Loretta Young and Jean Harlow at the beginning of their careers, each playing a part which should clearly have been played by the other: Loretta (very young and lovely – she was around 18) is a wisecracking reporter, best friend for a journalist who surprises everyone by marrying a tosh society girl… Harlow! But I guess they wanted to feature Harlow (not much older than Young but a bigger name due to Hell’s Angels) in a series of nice dresses; also she was already established as a temptress. However the actual star is a bloke called Robert Williams, who plays the reporter – a wisecracking smart alec type, not very funny but lively. He died soon after the movie.
This was one of Frank Capra’s early films, and his skill is evident. It’s handled briskly and expertly with plenty of interesting shots such as a romantic one between Williams and Harlow shot through a waterfall. Harlow’s playing is much better than in her earlier films – was this Capra’s influence? She’s particularly relaxed in a scene where she’s trying to persuade her husband to wear garters, which winds up with them doing my song.
Watching this again, my sympathy was more on Williams’ side. Why should Harlow give up her house and live in a crummy apartment? Why can’t Williams get a job other than be a second-rate reporter? Harlow does seem to try – but Williams sulks and whines and invites his mates around to trash the house. And when he moves out he gets Young to make him breakfast and orders her around. (This is definitely a pre-Code film though because the hero is allowed to divorce and re-marry.)
The script was worked on by Robert Riskin in one of his first collaborations with Capra. It features elements later reused by the two of them, including the honest hero knocking out a reporter and a snob, and encouraging a butler to go “whoop” in a big mansion.
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