If you like early thirties movies, you'll really enjoy this. If you know someone who's never watched a film from this era who asked: what's a good example to see? You'd suggest this. It's hardly a classic but it's such a lovely, silly and genuinely funny picture you'll be unable not to love it.
One reason to watch this is because it's directed by Marion Gering. Not someone who's well known today but he the guy who fled Soviet Russia in the twenties for a new life in American theatre before being lured to Hollywood. I haven't seen one single film from him that wasn't either good or very good. He could turn his hand to anything - from gritty, realistic crime thrillers to frothy musicals....and, as this demonstrates, uplifting light romantic comedy. Seeing his name on a film's credits is a definite sign that you should watch it. Check out his 24 HOURS (1931) and you'll be a fan too.
The other reason to watch this is Ida Lupino who's brilliant in this. That she's only 16 is a bit disconcerting because she's absolutely gorgeous (and looking a lot like Jessie Matthews) but it's her vibrant, intelligent and amusing personality which makes her so endearing. Mitigating the age thing, her character is an eighteen year old, the legal age then was sixteen (check out what it was before 1929 - you'll be horrified) and people grew up faster back then, especially if they'd been treading the boards for the last ten years - this makes you feel a little less like Woody Allen! Even so, it's hard to believe she's so young because her performance is so natural and nuanced.
This was her third American film after appearing in the truly, truly, truly terrible SEARCH FOR BEAUTY and COME ON MARINES (they were so disappointing after seeing her in the great little English film, I LIVED WITH YOU the year before). She absolutely sparkles in this giving a masterclass in acting.
Who else have we got? The surprisingly effective male lead is Richard Arlen. He was also in Paramount's worst film ever with her (COME ON MARINES) so I wasn't expecting much but I was pleasantly impressed. He's perfect in this as the 'nice' editor of the local paper. Since most of the writers in Hollywood were ex-newspaper men, it's no surprise that there's so many newspaper men in those movies. For a change the newspaper man is the hero in this.
Marjorie Rambeau is wonderfully over the top as the typical stage mother although that stage make-up she wears at the beginning is utterly bizarre. Americans especially get offended by 'blackface' but the whole world will be completely gobsmacked by the sheer weirdness of the sight of her in an evening dress with a totally coal-black face. This might not be that memorable a film but you'll never forget that crazy image. The even weirder thought is that act presumably was based on reality!
For a rom-com, especially from the early thirties, it's rare to get such thoughtful performances from everyone. This must be due to Mr Gering so let's all get the guy remembered by watching this.
