Two Seconds

Two Seconds is a 1932 American Pre-Code crime drama film directed by Mervyn LeRoy and starring Edward G. Robinson, Vivienne Osborne and Preston Foster. It was based on a successful Broadway play of the same name by Elliott Lester. The title refers to the two seconds it takes the condemned person to die in the electric chair after the executioner throws the switch. Preston Foster reprises the role he played on the Broadway stage.^[1]

Plot

Tony (J. Carrol Naish) and John (Edward G. Robinson) in Two Seconds

As John Allen (Edward G. Robinson), a condemned murderer, is led to the electric chair, a witness asks the prison warden how long it takes for the condemned person to die. "A strongly built man like John Allen?" he is told, "It'll take two seconds". The witness remarks, "That'll be the longest two seconds of his life." As the executioner throws the switch, the events that led up to the execution appear in flashback.

Allen works with his friend and flatmate Bud Clark (Preston Foster), as a riveter, high up on the girders of a skyscraper under construction, getting paid $62.50 a week—"more than a college professor". Bud is engaged to be married, and tries to set up a date for Allen that night, but Allen expresses some disinterest, as Bud keeps setting John Allen up with "firewagons", his term for fat girls. Bud and John go out on the town after Bud winning $38 on the horses. John sees that the girl that Bud has brought along for him to double date is another "firewagon" (June Gittelson), so he splits off on his own, going to a Taxi dance hall nearby, where he meets dancer Shirley Day (Vivienne Osborne). After dancing and talking to Shirley for some time, he indicates that they should talk some more. "Can't. Gotta have a ticket". "Well OK", Allen dozily says. "Get a handful so we can dance a lot together". In the five minutes Allen is away buying tickets, Shirley has gone off with another customer. That customer gropes her, and Shirley Day causes a scene, shouting at the customer. "He paid a dime and he thinks that entitles him to privileges". John Allen Wades in, punching the customer to the floor. Tony, the dance hall owner (J. Carrol Naish), tells them both to get out, firing Shirley Day. Allen then takes Shirley for a milk shake.

Allen had earlier said to Tony that he wanted a woman with an education, aspirations: "Ain't no use both of us being dumb". She feigns respectability, telling him that she only works in the dance hall to support her sick parents, who live on a farm in Idaho and that she is educated ("got a year of high school"). Shirley pretends to be interested in attending a lecture with him. Later, Bud is remonstrating with John about him having hooked up with "a dance hall dame". "How much money has she had off you" Bud asks. "not a red cent. "We're going to a lecture", John said "if a dame tells a guy she's going to a lecture that means one thing, she's got designs on him". John indicates that he doesn't want to fall out with Bud, trying to get him to like Shirley "She knows things". Bud: "That dame don't need to go to school, she knows everything". As John leaves, Bud says more cheerily, "Come home sober, bring me a lollipop". Instead of taking John to "a lecture", Shirley takes him to a speakeasy where she gets him drunk on "tea", bootleg gin served in teapots to disguise its true nature. When John Allen protests, she says stupidly that they can go to the matinee (second performance) of the lecture. John Allen is drunk before the first floor show, drunk, bored and belligerent. He says that Shirley herself shouldn't drink too much. She intones "I must, because of my problems". "What problems", John Allen responds. Shirley starts crying: "Don't do that" John says, "not when I'm drunk, I hate that". He then brightens up a bit smiling with realisation "I'm drunk". Liquor was illegal and managing to get "blind drunk" (sometimes literally, the substances being ethanol, not alcohol) was something of an achievement to them. Shirley Day throws herself at him, cheering him up greatly. "You know I like that" he says, happily. Shirley responds, "Would you like more?".

Shirley drags John to a justice of the peace (Otto Hoffman), who intones that he is too drunk. Shirley bribes the justice with $10, and indicates that she already has a ring, which she has had for some weeks. When they return to Allen's apartment, Shirley has a blazing argument with Bud. Bud "You dirty little ape, did you rope him in? Didn't take you long to find out he can't hold his liquor". "We're married", Shirley says, "right pure and simple, and there's nothing that you or anyone else can do about it (showing him the ring). Shirley throws Bud out. As Bud is leaving, Shirley is getting undressed to consumate the marriage somehow, to a drunk John Allen. Bud says viciously, referring to the comatose John, "I sad bring me back a lollipop, you did and a red one at that". He flicks a lit cigarette at Shirley's naked back.

Three weeks later, Bud and John are doing their job riveting, 28 stories up. John and Bud argue about Shirley. Bud berates John Allen for being taken in by a liar: "She told you that her parents were living on a farm in I-dee-ho, and all the time they're living in a booze joint on Tenth Avenue". John admits that Shirley has had much of his money for clothes "which she needed". Bud calls Shirley a tramp. John: "Don't talk that way about my wife!" and motions to hit Bud with a spanner. Bud falls to his death, shown spinning, screaming as John Allen sobs and the site alarm hooter sounds. The grief-stricken Allen then quits his job, but is demoralized by living off Shirley. Shirley has changed from the bookish nice girl into spiteful, controlling vamp. She puts John Allen down, saying "what have you got to live for?" and mocks his nervous condition. Allen responds: "Were you ever 30 stories up with a six-inch girder between you and hell?". Shirley asks him if he's got any insurance. A kindly doctor (Harry Beresford) is called and gives him a tonic. John Allen says that it's his nerves. The doctor says that John Allen's problem is mental.

Shirley is putting a new dress on, new stockings and going out. "Where did you get those things?" John Allen asks. "Tony", Shirley says belligerently. "There, how do I look", she says to John. "Like what you are." John Allen says. John says that she can't go out looking that way, as his wife. Shirley indicates that she has credibility now, "with the other girls", as she's married. Lizzie, the cleaning lady (Dorothea Wolbert) tells Shirley that the landlady is after them for the rent. John Allen indicates that they must put this off, pay her later. Lizzie indicates that they'll get thrown out "her brothers a cop you know". Shirley tells John that she has money for the rent as an "advance" from Tony. She tells John that she is trying to get Buds ex-girlfriend Annie, who she met at Buds funeral, a job at the dance hall. Allen: "Not Annie!. Annie was Buds 'steady company' (girlfriend). You can't make a tramp out of Annie!". Shirley throws a dollar at John Allen as she leaves. "Here's a BUCK, in case you need anything".

Allen has been betting on horses using techniques of multiple bets ("polys") used by Tony. The horseracing bookmaker (Guy Kibbee) arrives at John Allens apartment. John Allen "What do you want?" Bookie "You've won". Allen "How much" Bookie: "$388". John Allen (brightening up momentarily) "$388?" Bookie: "niftiest little poly I ever saw". Bookie:"With that kind of money you can clear a lot of debt" John Allen "I'll clear them ALL off, that's what Bud would have wanted me to do" Bookie: "Don't talk like that". A deranged John Allen insists that he only wants $172 of the winnings. He nervously counts out what Shirley got from Tony, and enough for a gun. Allen then strides off to Tony's dance hall, where he finds Shirley in Tony's arms". Tony: "What is this?, are you trying to play the spurned husband gag on me?". John thrusts $162 into the hands of Tony, who doesn't want it, then turns to Shirley: "You. You made a Rat out of me. Bud was right, you were born rotten and now you're trying to make other girls as rotten as you are". "Born crooked" was how Tony had described Shirley, when arguing with Allen, just before falling to his death. Shirley turns to Tony in panic: "Tony he's going to kill me!". Johns sweaty deranged face is shown in closeup: "Yeah i'm going to kill you. If I don't you're going to go on like this, from Tony to another man, always making yourself cheaper and dirtier". He fires several bullets into Shirley Day as Tony runs out of the room screaming.

At his trial, Allen refuses to defend himself, saying he should have been "burned" (electrocuted) when he was at his lowest, a "rat", living off Shirley Day, not after he had paid off his debts. He explains his position in a powerful, deranged, illogically reasoned speech. Allen: "It isn't fair to let a rat live and kill a man!". The judge informs Allen that he could have used a defence of insanity, but chose not to, and that he would have been lenient if he had. John Allen is sentenced to death.

Cast

• Edward G. Robinson as John Allen
• Vivienne Osborne as Shirley Day
• Guy Kibbee as Bookie
• Preston Foster as Bud Clark
• J. Carrol Naish as Tony
• Frederick Burton as Judge
• Harry Beresford as Doctor
• Dorothea Wolbert as Lizzie, Cleaning Lady
• Berton Churchill as The Warden
• William Janney as College Boy At Execution
• Edward McWade as The Prison Doctor

Production

Mervyn LeRoy said in the 70s, when talking about the film, that at the time his production team were "highly organised". LeRoy made five films in 1932. The sound clarity is because of Vitaphone sound on disk technology.

Reception

Although he called it "a sordid and melancholy study" that was "glum and gruesome" and "minus any comedy relief", New York Times critic Mordaunt Hall also found a lot to like in Two Seconds. "Edward G. Robinson contributes a remarkably forceful portrayal," he wrote, adding that the film was "adroitly done [and] compels attention." He called LeRoy's direction "imaginative and lifelike" and praised the supporting cast: "Preston Foster plays Bud Clark, a rôle he also interpreted on the stage. His acting is capital. Vivienne Osborne is very real as the conscienceless Shirley. J. Carroll Naish makes the most of the part of Tony." In summary, he writes: "In spite of its drab tale, it calls forth admiration, for it never falters."^[2]

Variety's 1932 review was less enamored: "General slowness and stodgy overdramatics won't draw the flaps, nor will a tragic finale help."^[3] In later years, prolific critic Leslie Halliwell tersely called Two Seconds a "competent, pacy crime melodrama".^[4]

The film has been called an early (or first) example of film noir.

Cultural references

When a girl says to Preston Foster "who's the smiling lieutenant over there", in reference to a sour-faced John Allen (Robinson), she's making a reference to the 1931 Ernst Lubitsch film The Smiling Lieutenant

"She ain't no Peggy Joyce" Bud Clarke to John Allen (referring to a date he's setting John Allen with ('works in a laundrette')) Later: "There I was trying to get you Peggy Joyce & you go and get yourself hog tied to a dance hall dame" (Bud Clarke)

Peggy Hopkins Joyce (May 26, 1893 – June 12, 1957) was an American actress, artist model and dancer. In addition to her performing career, Joyce was known for her numerous engagements, six marriages to wealthy men, subsequent divorces, scandalous affairs, her collection of diamonds and furs and her generally lavish lifestyle.

There's a reference to Cagney (The Public Enemy, 1931) and grapefruit - Bud (Preston Foster) to girl in the street "why don't you let me sit across from ya, and squirt grapefruit juice in your eye, like they do in the movies". That refers to the notorious scene in The Public Enemy, in which James Cagney vicously squeezes a grapefruit into the face of Mae Clarke at breakfast.

"Hey big boy you sure a swell little hoofer" is the first thing Shirley Day says to John Allen when they start dancing (she as the paid taxi dancer). That is a reference to the 1930 popular song "Ten cents a dance", about taxi dancers; which was the subject of a subsequent film Ten Cents a Dance (1931 film). Lyrics: "Sometime I think I've found my hero, but it's a queer romance. All that you need is a ticket. Come on, big boy, ten cents a dance.". "Hoofer" means "dancer".

"The old army game". Bud (Preston Foster), when Shirley Day brings John Allen back drunk, after having dragged him off to get married (she slipped the priest $10 because he was too drunk to stand) - Bud Foster to Shirley Day: "I'm not going to let you pull the old army game on him" Shirley: "I'm not trying to pull the army game on him. I'm married to him, right square and simple! (she shows Bud the ring) and there's nothing you, he or anyone can do about it!". The "army game" is the simplest con-trick, the "shell game", which, if you didn't know what it was, you would be easily taken in by. WC Fields refers to it when observing a shell (cup and ball) game going on, in the 1926 Silent It's the old army game. "That's the old army game" he says sagely. It would have been common in the army (WW1. The game is still commonly operated, with minimal equipment in high traffic tourist areas.

The Manhattan Municipal Building, which still exists. In the scenes of Bud and John riveting girders and their argument, it's the building shown prominently, centrally in the cityscape. The city marriage bureau was in that building. Bud makes a reference to it when arguing with Shirley Day. Johns demise results from his marriage to Shirley Day, who gets him drunk and drags him there. Johns argument with Bud about it, results in Bud falling his death.

A speakeasy, also called a blind pig or blind tiger, is an establishment that illegally sells alcoholic beverages. Such establishments came into prominence in the United States during the Prohibition era of 1920 to 1933. During that time, the sale, manufacture, and transportation (bootlegging) of alcoholic beverages was illegal throughout the United States.

When John Allen understands the true nature of Shirley Day, he says "I should throw you out". Shirley Day responds mockingly "Then the goose would stop laying the golden egg", as she was the only one bringing money into the house. That is a reference to one of Aesops fables The goose that laid the golden eggs, an idiom used of an unprofitable action motivated by greed.

Latonia Race Track, Kentucky. When the bookmaker (Guy Kibbee) meets Bud and John outside Tonys dance hall, to pay out Tonys winnings of $38, bookie tells tries to get Tony to bet again: "How about something on the nose at Latonia tomorrow". Latonia, once regarded as among the United States' top sites for racing was closed in 1939, during the great depression.

Reference to Astor Hotel. Bud in talking to the two girls "Got anything special on tonight?" "Yeah, we were just about to get a bite to eat at the Astor" (sarcastically) ..... Bud: "Don't try to pull no astor stunts on me (that sarcasm) I don't come from the Bronx (poor area). Coupla drinks, the speak (speakeasy), a dance & maybe a movie." Bud is telling them he has money to spend. Hotel Astor was a prestige hotel located in the Times Square area of Manhattan, in operation from 1904 through 1967. Featured a long list of elaborately themed ballrooms and exotic restaurants: the Old New York lobby, the American Indian Grill Room with artifacts collected with the help of the American Museum of Natural History, a Flemish smoking room, a Pompeiian billiard room, the Hunt Room decorated in sixteenth century German Renaissance style, and many other features.

"Owl dining car". Bud, when chatting up two girls in the street: "Got anything special on tonight?" Girl: "Yeah, we were just about to get a bite to eat at the Astor." Bud: "You got the Astor mixed up with the owl dining car aintcha?" Girl: "The owl aint so bad at that". What were termed "owl wagons" from 1888, became furnished, fixed, "night owl" branded diners; converted streetcars which proliferated in New York City when drinking alcohol was prohibited by the Volstead Act from 1920-1933.

When Shirley Day asks John Allen what he does for a living John Allen replies "Oh, I'm a riveter." "That's where you get those big muscles. How much do you earn?", she asks. "$62.54" (weekly) John responds. "You and Rockefeller!", Shirley enthuses. That is a reference to John D Rockefeller (1839-1937), who was the richest man in America at the time.

References

External links

• Two Seconds at the Internet Movie Database
• Two Seconds profile, allrovi.com; accessed October 17, 2014.