I guess by the negative reviews here, movie viewers have not gotten any smarter in the 75 years since this film was released. Few people can appreciate and enjoy the brilliant sophistication of this film.
First it is important to understand that censorship by the Hayes Office was at its worst in 1938. It wasn't strictly enforced before 1936 and relaxed a little bit during World World II. By the early 1950's European cinema was cracking open the Hollywood censorship open bit by bit. In 1937-38, it was perhaps at its strictest. The fact that Dorothy Parker and Tay Garnet was able to push such a sensuous and passionate movie past the Hayes Code censors is a tribute to their brilliance. Tay Garnet later directed the equally sensuous and passionate "The Postman Always Rings Twice" in 1946.
Think of the lead characters - the heroine is a murderer (even if she has her reasons) and the hero is a hard drinking, mercenary womanizer. The Hayes Code strictly forbade glamorizing such people and allowing them to go unpunished for their behavior. Yet Garnet, Parker and Alan Campbell are able to come up with characters and a plot that tie the Hayes code in knots. They are totally charming rogues.
Joan Bennett and Fredric March are amazing in the leads -- witty, charming and sophisticated. Their sidekicks, Ann Southern and Ralph Bellamy are hilarious. The plot twists are still novel and unexpected after all these years.
As for the bad process photography that reviewers are complaining about, please understand that this is a comedy. The process photography was poorly done on purpose. The film was sarcastically commenting on the overuse of process shots in Hollywood by throwing in dozens of obviously fake process shots of Japan, China, Indochina, Singapore and more. The process shots are hilarious. Complaining about the process shots is like complaining that the sets and special effects in Austin Powers don't look as believable as the ones in James Bond.
After watching this one, I'm ready to go out and party and drink a toast to Dorothy, Alan, Tay, Joan, Fredric, Ann and Ralph. Of all the screwball comedies of the 1930's, this is one of the most sophisticated and funniest. Don't miss it.
First it is important to understand that censorship by the Hayes Office was at its worst in 1938. It wasn't strictly enforced before 1936 and relaxed a little bit during World World II. By the early 1950's European cinema was cracking open the Hollywood censorship open bit by bit. In 1937-38, it was perhaps at its strictest. The fact that Dorothy Parker and Tay Garnet was able to push such a sensuous and passionate movie past the Hayes Code censors is a tribute to their brilliance. Tay Garnet later directed the equally sensuous and passionate "The Postman Always Rings Twice" in 1946.
Think of the lead characters - the heroine is a murderer (even if she has her reasons) and the hero is a hard drinking, mercenary womanizer. The Hayes Code strictly forbade glamorizing such people and allowing them to go unpunished for their behavior. Yet Garnet, Parker and Alan Campbell are able to come up with characters and a plot that tie the Hayes code in knots. They are totally charming rogues.
Joan Bennett and Fredric March are amazing in the leads -- witty, charming and sophisticated. Their sidekicks, Ann Southern and Ralph Bellamy are hilarious. The plot twists are still novel and unexpected after all these years.
As for the bad process photography that reviewers are complaining about, please understand that this is a comedy. The process photography was poorly done on purpose. The film was sarcastically commenting on the overuse of process shots in Hollywood by throwing in dozens of obviously fake process shots of Japan, China, Indochina, Singapore and more. The process shots are hilarious. Complaining about the process shots is like complaining that the sets and special effects in Austin Powers don't look as believable as the ones in James Bond.
After watching this one, I'm ready to go out and party and drink a toast to Dorothy, Alan, Tay, Joan, Fredric, Ann and Ralph. Of all the screwball comedies of the 1930's, this is one of the most sophisticated and funniest. Don't miss it.
