Friday, October 04, 2019

Movie review - "Who Killed Aunt Maggie?" (1940) **1/2

Arthur Lubin was at his peak around this time and keeps his touch light and fun in an entertaining comedy chiller. It's not the sort of movie you expect from Republic but is bright and fast. It could do with a better cast but I liked John Hubbard - he was a decent second tier leading man. I've never been a fan of Wendy Barrie. In a big studio film you'd get a top support cast like say Gale Sondegaard but not here. Oh maybe that's mean - Walter Abel and Onslow Stevens are fine.

Still the old dark house has an atmosphere - it's one of those will reading over night movies. I liked how the female lead had a job, a radio writer - I wasn't wild how Barrie and Hubbard's relationship seems really nasty with them arguing at the end. How long will they last after getting married?

There's too much "comic scared black servant" stuff - no offence to Willie Best who did what he's asked, it's just uncomfortable.

Still, a decent effort from Lubin.

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