Heroes for Sale

It's surprising how many things can be told in just 75 minutes, and even doing it shortly, it doesn't do it lightly. It talks about a lot of things and protecting and attacking one extreme and the other, there's no side unharmed. It maybe doesn't have a great character development (not a bad one, but not great) or an extended and detailed exposition touching every aspect of the problem (for example, drugs), but we have plenty of movies that do that, and so few that do what Heroes for Sale does.

This film is all over the place, starts as a war movie and goes through drama, romance, and comedy before turning into a political and social commentary. It could easily have taken a wrong turn and yet, despite a few missteps, it somehow all fits together surprisingly well to become a captivating and insightful film. Barthelmess certainly deserves a lot of credit for that, with a very strong performance.

Star Rating: ★★★★

The protagonist suffers injustice time and again yet still holds to his noble spirit. It's amazing how Wellman can tell an epic story in an hour and sixteen minutes. It's a little strong in its moralization, but it's still a delightful film.

"I also think that film is kind of a generational tale." http://illusionpodcast.blogspot.com/2015/01/episode-44-william-wellman-1929-1933.html

There's much to like about a film that compresses a content-rich and meaningful story into such a short running-time. Barthelmess plays his part pretty well, but otherwise the characters and their interactions are not particularly nuanced.

In a time characterised by rampant poverty and unemployment, Wellman directs a film inviting sympathy upon the destitute by suggesting that a man's inherent goodness can be what leads him to such a fate. Barthelmess' down-and-out war hero, even after a lifetime fraught with cruel injustices, exhibits an inspiring selflessness throughout which convincingly administers this positive message.

A great surprise! Richard Barthelmess movies can be very hit and miss, but this is on of his hits. One thing about this movie is that it tries to cover too much ground in a short 72 minute movie, but this sure keeps on moving from one life-changing moment to another. Barthelmess is the corner-stone who goes through war, drugs, riots while keeping most of his dignity in the eyes of the viewer. Wellman made a very good movie which might have become a more known classic had it been a bit longer.