Larceny, Inc. (1942) Edward G. Robinson

Larceny, Inc. (1942)

"Larceny, Inc." is an American film. Originally released on May 2, 1942 by Warner Brothers, the film is a cross between the comedy and gangster genres. Directed by Lloyd Bacon, it stars Edward G. Robinson, Jane Wyman, Broderick Crawford, Jack Carson, Anthony Quinn, and Edward Brophy.

STORYLINE

Suave convict J. Chalmers "Pressure" Maxwell decides to go straight. Just before he is released from prison along with his none-too-bright accomplice Jug Martin, he rejects a proposal by fellow inmate Leo Dexter to rob a bank.

Maxwell hopes to purchase a dog racing track in Florida and become a legitimate businessman with his adopted daughter, Denny Costello. However, he lacks the funds necessary. When his loan request is rejected by the bank (the same one Leo planned to break into), he decides to rob the place. Noticing a luggage shop next door, he buys the store from Homer Bigelow. He has Jug and their friend Weepy Davis start digging a tunnel in the basement.

Meanwhile, slick salesman Jeff Randolph convinces Weepy to order several dozen pieces of luggage to stock the store. Soon afterward, Jeff falls in love with Denny. When Denny finds out about Pressure's scheme, she gets Jeff to come up with various advertising gimmicks that bring in a flood of customers, forcing a stop to the noisy digging and showing the crooks that legitimate sales can be profitable.

The store flourishes, and the bank next door offers to purchase it from them, to expand their space. Pressure is ready to accept the offer, but when Leo learns that Pressure has stolen his idea, he breaks out of jail to take over. Due to the success of the luggage business, Pressure has long since abandoned the robbery plan, but Leo forces them to go through with it.

Leo plans on breaking into the vault on Christmas Eve with dynamite. Complicating matters, Homer Bigelow reappears, nostalgic for his store. He gets knocked out, but manages to press down the burglar alarm. Leo panics and reaches for his gun, but Pressure intervenes, before being knocked unconscious as well. Leo tries to escape, only to be caught by the police. The store erupts in flames, but Pressure revives and manages to drag Harry Bigelow outside, becoming a hero.

Denny accepts Jeff's marriage proposal. Pressure makes plans to build a new store, the first in a chain.



Synopsis

While in prison, convict J. Chalmers "Pressure" Maxwell turns down a proposal by fellow convict Leo Dexter to rob a bank after their release. Pressure intends to go straight and move to Florida to run a dog racing track together with his adopted daughter, Denny Costello, and old friends Weepy Davis and Jug Martin. After he is released from prison, however, Pressure learns that they will need $25,000 to go into business. Pressure tries to borrow the money from the bank, but as he has no collateral, the loan is refused. The frustrated Pressure then decides to rob the bank. With Jug's help, Pressure stages an automobile accident to raise the money to buy a failing luggage store next to the bank. The group only intends to use the store as a front while they tunnel through the basement into the bank vault, but Weepy succumbs to salesman Jeff Randolph's pitch and purchases a huge order of luggage. Denny, who is unaware of the robbery plan, is in the store when the luggage arrives and she persuades Pressure to keep it. Determined to help Pressure succeed, Denny and Jeff then concoct a series of promotional schemes which keep the store filled with customers as well as inhibit Jug's noisy tunneling activities. Meanwhile, the local merchants beg Pressure to ask the city to fix their torn-up street, which is keeping customers away. Pressure's half-hearted request so confuses the official in charge that the street is fixed almost immediately and business booms. Then bank officers, wishing to expand the bank's quarters, offer to buy the store. Denny encourages Pressure to sell, but before he can, Leo breaks out of prison and, having learned of Pressure's plans, tries to muscle in on the robbery. By this time, Pressure has become so successful in the luggage business that he has dropped his plans for the robbery, but Leo insists that they dynamite the wall between the bank and the store anyway. Pressure tries to delay the explosion until he can resell the store to Homer Bigelow, its former owner. On Christmas Eve, the night set for the explosion, Homer, Pressure and Leo are all in the store. Leo knocks Homer unconscious, but he manages to push the burglar alarm before he collapses. When Pressure stops Leo from shooting Homer, Leo also knocks him unconscious and runs out of the store, where the police are waiting for him. The store catches fire and Pressure saves Homer from the flames. Now a hero, Pressure makes plans for a new, larger luggage store, and Denny accepts Jeff's marriage proposal.

Cast & Crew
Lloyd Bacon Director
Edward G. Robinson as [J. Chalmers] "Pressure" Maxwell
Jane Wyman as Denny Costello
Broderick Crawford as Jug Martin
Jack Carson as Jeff Randolph
Anthony Quinn as Leo Dexter
Edward Brophy as Weepy Davis
Harry Davenport as Homer Bigelow
John Qualen as Sam Bachrach
Barbara Jo Allen as Mademoiselle Gloria
Grant Mitchell as Mr. Aspinwall
Jackie C. Gleason as Hobart

Release Date 2 May 1942
Production Dates late Oct--late Dec 1941
Duration (in mins) 94-95
Premiere Information New York opening: 24 Apr 1942


Original NY Times Movie Review Published: April 25, 1942
Larceny, Inc. (1942)
THE SCREEN; Edward G. Robinson Resumes Flashy Underworld Career in Warner Farce Film 'Larceny, Inc.,' Now Showing at Stand
By BOSLEY CROWTHER
Published: April 25, 1942

You can't say that Edward G. Robinson doesn't try hard enough to go straight. In his last three or four motion pictures, he has played more or less "legitimate" roles, and again in the Warners "Larceny, Inc.," which came yesterday to the Strand, he does everything within reason to stay honest and keep his nose clean. But how, without stooping a little, is a bird just out of Sing Sing to raise some scratch? And who can expect the Warners to keep Mr. Robinson forever straight? "Larceny, Inc." finds him again on the shady side of the street And, considering the fact that the traffic is very hectic and amusing over there, it is a passing pleasure to see him back with the mob.

As "Pressure" Maxwell, Mr. Robinson is a neat hand at blowing safes and such. But when he dresses up as J. Chalmers Maxwell, he is definitely in the gilt-edge and blue-chip class. However, J. Chalmers's credit is very low after a stretch "away at camp," so "Pressure" has to take over briefly to catch his alter ego some coin. The situation calls for strategy; there is a bank with a vault full of gold. But "Pressure" is against "that Jesse James stuff; so the job must be done with finesse. Thus "Pressure" and his boysΓΓé¼ΓÇ¥played very amusingly by Broderick Crawford and Edward BrophyΓΓé¼ΓÇ¥purchase a little luggage shop directly next door to the bank and start an excavation in the basement with a definite aim in view.

That is the point of departure. And the remainder of the film is concerned with the farcical complications which constantly interrupt the digging job. There are very solicitous neighbors, a luggage salesman keeps popping in (the lug!), the boys acquire a taste for merchandising and finally a rival bank robber shows up. Needless to say, the conclusion is marked by a definite lift.

"Larceny, Inc." is taken from the play, "The Night Before Christmas," and, unfortunately, some of the faults of the original are still apparent in it. It is somewhat forced, somewhat obvious and there are repetitious stretches here and there. Also the dialogue is not quite as brisk and clever as such farce dialogue should be. But the characters are whimsically assorted and generally well played by such old hands as Mr. Crawford, Mr. Brophy, Jack Carson, Jane Wyman, John Qualen and others on down the line. And Mr. Robinson, as usual, is a beautifully hard-boiled yegg. The principal joy is to watch him. His "Pressure" cooks with gas.

LARCENY, INC.; screen play by Everett Freeman and Edwin Gilbert; based on the play, "The Night Before Christmas," by Laura and S. J. Perelman; directed by Lloyd Bacon for Warner Brothers. At the Strand.
"Pressure" Maxwell . . . . . Edward G. Robinson
Denny Costello . . . . . Jane Wyman
Jug Martin . . . . . Broderick Crawford
Jeff Randolph . . . . . Jack Carson
Leo Dexter . . . . . Anthony Quinn
Weepy Davis . . . . . Edward Brophy
Homer Bigelow . . . . . Harry Davenport
Sam Bachrach . . . . . John Qualen
Mademoiselle Gloria . . . . . Barbara Jo Allen
Mr. Aspinwall . . . . . Grant Mitchell
Hobart . . . . . Jackie Gleason
Oscar Engelhart . . . . . Andrew Tombes
Smitty . . . . . Joseph Downing
Anton Copoulos . . . . . Fortunio Bonanova
Warden . . . . . Joseph Crehan
Florence . . . . . Jean Ames






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