Pine Thomas started making three aviation films with Richard Arlen - it went well so they expanded, signing a three picture deal with Chester Morris. They optioned the rights to a Humphrey Collins novel by Geoff Homes, aka Daniel Mainwaring, best known for Out of the Past - I think they were hoping for a series.
It didn't happen but this film has some good things about it - the pace is fast, the acting pretty good. There's Morris, a heavyset dude who never became a big star but had a bit more charisma than Arlen. There's also Jean Parker, stepping in for Frances Farmer apparently, who is bright and spirited and has a scene with wet hair where she looks sexy.
The film starts with them being newlyweds - he met her investigating a case, which actually sounds like a good movie and they probably should have started the series with that story.
The plot is complicated - it involves the search for a missing man. I had trouble following it. Morris occasionally has to flirt with a woman making Parker jealous. Theres subplots about him looking like a bank robber. Parker helps/hinders Morris - sometimes it's funny other times he seems to be using rougher than usual handling. There's some action, lots of talking, some screwball comedy - a bit too much of everything instead of something with a clear vision. It's not bad, just a bit of a mess.
No comments:
Post a Comment