You are here:
The St. Louis Kid

The St. Louis Kid

1934

NR

Director

Ray Enright

Runtime

68 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

Trucker Eddie Kennedy gets involved with the law when he has an car accident with Ann Reid and knocks the owner of a dairy out. He evades a penalty when he claims, that he had done it as an act of solidarism with the farmers. The farmers start an boycott action against this dairy, so the owner has to bring milk from elsewhere to his dairy, but the farmers closed the road, and Kennedy is arrested once more. He leaves jail at night to meet Ann, but meanwhile the owner has asked some mobsters to deliver the milk. One of the farmers is murdered, Ann Reid is missing and Eddie Kennedy is accused of murder.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

2.8/10

Limited


Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Minimal

The film adheres to conventional romantic tropes of the pre-Code era. There are no non-cisnormative gender identities or narratives that challenge heteronormativity.

Gender Representation

Limited

Ann Reid serves as a central figure for plot tension, yet she primarily functions as a catalyst for the male protagonist. The narrative focus remains heavily on the male lead's journey.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Minimal

The production lacks significant racial or ethnic diversity. The cast appears homogeneous, reflecting the standard mainstream commercial cinema of the early 1930s.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Fair

The plot explores class friction through a conflict between organized labor and capitalist interests. It examines the tension between individual legality and collective social action.

Disability Representation

Minimal

There is no evidence of characters with visible or invisible disabilities. Disability is not utilized as a narrative device in this production.

Strengths

  • Explores themes of class struggle and collective social action through farmer boycotts.
  • Provides a look at the tension between organized labor and capitalist interests.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lacks racial and ethnic diversity in its casting and character descriptions.
  • Features limited female agency, using the female lead primarily as a romantic motivator.
  • Provides no representation for LGBTQ+ identities or characters with disabilities.

AI Analysis

The St. Louis Kid is a quintessential 1930s genre drama that reinforces the social and demographic norms of its era. While it avoids the intersectional complexity found in modern cinema, it offers a glimpse into historical class tensions. The film's strength lies in its exploration of social institutions and labor conflicts. However, it fails to provide meaningful representation for marginalized identities, including LGBTQ+ individuals, people of color, or those with disabilities. Ultimately, the film functions as a standard crime drama. It relies on traditional gender roles and a homogeneous cast, prioritizing genre-driven plot mechanics over social subversion.

How are these scores produced? →

Rate this Movie

No rating selected
Use arrow keys to select a rating from 1 to 5 stars
Optional text review, maximum 2000 characters
Tip: Wrap spoilers with ||double pipes|| to hide them
0/2000 characters
You must be signed in to submit a rating

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!

Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.