Coming just before the blockbuster ALL ABOUT EVE this little gem shows another comedic side of Bette Davis without going over the top. She's harried and trying to be pleasant to all including an old flame who shows up inconveniently. In a sense, it's the classic tale of the rubes versus the swells but gently and sympathetically told. Robert Montgomery matches Miss Davis sarcasm for sarcasm and the always welcome Mary Wickes rides herd on the various bickering characters. When she refers to the home they're to use as a "McKinley horror" one knows that all are in for more than a little restoration. If it won't have you rolling in the aisles, it's consistently amusing. An able cast of primarily character actors contribute their very really talents (Tom Tully and Faye Bainter are real and whimsical at the same time.) and the basic love story that drives the action isn't much to concern the viewer. If the rural nature gets pushed a bit too far it works well within the context of the plot. And this marks Miss Davis' second trip while ice skating, indeed there are moments when her character, Linda, is more than suggestive of her role in The Man Who Came to Dinner.
A pleasant time for all with a friendly cast who try, and succeed, to find as much in the diverting material as there is.
A pleasant time for all with a friendly cast who try, and succeed, to find as much in the diverting material as there is.