SINNER'S HOLIDAY.
James Cagney & Joan Blondell,
Evalynn Knapp, Grant Withers, Lucille La Verne.
Dir: John G Adolfi, 1930, Warner Bros.

SYNOPSIS:
Coming with a recommedation from Al Jolson, Warner Bros kept the stars of the Broadway play Penny Arcade when they filmed it. The story concerns a fairground romance and a devious brother's betrayal. I've never had the opportunity to see it.

"The role of my mother was played by an old gal, Lucille La Verne, a farm-woman type, she had forearms like Jim Jeffries and at one point in the film she was required to hit me. She didn't control it and the heel of her hand hit me on the jaw, belting me to a fare-thee-well. This was the first of a number of on-camera clouts I was to receive through the years, all to be filed under 'hazards of the trade'. There was a great vogue then for pictures with 'Holiday' in the title and Sinner's Holiday was a part of that trend. That title had as much to do with the picture as Winnie the Pooh."
- Jimmy Cagney.

REVIEWS:
"Early talkie quickie using Broadway talent and introducing Cagney to the screen. It still has vigour if nothing else."
- Leslie Halliwell.