Up the River (1930)
Grade: D
Synopsis: Two career inmates (Spencer Tracy and Warren Hymer) escape from prison to help a buddy (Humphrey Bogart).
Up the River is notable for several reasons: it marked the screen debut of stars Humphrey Bogart and Spencer Tracy, as well as their only collaboration, it was also Bogart’s only collaboration with director John Ford, and it was only Ford’s sixth talkie. Unfortunately, Up the River isn’t notable for being very good.
Littered with title cards and short cuts, this comedy falls victim to the awkward transition between silents and talkies. While Tracy and Bogart exude the charisma and stage presence that would serve them so well through their careers (and look fast for Ford-mainstay Ward Bond), the film itself lacks any significant story or character development and many of the scenes feel like padding. There are moments, here and there, when things click, but these are few and far between.
Further, whether it was a conscious decision of director John Ford, or a technical limitation of the times, Up the River is composed of extremely short shots. A character will enter, say a line, and the film will cut to a closer shot as he says another line, then another shot when he finishes. It’s very jarring. Compounding this is the relatively poor print quality, which features several dropped frames, which, in turn, serve to magnify the editing problem.
Bottom Line: Up the River is worth a look as a curiosity for Humphrey Bogart and John Ford fans, but nothing more.
