Starring Carole Lombard, Fred MacMurray, John Barrymore, Una Merkel, Porter Hall
Directed by Wesley Ruggles
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
A struggling novelist tries to get a regular job, but in so doing, ends up accused of murder, and her propensity for telling white lies puts her on trial with her lawyer husband defending her.
My friend Dan Day Jr. calls this a really strange movie, with the entire cast trying a bit too hard to be funny. I'm forced to agree, as they're handcuffed by a script that isn't really amusing, especially when it delves into dark material. There's some talented actors and comedians in the cast, but MacMurray who when paired with Lombard before has had real chemistry and fine comic timing, is hardly allowed to crack a smile in the movie. Barrymore fares no better, playing an inebriated criminologist with a loose collection to the plot, who doesn't seem to fit into the story very well, and isn't given any particularly witty lines or comic bits, other than making silly noises with balloons. That's also the problem for Merkel, who despite a good part as Lombard's gal pal, doesn't get any good material she can work with. Lombard and MacMurray are still appealing leads, Edgar Kennedy gets to do a little of his slow burn act, and Porter Hall has some amusing moments as the over the top prosecuting attorney. However, some lighter subject matter and a funnier script would have better served the film's stars.
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