Big Business Girl

Big Business Girl is a pre-Code Warner Bros. film directed by William A. Seiter, released in 1931. The movie features a star-studded lineup with trailblazers like Loretta Young, Frank Albertson, and Ricardo Cortez. It presents a captivating narrative, delving into romance, ambition, and the many impositions of societal norms hence providing an intriguing mix of drama and comedy.

The story revolves around the life of a young and ambitious woman, Claire 'Mac' McIntyre, played by the dazzling Lorette Young, a renowned actress known for her vivacious charm and acting prowess. An aspiring businesswoman, Mac breaks the conventional chains of her time, attempting to chart her course in the male-dominated world of business. On completing her college education, Mac is eager to step into the world of business management and assert her independence. These ambitions are intertwined with themes of romance and personal relationships throughout the narrative.

Frank Albertson, cast in the role of Mac's college-sweetheart, Johnny Saunders, is a talented musician. Portrayed as a polite, down-to-earth, and loving individual, Saunders is the embodiment of modest, small-town charm. His uneasy relationship with Mac's ambitious dreams forms a crucial plot point in the movie. Their relationship begins to strain as Saunders struggles with his career, attempting to make his mark in the music industry while balancing his girlfriend's soaring ambition and high-flying lifestyle.

Ricardo Cortez, in contrast, plays the role of Robert J. Clayton, a shark of Wall Street, unscrupulous and willing to do whatever it takes to succeed. His character, smooth, suave, and influential, represents the allure of the bigger world that Mac aspires to be a part of. Clayton plays a compelling part in drawing Mac into this glamorous, albeit cut-throat, world of finance and business.

The narrative of Big Business Girl takes off from the college corridors to the flashy, fast-paced world of business, presenting us with a captivating tale of aspirations, societal pressures, and the nuances of maintaining relationships amidst it all. The plot is enriched by its exploration into various themes – ambition, love, the struggle to wield influence and authority, the gender dynamics of a bygone era and the moral dilemmas presented by the pursuit of success. It offers an interesting commentary on society, its biases, and its tendency to dichotomize ambition and personal relationships, especially from a feminine perspective.

Young's depiction of Mac stands out with her vitality and the pre-Code audacity she brings to her character. The film does an excellent job of portraying Mac as a multidimensional character – one minute, she is a naïve, starry-eyed college graduate, and the next, she presents herself as a confident and ambitious woman, unafraid to question societal norms and asserting herself in a male-dominant setting.

Albertson, as Johnny, flawlessly manifests the conundrum faced by many, seeking a balance between an ordinary life rooted in love and a daring one filled with ambition and vicissitude. His role adds an immeasurable depth and emotional undertone to the plot – his struggle to keep pace with his ambitious girlfriend and his individual struggle to assert his career in the music scene.

Cortez, stepping into the shoes of Clayton, brings out the charm and cut-throat guile of his character with natural ease. His manipulation and strategic moves add an interesting dimension to the storyline, offering viewers an immersion into the enticing yet perilous world of big business, marked by fierce competition and ruthless ambition.

In summary, Big Business Girl is an engaging rollercoaster ride – from the innocence of college romance to the enthralling spectacle of the corporates. The changing dynamics of the relationship between Mac and Johnny, pivoting on the axis of Mac's growing ambition and Johnny's struggle with it, keep the audience hooked. With strong performances, a well-knit narrative, and a compelling exploration of societal norms and personal ambitions, Big Business Girl emerges as a classic pre-Code movie that continues to strike a chord with its viewers, even after nearly a century since its release.