Entertaining Programmer
22 August 2014
Sprightly entertainment. The 60-minutes never rises above programmer status but does well with what it has. The plot revolves around a screenwriter (Tracy), his shady collaborator (Guilfoyle), plus an actor and his gangster look-alike (Page). Then there are the girls, a lovely Joan Woodbury and a brassy Lee Patrick. Of course, all of this has to sort out before folks can get on with their lives at the movie studio. Oh yes, shouldn't forget the unruly ducks that are good for a few laughs. And catch the movie's last line, an apparent jibe at the comical Marx Bros.

I love it when the chases around the studio lot crash through the movie sets-- poor Jack Carson (the director) never will complete a shot. Plus we've got two of Hollywood's fastest talkers—Lane and Tracy. In fact, Lane steals the show as a don't-mess-with-me studio boss. I wonder if any of RKO's suits got a message. Actually, Tracy's more subdued than his usual fast-talking reporter, but still fits in well. It's also a good chance to catch some of the studio grounds and soundstages that are nicely blended into the proceedings. No, the movie's nothing special. But it does show again how delightfully entertaining these old programmers can be.
4 out of 4 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Recently Viewed