Okay, America! (1932) DVD-R

Starring Lew Ayres, Maureen O'Sullivan, Louis Calhern, Edward Arnold,
Walter Catlett
Directed by Tay Garnett

Print: black/white
Runtime: 78 min.
Genre: drama
Print Quality: B

As indicated by its "catchphrase" title, Okay America is one of several
early-1930s films based on the exploits of gossip columnist Walter
Winchell. The big surprise here is that the Winchell counterpart is played
not by W.W. look-alike Lee Tracy, as was usually the case, but by baby-
faced Lew Ayres. Caring little how many lives he's destroyed in his pursuit
of sensationalism, columnist Larry Wayne (Lew Ayres) is arguably the
most-hated man on Broadway — and in some circles, the most influential.
Wayne sticks his nose in everyone's business, including Caponelike
gangster Alsotto (Edward Arnold) and the grief-stricken family of a
kidnapped girl (Margaret Lindsay). Motivated by his lust for power and
publicity, Wayne offers to rescue the kidnap victim, and in so doing
absolves himself of his past misdeeds — but not soon enough to avoid
the terrible vengeance of the unforgiving Alssoto, whom he has double-
crossed along the way. Its downbeat ending intact, Okay America was
effectively remade as Risky Business in 1939.