How Long Is “The Primrose Path”?

Even though Clara Bow was close to achieving true stardom, she was still being cast in crass, low-budget fare. In fact, she has little to do in this overwrought melodrama -- Wallace MacDonald has the meaty role, and is billed above her. Bruce Armstrong (MacDonald) is quite wealthy. He is also a drinker, a gambler, and pretty much worthless as a human being. Even after he lames his little brother Jimmy (Pat Moore) in a drunken fit, he does not straighten up. For some reason, Marilyn Merrill (Bow), a successful dancer, sticks by him. In spite of this, he gambles with her boss, Tom Canfield (Stuart Holmes), and when he loses, he writes bad checks. In order to avoid jail, Armstrong gets involved in diamond smuggling and winds up in a brutal fight over the spoils. One of the men, Big Jim Snead (Tom Santschi), attacks Armstrong, who kills him. Jimmy is the only witness, so when Armstrong is put on trial, the boy is forced to testify. To keep him from having to take the stand, Armstrong confesses. But one of the other smugglers, Dude Talbot (Templar Saxe), comes forth and admits that Armstrong killed in self-defense. Armstrong goes free and proposes to the ever-patient Marilyn.