THE MARINES ARE COMING – William Haines, Esther Ralston
The Marines Are Coming (1934)
Direction: David Howard
Screenplay: James Gruen; from Colbert Clark and John Rathmell’s story
Cast: William Haines, Esther Ralston, Conrad Nagel, Armida, Edgar Kennedy, Hale Hamilton
The Marines Are Coming was a last-minute substitution for the 1936 version of M’Liss, starring Anne Shirley, which was originally scheduled but didn’t arrive in time for Cinesation 2009.
William Haines‘ last film, The Marines Are Coming follows Haines’ usual formula: a cocky, womanizing soldier (Haines) vies with his superior officer (Conrad Nagel) for the hand of beautiful girl (Esther Ralston). Inevitably, Haines’ character later proves his worth when he saves his fellow American officers from a band of Mexican bandits.
Though hardly a good film, The Marines Are Coming isn’t bad either. Many former silent-film stars ended their careers with much worse. And it’s nice that Haines (right) left films more or less happily and found an entirely new and equally successful career as an interior decorator.
Reviewed at Cinesation 2009
© James Bazen
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Tags: Cinesation 2009, Classic Movies, Conrad Nagel, David Howard, Esther Ralston, Film Reviews, James Gruen, The Marines Are Coming, William Haines
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