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The Crowd Roars

Play trailer Poster for The Crowd Roars 1932 1h 25m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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83% Tomatometer 6 Reviews 48% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
Convinced that car racing will ruin his family, race driver Joe Greer (James Cagney) struggles to turn his younger brother, Eddie (Eric Linden), from the sport. When Eddie proves to be a good driver, Joe reluctantly takes him on the road but shelters him from his mistress, Lee (Ann Dvorak). Her friend Anne (Joan Blondell) falls for Eddie, causing the brothers to quarrel and part. Distressed, Joe drunkenly causes a mishap on the track and falls into despair, until Lee comes to his rescue.

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The Crowd Roars

Critics Reviews

View All (6) Critics Reviews
Variety Staff Variety It's exciting melodrama with plenty of ring action, some plausible romance and several corking good characterizations. Feb 23, 2012 Full Review David Nusair Reel Film Reviews ...a comfortably familiar premise that's employed to mostly watchable (if rather forgettable) effect by Hawks. Rated: 2.5/4 Dec 1, 2020 Full Review Ann Ross Maclean's Magazine It's all very expertly and knowingly handled. Jul 22, 2019 Full Review John Beifuss Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) Some directors knew just what to do with sound even in the early years of the 'talkies.' Howard Hawks' 'The Crowd Roars' -- the very title promises a boisterous soundtrack -- opens with the rumble of race cars and closes with the wail of ambulance sirens. Rated: 3.5/4 Sep 25, 2012 Full Review Michael E. Grost Classic Film and Television Vivid melodrama about race car drivers and their romances. Jul 7, 2010 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews Crosses the finish line as nothing more than routine. Rated: C+ Jan 23, 2008 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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David K Almost anything Cagney did is worth the time. But, this one is a little too heavy on the melodrama. And, trust me, no one just cedes their issues with family members after a brief bout of introspection. But, it's absolutely worth watching for the terrific early racing footage. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 05/16/23 Full Review Audience Member Fans of auto racing should like this one. There is lots of footage of old racing showing various crash scenes, drivers careening around tracks in cars without roofs (going through clouds of dirt!), and occasional fires on the track. Billy Arnold, Fred Frame, and many other real race drivers appear in the film, and there are scenes from Indianapolis, which had been racing the 500 since 1911. There is also a love story, though this is a Cagney-Blondell film in which the two are adversaries. Cagney is a race car driver who doesn't want to marry his girlfriend with benefits (Ann Dvorak), Blondell's friend, taking her for granted. He has a younger brother (Eric Linden) who also wants to race cars, and he hypocritically wants to protect him from booze and "loose women" like Dvorak and Blondell. Things get complicated when his brother falls for Blondell, and tragic when he causes the death of a fellow driver. This is not great cinema or anything, but it does have Cagney/Blondell, and an interesting story line, and it's unique with all of the vintage auto racing. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/13/23 Full Review Audience Member The only the remarkable about this film is it shows the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the 1930's. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/03/23 Full Review Audience Member another example of the great depression era stuff cranked out by Warners & directed by Hawks so it has plenty of action. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/25/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Crowd Roars

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The Crowd Roars

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Movie Info

Synopsis Convinced that car racing will ruin his family, race driver Joe Greer (James Cagney) struggles to turn his younger brother, Eddie (Eric Linden), from the sport. When Eddie proves to be a good driver, Joe reluctantly takes him on the road but shelters him from his mistress, Lee (Ann Dvorak). Her friend Anne (Joan Blondell) falls for Eddie, causing the brothers to quarrel and part. Distressed, Joe drunkenly causes a mishap on the track and falls into despair, until Lee comes to his rescue.
Director
Howard Hawks
Production Co
Warner Brothers/Seven Arts
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 6, 2016
Runtime
1h 25m
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