One of the last Kay Francis movies on my list to see is no fault of hers for being weak. She is as lovely as ever, classy and charming. The fault here lies with the weak, far- fetched plot line and the overly energetic performance by Brian Aherne. He is trying too hard to be another William Powell. Kay, of course, is as gorgeous as Myrna Loy, and she was Powell's on- screen leading lady before Loy took over upon his arrival at MGM. The screwball comedy's that Powell and Loy made at MGM were extremely well written, but this one at Universal seems to have been rushed together with little script, lazy direction and rushed out with little preparation.
Aherne briefly plays dual parts: a wanted criminal who escaped from Puerto Rico and an irresponsible millionaire whose wife (Francis) can't stand him anymore because of his irresponsibility. But by chance, the husband is killed and the criminal wakes up in his bed, living his life, and romancing his women, including Francis who suspects something is quite different. Francis, decked out in the finest of fashions, comes off totally unscathed, looking particularly fetching in a white ensemble with gold sequins. It's too bad that director Henry Koster didn't reign in Aherne who bellows each line as if he had suddenly gone deaf. S.Z. Sakall has a few amusing moments as the butler, while Dorothy Tree is amusing as the late husband's money grubbing mistress. There's just a sense that this tries too hard for laughs which results in only a handful.
Aherne briefly plays dual parts: a wanted criminal who escaped from Puerto Rico and an irresponsible millionaire whose wife (Francis) can't stand him anymore because of his irresponsibility. But by chance, the husband is killed and the criminal wakes up in his bed, living his life, and romancing his women, including Francis who suspects something is quite different. Francis, decked out in the finest of fashions, comes off totally unscathed, looking particularly fetching in a white ensemble with gold sequins. It's too bad that director Henry Koster didn't reign in Aherne who bellows each line as if he had suddenly gone deaf. S.Z. Sakall has a few amusing moments as the butler, while Dorothy Tree is amusing as the late husband's money grubbing mistress. There's just a sense that this tries too hard for laughs which results in only a handful.