Nancy Carroll was exceptionally pretty and could do anything - she could sing and dance and when given the opportunity was an exceptional actress. A combination of bad temper and bad film roles toppled her from her lofty "Queen of the Screen" pedestal after only a couple of years at the top.
In only his 7th film Cary Grant (looking so young) received top billing over Nancy Carroll (presumably Paramount had high hopes for Grant) but it is Nancy's film all the way.
Ruth Brock (Nancy Carroll) is a pretty bank clerk, who has all the boys in a lather. Everyone is going to Willow Springs on Saturday night and Ruth is going with Connie (Eddie Woods). Romer Sheffield (Cary Grant) is also the talk of the town - the talk is people want him run out of town. After paying $10,000 to get rid of his latest fling, he asks Connie to bring the gang to his place on Saturday for a party.
Ruth is the sole support of her money grubbing family. Her mother (Jane Darwell) is looking forward to the return of Bill (Randolph Scott), a childhood friend of Ruth's, now wealthy and a successful geologist.
When Connie tries "cave man tactics" on Ruth during a boat ride, she jumps ashore and walks back to Romer's house. Earlier in the evening, Romer, who had always been keen on Ruth, got very flirtatious with her, much to Connie's disgust. Connie, driving around looking for her, sees her sitting on Romer's porch. He attempts to "rescue" her but Romer tells him to go back to town and cool off. He goes back to town but for revenge starts spreading rumours about her. The town takes up the story and it spreads like wildfire. Ruth finds she is ostracised and loses her job. In the middle of this Bill comes back and rekindles his romance with Ruth. After a violent scene with her mother - this is a Jane Darwell that is unknown to me. If you have only seen her as the kindly, benevolent matron of Shirley Temple films, it will be quite a shock. I think she badly overacts but it is still something to see.
Ruth runs off in the rain to Bill's digs and after a sexy scene involving removal of wet clothes, he declares his love for her and they become engaged. At the engagement party Bill overhears some gossip about her and calls their engagement off. Connie had maliciously invited Romer - but when Romer arrives he realises what is happening and discreetly goes. Ruth upset by Bill's dressing down leaves with Romer. The next morning Ruth calls in to pick up some clothes and when Bill says he forgives her she says that last night everything the gossips were saying about her was untrue but this morning it was true. She then leaves with Romer for New York and, hopefully, a preacher!!!
Cary Grant was such a natural actor. In the hands of another actor, Romer could have come off stiff and stuffy but Cary made him likable and sensitive. Eddie Woods, who played opposite James Cagney in "The Public Enemy" played Connie and pretty English actress Lilian Bond played Eva. Stanley Smith, who was once a rising star at Paramount and played opposite Nancy Carroll in a couple of early musicals, had the thankless role of Joe. He can be glimpsed in the first scene as a lovesick bank teller and then at Romer's party.
Highly Recommended.
In only his 7th film Cary Grant (looking so young) received top billing over Nancy Carroll (presumably Paramount had high hopes for Grant) but it is Nancy's film all the way.
Ruth Brock (Nancy Carroll) is a pretty bank clerk, who has all the boys in a lather. Everyone is going to Willow Springs on Saturday night and Ruth is going with Connie (Eddie Woods). Romer Sheffield (Cary Grant) is also the talk of the town - the talk is people want him run out of town. After paying $10,000 to get rid of his latest fling, he asks Connie to bring the gang to his place on Saturday for a party.
Ruth is the sole support of her money grubbing family. Her mother (Jane Darwell) is looking forward to the return of Bill (Randolph Scott), a childhood friend of Ruth's, now wealthy and a successful geologist.
When Connie tries "cave man tactics" on Ruth during a boat ride, she jumps ashore and walks back to Romer's house. Earlier in the evening, Romer, who had always been keen on Ruth, got very flirtatious with her, much to Connie's disgust. Connie, driving around looking for her, sees her sitting on Romer's porch. He attempts to "rescue" her but Romer tells him to go back to town and cool off. He goes back to town but for revenge starts spreading rumours about her. The town takes up the story and it spreads like wildfire. Ruth finds she is ostracised and loses her job. In the middle of this Bill comes back and rekindles his romance with Ruth. After a violent scene with her mother - this is a Jane Darwell that is unknown to me. If you have only seen her as the kindly, benevolent matron of Shirley Temple films, it will be quite a shock. I think she badly overacts but it is still something to see.
Ruth runs off in the rain to Bill's digs and after a sexy scene involving removal of wet clothes, he declares his love for her and they become engaged. At the engagement party Bill overhears some gossip about her and calls their engagement off. Connie had maliciously invited Romer - but when Romer arrives he realises what is happening and discreetly goes. Ruth upset by Bill's dressing down leaves with Romer. The next morning Ruth calls in to pick up some clothes and when Bill says he forgives her she says that last night everything the gossips were saying about her was untrue but this morning it was true. She then leaves with Romer for New York and, hopefully, a preacher!!!
Cary Grant was such a natural actor. In the hands of another actor, Romer could have come off stiff and stuffy but Cary made him likable and sensitive. Eddie Woods, who played opposite James Cagney in "The Public Enemy" played Connie and pretty English actress Lilian Bond played Eva. Stanley Smith, who was once a rising star at Paramount and played opposite Nancy Carroll in a couple of early musicals, had the thankless role of Joe. He can be glimpsed in the first scene as a lovesick bank teller and then at Romer's party.
Highly Recommended.