The Calling of Dan Matthews is a weird, dusty little relic

Is it worth your time?

Honestly, you probably only watch this if you’re deep into the archives or have a weird soft spot for 1930s morality tales. It’s got that specific 'preachy but kinda gritty' vibe that feels like a history lesson from a basement. If you want high-octane drama, skip it. If you want to see how they handled 'vice' in a town that looks like it was built on a backlot, grab some popcorn.

Richard Arlen plays the parson, Dan Matthews. He spends most of the movie looking concerned while wearing a very stiff collar. I don't know, he just feels like the kind of guy who would remind you to return your library books on time. Charlotte Wynters is around as Hope, but she’s mostly just there to look worried about her dad.

The bad guy is doing all the work here

Douglass Dumbrille as Jeff Hardy is the only reason to stay awake. He plays the racketeer with this oily, smooth confidence that makes you want to wash your hands after he leaves the screen. He’s running these 'amusement places'—which is clearly just code for places where you lose your money and probably your dignity. He makes Million Dollar Ransom look like a Sunday school picnic by comparison.

• The pacing is a bit all over the place.
• Some scenes last five minutes too long for no real reason.
• The sets look like they might fall over if someone sneezed too hard.

There’s a moment where Dan tries to confront the corruption head-on, and it just feels so... earnest. It reminded me a bit of the heavy-handedness in A Little Brother of the Rich, though this one lacks the bite. You can almost feel the filmmakers trying to tell you that everything will be fine as long as you're a good person. Spoiler: the world usually doesn't work like that.

Also, I swear I saw Bath Day-style antics in the background of one of the street scenes. Just random extras walking back and forth, trying to look busy. It’s distracting once you notice it. Why is that guy sweeping the same patch of dirt for three minutes? Maybe he’s the real hero of the movie.

It’s not a film that stays with you, but it’s not exactly a waste either. It’s just... there. Like a dusty old coat you find in the back of a closet. You put it on, it keeps you warm for an hour, then you hang it back up and forget it exists. 🤷‍♂️