lacks punch and power, it dilutes the effectiveness of what came before it. Script problems -- and the by-the-numbers direction of Sam Wood -- aside, Man is an entertaining way to spend the time, primarily because of the unbeatable chemistry between stars Jean Harlow and Clark Gable. The two were a marvelous team, creating that indefinable "something" that is pure gold. Just watch the way her eyes will linger over him a fraction of a second too long, or his body language when the two are in the middle of sparring with each other. They're both good actors, but what they create is something that's beyond drama and technique.