[Bounci]

Today's video comes from the Pre Code film The Bowery (1933), about a couple of rival bar owners and features Fay Wray (her of King Kong fame) and the unlikely named Pert Kelton. Fay plays a girl desperate for a job, only to find two men she meets in a bar plan to put her into prostitution, before being rescued by landlord (and gorilla substitute) Wallace Beery. In the first of three scenes in the video, Fay then waits out in the street to thank Beery, who has "no time for dames," but nevertheless tells her to turn around so he can check out her figure, giving her a couple of pats as she turns while he sees if she will be suitable for his bar as "entertainment." In the 2nd scene she is now in a hospital with George Raft, Beery's bar rival, who has beaten him up. As she goes to leave, Raft gives her a couple of pats to encourage her on her way. It startles her at first, but when she turns to face him she breaks into a smile and does as he says.

Finally, in the 3rd scene, it is Raft again, but this time with showgirl Pert Kelton, who is more than a little worse for wear with drink. As she gets out the carriage and heads towards his apartment, Raft has to grab her arm and guide her back into the buggy, giving her bum a good couple of slaps to encourage her inside before sending her - and the carriage - on it's way home. As for Pert herself, she features in another video from this film in the "Pre-Code Hollywood" thread, where she performs a couple of cabaret numbers. Believe you me, you've never seen - or should I say heard - anything like it!