A moderately funny film that tries for a screwball zaniness that it just can't quite deliver. Its biggest selling point is the quartet of stars that headline it, four of the biggest MGM had to offer at the time: William Powell and Myrna Loy (who had already struck gold as a team in "The Thin Man"), Spencer Tracy (just on the verge of winning back-to-back Oscars) and Jean Harlow, trying (and failing, in my opinion) to prove herself as a comedienne.
Tracy plays a newspaper reporter engaged to Harlow, who can't ever quite get around to marrying her because of his devotion to his work. Loy is a society girl who is slandered in Tracy's paper. Tracy sends Powell out on a mission to put the moves on Loy so that the slander will be fact and save his paper from a libel suit, a scheme which also entails that Powell and Harlow pretend to be married. Things get complicated (as these things do) when Powell begins actually falling for Loy and no longer wants to trick her, and Harlow begins actually falling for Powell, much to the dismay of Tracy, whom no one seems to fall for.
This all sounds like it should be the makings of a grade-A comedy, but somehow it's not. The movie is always amiable, but rarely does it take off as a screwball comedy the way other comedies from the same time, like "My Man Godfrey" or "Bringing Up Baby", do. Much of my resistance to the film lies in the casting of Harlow, an actress I simply can't stand. Every time I see her in anything, I can't help but think how much better Ginger Rogers would be in her place -- they had the same look and played the same types, but Rogers had a graceful way with comedy and Harlow clunks around, always looking like she's trying too hard. No complaints about the other three though, especially Myrna Loy, one of my favorite actresses, who looks absolutely adorable in this.
The film is worth watching, though, for one scene: William Powell trout fishing. I'll say no more.
Grade: B
Tracy plays a newspaper reporter engaged to Harlow, who can't ever quite get around to marrying her because of his devotion to his work. Loy is a society girl who is slandered in Tracy's paper. Tracy sends Powell out on a mission to put the moves on Loy so that the slander will be fact and save his paper from a libel suit, a scheme which also entails that Powell and Harlow pretend to be married. Things get complicated (as these things do) when Powell begins actually falling for Loy and no longer wants to trick her, and Harlow begins actually falling for Powell, much to the dismay of Tracy, whom no one seems to fall for.
This all sounds like it should be the makings of a grade-A comedy, but somehow it's not. The movie is always amiable, but rarely does it take off as a screwball comedy the way other comedies from the same time, like "My Man Godfrey" or "Bringing Up Baby", do. Much of my resistance to the film lies in the casting of Harlow, an actress I simply can't stand. Every time I see her in anything, I can't help but think how much better Ginger Rogers would be in her place -- they had the same look and played the same types, but Rogers had a graceful way with comedy and Harlow clunks around, always looking like she's trying too hard. No complaints about the other three though, especially Myrna Loy, one of my favorite actresses, who looks absolutely adorable in this.
The film is worth watching, though, for one scene: William Powell trout fishing. I'll say no more.
Grade: B