Big Executive (1933)
A pre-Code Hollywood drama of love, betrayal, and deadly suspicion from Paramount Pictures.
Big Executive - Movie Information
Big Executive - Plot
When a married stockbroker falls in love with another woman, he becomes the prime suspect in his wife's accidental death.
Where to Watch Big Executive
Looking for where to watch Big Executive?
Compare all viewing options available in your region on JustWatch ↗
Big Executive - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Erle C. Kenton
Main Cast
- Ricardo Cortez
- Richard Bennett
- Barton MacLane
- Elizabeth Young
- Sharon Lynn
- Dorothy Peterson
- Charles Middleton
- Maude Eburne
- Al Hart
- Tenen Holtz
Writers
- Laurence Stallings
- Alice Duer Miller
Big Executive - FAQs
What is Big Executive (1933) about?
Big Executive follows Victor Conway, a married stockbroker who falls for another woman and finds himself at the center of a murder investigation when his wife dies under suspicious circumstances. It's a tense pre-Code drama blending romance, moral ambiguity, and courtroom-style suspense.
Is Big Executive based on a true story?
Big Executive is not based on a specific true story. The screenplay was written by Laurence Stallings and Alice Duer Miller, crafting an original tale of infidelity and suspicion that tapped into the moral anxieties common in pre-Code Hollywood dramas of the early 1930s.
Who stars in Big Executive (1933)?
The film stars Ricardo Cortez as the conflicted stockbroker Victor Conway, alongside Richard Bennett as Commodore Richardson and Elizabeth Young as Helena Richardson. Barton MacLane, Sharon Lynn, and Dorothy Peterson round out a strong supporting cast.
Who directed Big Executive and what else did he make?
Erle C. Kenton directed Big Executive. A prolific Hollywood journeyman, Kenton worked across genres throughout the 1930s and 1940s, directing everything from pre-Code dramas to Universal horror entries like House of Frankenstein and House of Dracula.
What makes Big Executive a pre-Code film?
Released in October 1933, before Hollywood's strict Production Code enforcement began in 1934, Big Executive deals openly with adultery, moral ambiguity, and a husband suspected of murdering his wife — themes that would have faced heavy censorship just a year or two later.
What genre is Big Executive (1933)?
Big Executive blends Drama and Romance, weaving a story of illicit love and deadly consequences. It fits squarely within the pre-Code Hollywood tradition of morally complex melodramas that explored the darker side of desire and ambition without the sanitizing filters of later censorship.
What are similar films to Big Executive?
If you enjoy Big Executive, you might also like Men Call It Love (1931), Daisy Kenyon (1947), The Fugitive Kind (1960), and Kitty Foyle (1940) — all films that explore complicated romantic entanglements and moral dilemmas with a similarly serious dramatic tone.
How long is Big Executive (1933)?
Big Executive runs a brisk 70 minutes — a typical runtime for studio programmers of the early 1930s. Paramount Pictures kept things tight and efficient, delivering a compact drama that wastes no time getting into the heart of its romantic and criminal intrigue.
More About Big Executive
Explore further details about Big Executive on these trusted resources.