... and especially for a Warner Brothers precode. The theme of the story is pretty familiar - boy (Frank Albertson) and girl (Loretta Young) are tight in college but get separated by more than physical distance after graduation, despite their best intentions. Meanwhile, in each case, more worldly people of the opposite sex (Ricardo Cortez and Dorothy Christy) move in and wreak havoc on the relationship, helped along by a generous helping of pride on the part of both boy and girl.
As expected Loretta is lovely, Ricardo is a rat, and that saucy tart Joan Blondell makes the last 10 minutes worth the wait. I know she didn't write those lines, but only she could deliver them so memorably. Best precode scene (non-Blondell that is) - Loretta Young being surprised by boyfriend Johnny's return from Paris while running around her apartment in her underwear. They carry on a casual conversation - she's still in her underwear - as she puts on her makeup and he buffs her bare back with a powder puff. Only in the precode era! The final scene with Blondell is somewhat annoying for reasons that the director could not have been aware of without a crystal ball. As a nervous Frank Albertson talks to card-carrying correspondent (as in divorce) Joan Blondell, the camera spends much of its time focused on Frank Albertson even when Joan is talking. Hard to believe, but for the brief sliver of time in which this film was made, Frank Albertson was a leading man and Joan Blondell was still only a supporting player, so at the time this cinematography actually made sense. Today, the whole thing is like having a billboard blocking a beautiful view.
I'd recommend this one for fans of precode and especially fans of Loretta Young, Ricardo Cortez, or Joan Blondell.
As expected Loretta is lovely, Ricardo is a rat, and that saucy tart Joan Blondell makes the last 10 minutes worth the wait. I know she didn't write those lines, but only she could deliver them so memorably. Best precode scene (non-Blondell that is) - Loretta Young being surprised by boyfriend Johnny's return from Paris while running around her apartment in her underwear. They carry on a casual conversation - she's still in her underwear - as she puts on her makeup and he buffs her bare back with a powder puff. Only in the precode era! The final scene with Blondell is somewhat annoying for reasons that the director could not have been aware of without a crystal ball. As a nervous Frank Albertson talks to card-carrying correspondent (as in divorce) Joan Blondell, the camera spends much of its time focused on Frank Albertson even when Joan is talking. Hard to believe, but for the brief sliver of time in which this film was made, Frank Albertson was a leading man and Joan Blondell was still only a supporting player, so at the time this cinematography actually made sense. Today, the whole thing is like having a billboard blocking a beautiful view.
I'd recommend this one for fans of precode and especially fans of Loretta Young, Ricardo Cortez, or Joan Blondell.