The Runaway Bride (1930)* 1/2 (out of 4) Early talkie has Mary Gray (Mary Astor) eloping with Richard Mercer (David Newell) but as the two are looking over their new apartment she realizes that she's made a horrible mistake. Richard locks her up in the apartment and leaves her when later a detective comes pounding on the door. He finally gets in and for some reason at the same time a criminal climbs into the window and kills him. Fearing what to do, Mary gives the maid some cash in exchange for an employment card where Mary goes to hide as a cook for a rich man (Lloyd Hughes) but soon gangsters come after her.THE RUNAWAY BRIDE is a really, really awful movie that is so incredibly bad that you can't help but be caught up in how bad it is. If you're a fan of these early talkies then you already know that more times than not the director and cast members were more concerned about the voices getting recorded than anything else. That's certainly the case here because there's absolutely no style to mention and it's clear that director Donald Crisp was just filming scenes without putting too much logical sense into them. As you can tell from my plot description, the story is about as stupid as you can get and I only revealed half of it! The first ten minutes of this movie are downright insane as one illogical thing after another happens. For starters, why does Mary lie to the detective when he comes to the door? Why does she really need to run? What did she see in this guy to begin with? Why are the gangsters so stupid? There are so many logical issues with this movie that you can't help but think they weren't working off of a screenplay and if this was from an actual screenplay, you've gotta wonder what powder was going around RKO at the time. The story is so insane that it actually keeps you glued to the screen just so you can see how much worse it gets.Astor, as you'd expect, is good in her role but you somewhat see her struggling to make anything out of the character because she has nothing to work with. Hughes is good in his role as is Paul Hurst as the cop trying to figure everything out. Sadly, the actors just can't overcome this horrid screenplay and in the end THE RUNAWAY BRIDE really is one of the worst films from this period.

When Mary Astor flunked her talkie test (hard to believe but true) Fox, who had been paying her a top salary, didn't want to know her anymore. After a lean time being rejected for jobs she was picked up by Pathe/Radio where she was reunited with Lloyd Hughes for the distinctly underwhelming "The Runaway Bride". 1930 was a strange year for talkies with most of the studios (especially small ones like Pathe) still fine tuning and finding their way. For example a film from Tiffany - "Extravagance" (also with Lloyd Hughes) to me seemed to be a lot more "filmic" and interesting than this one. It just didn't seem to know what it wanted to be. The credits began with the jaunty song "Lovable and Sweet" so you thought - romantic comedy!! Even the initial scenes of Mary and Dick (Mary Astor and David Newell, an actor who got lost in the early thirties shuffle) driving off to marriage and happiness. But by the time they reach the motel Mary realises what a sap she has been - Dick is a spoiled rich kid who won't work and whose idea of economizing is ordering 8 suits instead of 12!! He then becomes a caveman and when she won't go through with the marriage, locks her in the apartment. Meanwhile the previous tenant, a jewel robber, has just pulled a job and breaks into his old apartment where a gunfight ensues. There are snatches of action but like all early talkies when people engage in conversation the action stops and everyone stands around hoping the hidden mike will pick up their conversation.The reason to keep watching is Natalie Moorehead. Mary Astor is completely first class but Moorehead just grabs your attention. Initially she plays a typical maid (in these pre-coders) whose IQ would be stretched if it went to double digits. She informs Mary of a job she has just secured as cook to a wealthy businessman, Mr. Blaine (Lloyd Hughes) and Mary gives her $300 to change identities. She wants to escape her husband-to-be and also the robbers and the police, who think she is mixed up in it. When Moorehead reappears it is in another guise completely. She is now a hard talking gun moll (that's more like the Natalie I know) who is after the pearls she thinks Mary has - of course she is planning to double cross everyone!!!Suddenly everyone turns up at Blaine's house for a showdown, Mary is kidnapped and Blaine is shot in the arm as he attempts to rescue Mary from the gang's clutches, who also have their hideout at the back of a local hospital. Dick just fades out of the movie.Mary Astor was clearly an asset to any movie, no matter how dire, and talkies revealed she had a beautiful clear voice. Her next movie was class all the way - she played Ann Harding's materialistic sister in "Holiday".

Wealthy young Mary Astor (as Mary Gray) and tall playboy David Newell (as Richard "Dick" Mercer, Jr.) leave New York for Atlantic City, intending to elope. But, when Mr. Newell says he'd rather travel than work, Ms. Astor gets cold feet. Newell locks her in their hotel room, hoping a scandal about the couple running off and not marrying will make Astor change her mind. But, Astor prefers likewise attractive Lloyd Hughes (as George Edward Blaine), who is not only more responsible, but also rich.While Astor is locked in her hotel room, a jewel thief enters through the window and secretly stashes some pearls in her handbag. The thief dies in a shoot-out, while Astor screams. Then, lead thug Francis McDonald (as Barney Black) arrives, looking for the jewels, which are secretly stolen by moll and maid Natalie Moorhead (as Clara Muldoon). Local lawman Paul Hurst (as Daly) investigates. Astor is wanted by the police, then kidnapped and molested by thugs. Mr. Hughes must save her in time… This thick-plotted "talkie" was directed by actor Donald Crisp, who did some impressive work with D.W. Griffith, Douglas Fairbanks, and Buster Keaton. Though a success directing silent films, Mr. Crisp decided to concentrate solely on acting, after turning in one all-talking film. This turned out remarkably well, in the long run. "The Runaway Bride" does have some good locations, featuring 1920s automobiles - those old tires wore out quickly. Astor has a fun rapport with Hughes and Newell.***** The Runaway Bride (5/4/30) Donald Crisp ~ Mary Astor, Lloyd Hughes, David Newell, Paul Hurst

Old films are always worth watching, if you want to be a student of films. It has a young Mary Astor, very beautiful indeed. Donald Crisp is the director. He was a much better actor. The performances are very wooden and stiff which is typical for early talkies. They were still learning how to say dialog. The emotions are overdone physically, because most of the actors came from the silent era where facial expressions and gestures had to replace dialog. Watch Mary Astor in one of her later silents and watch her early talkies. But watching these old films gives us a window into the past that we cannot get any other way.