In the late 1930s Warner Bros notoriously tried to get Kay Francis to quit by putting her in B films of which this was the first - but it's a tight, unpretentious enjoyable film that holds up well. It's directed by John Farrow who was a dab hand at Bs, and benefits from a strong source material (well, strongly road tested - it was a play which had been filmed in 1930) and tight handling (it clocks in at 65 minutes).
I'm not super familiar with the work of Francis but she's absolutely fine as a widow with four kids, three of whom are brats - dress-obsessed Anita Louise, piano playing Bonita Granville (who needs a subplot) and poncey Bobby Jordan.
There are two old crones - Elisabeth Risdon who wants the three brats and hates Francis, and Helena Phillips as an old bat befriended by Moore.
Some things did bug me: the way Moore kept calling Francis "sweetheart" and "dear" (I think it was meant to be more charming than it is); her three bratty kids wouldn't have come back if the aunt was a bit more tolerant (i.e. they would've stayed away had the aunt not been horrible); I note "poor" Francis still has a black maid (who seems to have a drinking problem); and also Francis admits she blew a lot of money with dud investments.
But the acting is good - not just the reliable Francis and the old character actors, but the kids like Moore (who had a big role), Louise and Granville- it's good across the board which is rare in Bs. It's also inherently empathetic - Francis being a widow, and slut shamed by her sister in law, and taken advantage of by her kids. A good solid melo.
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