You are here:

The Calling of Dan Matthews

Name: The Calling of Dan Matthews
Director: Phil Rosen
Released: 1935
Duration: 67 min

Representation Score

1.1/10

Minimal

1935

Approved

Director

Phil Rosen

Runtime

67 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

The film operates as a standard 1930s genre piece, relying heavily on established archetypes. It prioritizes a conventional moral struggle between a parson and a racketeer, reinforcing the social hierarchies of its time rather than subverting them. Representation is limited by the era's studio system, focusing on a heterosexual romantic core and a homogeneous cast, offering little room for diverse perspectives. Ultimately, the film functions within a rigid framework of mid-century moralism, lacking the character's ability to drive the story or social disruption necessary to move beyond a traditional, narrow worldview.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does The Calling of Dan Matthews have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The story follows a traditional heterosexual romance between Dan Matthews and Hope Strong. There are no characters with non-straight identities or critiques of the assumption that everyone is straight or cisgender.

How does The Calling of Dan Matthews portray gender?

Limited

Female characters like Hope Strong are defined by their relationships to men. Leadership and moral decision-making are concentrated almost exclusively in the male protagonists.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Calling of Dan Matthews?

Minimal

The cast appears homogeneous, reflecting the era's studio norms. There is no evidence of racial diversity or identities challenging the social status quo.

How does The Calling of Dan Matthews represent religion and culture?

Limited

The plot centers on a binary struggle between clergy-led morality and systemic vice. It reinforces traditional Western institutions rather than critiquing them.

Does The Calling of Dan Matthews include disability representation?

Minimal

The narrative contains no documented characters with visible or invisible disabilities.

Present on Screen

The film provides a clear, structured moral conflict between virtue and criminality.

Limited or Absent

The film lacks diverse racial and ethnic representation.
Female characters lack independent ability to act and power.
There is no representation of LGBTQ+ identities.
The narrative reinforces traditional social and religious hierarchies.

Official Synopsis

Dan Matthews (Richard Arlen), a young parson, is in love with Hope Strong (Charlotte Wynters), the daughter of James B. Strong ('FRederick Burton'), a man who controls the town with his real estate and business interests. Strong is an upstanding citizen who has fallen into the hands of a clever racketeer, Jeff Hardy (Douglass Dumbrille), who acts as Strong's manager of some innocent-appearing amusement places that are really secret dens of vice.

How are these scores produced? →