
Patrolman Jim Trent (Jack La Rue) hears the screams of a woman and rushes to her aid in an upstairs apartment. Inside, he is hit on the head and whiskey poured on his uniform. Gangster Louis Cantor (Mathew Betz) and his henchmen have used this ruse to get him off his beat in order to rob a warehouse. The Police Commissioner (DeWitt Jennings), knowing Trent is innocent, suggests he be dismissed from the force and get a job with the gang. At Cantor's swank gambling establishment Trent finds his girlfriend, Molly Malone (Ada Ince), who has been searching for him. With the evidence he has gathered, Trent captures Cantor and calls for the police.
Directed by Spencer Gordon Bennet, The Fighting Rookie leans on a strong ensemble — Jack La Rue, Ada Ince, DeWitt Jennings — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.
The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1934.
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