"Miracles for Sale" is a hodgepodge of a film. It's billed as a crime and mystery, but clearly was written for comedy and romance as well. The screenplay is quite weak, and the direction and acting are unusual if not strange. For instance, Florence Rice's Judy Barclay is so overboard nervous and fidgety, while Robert Young's Michael Morgan is so nonchalant and easy-going about any threats. Then, Frank Craven's Dad Morgan is all comedy in his dialog, and Cliff Clark's Inspector Gavigan is on-again, off-again calm, frustrated and gruff with everyone. And, it's hard to imagine a romance between Michael and Judy.
What there is of mystery in this film is clearly forced on the audience by the plot and screenplay. The only thing that saves this film at all is the peek it gives of how some tricks of magic are done. That's somewhat interesting, one would imagine especially for those who didn't know about them. The plot tries to build some suspense and maybe a sense of fright around a notion of sinister or other worldly forces about. But that's about as scary as looking at a comic book of Casper the Friendly Ghost.
Robert Young was established as a leading man and second leading man at MGM by this time, and played in dramas, crime mysteries and comedy romances. He seemed to be having fun in this film. Florence Rice had been in several films, and would have the leads in a few more, but she never rose to star status and quit Hollywood and acting in 1943 at age 36. Of the supporting cast, Lee Bowman would have some leading man roles for a short spell but then was relegated to supporting roles. Henry Hull and William Demarest will be recognized as long-time supporting actors. But the rest of this sizable cast weren't even well known in the late 1930s or had short careers remaining.
Here are the best of the funny lines in this film.
Michael Morgan, "Well, whatta we do now? You don't want me to stay and you don't want me to go." Judy Barclay, "I'm afraid there's nothing anybody can do." Morgan, "Can't I even punch somebody in the nose for you?"
Dad Morgan, "New York is the only town I've ever been in that you can learn to hate in one day."
Judy Barclay, "I wish I didn't have to seem so ungrateful." Michael Morgan, "Well, don't take all the blame. Nobody asked me to follow you.."
Dad Morgan, on the phone with Michael, "Should I bring the gun?... It's against the law to carry a gun in New York? Well, it's a fine time to tell me. I read where three fellows were found yesterday shot full of holes. What'd they shoot them with, saxophones?"
Inspector Gavigan, "Oh, why can't I draw a nice clean ax murder up in the Bronx?"
Dad Morgan, "How comes that you didn't know that Siberian dungeon trick and Duvallo does? He can't be very smart. He was born in New York." Michael Morgan, "Ah, I practically invented that trick. It's based on the principal that in an unsolvable mystery, the real facts are just the opposite of what they seem." Dad Morgan, "Well, I was a little confused before, but now that you explained it, I'm bewildered."
What there is of mystery in this film is clearly forced on the audience by the plot and screenplay. The only thing that saves this film at all is the peek it gives of how some tricks of magic are done. That's somewhat interesting, one would imagine especially for those who didn't know about them. The plot tries to build some suspense and maybe a sense of fright around a notion of sinister or other worldly forces about. But that's about as scary as looking at a comic book of Casper the Friendly Ghost.
Robert Young was established as a leading man and second leading man at MGM by this time, and played in dramas, crime mysteries and comedy romances. He seemed to be having fun in this film. Florence Rice had been in several films, and would have the leads in a few more, but she never rose to star status and quit Hollywood and acting in 1943 at age 36. Of the supporting cast, Lee Bowman would have some leading man roles for a short spell but then was relegated to supporting roles. Henry Hull and William Demarest will be recognized as long-time supporting actors. But the rest of this sizable cast weren't even well known in the late 1930s or had short careers remaining.
Here are the best of the funny lines in this film.
Michael Morgan, "Well, whatta we do now? You don't want me to stay and you don't want me to go." Judy Barclay, "I'm afraid there's nothing anybody can do." Morgan, "Can't I even punch somebody in the nose for you?"
Dad Morgan, "New York is the only town I've ever been in that you can learn to hate in one day."
Judy Barclay, "I wish I didn't have to seem so ungrateful." Michael Morgan, "Well, don't take all the blame. Nobody asked me to follow you.."
Dad Morgan, on the phone with Michael, "Should I bring the gun?... It's against the law to carry a gun in New York? Well, it's a fine time to tell me. I read where three fellows were found yesterday shot full of holes. What'd they shoot them with, saxophones?"
Inspector Gavigan, "Oh, why can't I draw a nice clean ax murder up in the Bronx?"
Dad Morgan, "How comes that you didn't know that Siberian dungeon trick and Duvallo does? He can't be very smart. He was born in New York." Michael Morgan, "Ah, I practically invented that trick. It's based on the principal that in an unsolvable mystery, the real facts are just the opposite of what they seem." Dad Morgan, "Well, I was a little confused before, but now that you explained it, I'm bewildered."