Review of Blond Cheat

As a screwball comedy, this film has its share of humorous situations and clever dialog. But the plot is ridiculous if you give it even an ounce of thought. As the story moves forward, the ruse with the earrings is revealed for what it was, a gambit by Rufus Trent (Cecil Kellaway) to lure his employee Michael Ashburn (Derrick De Marney) away from the clutches of his daughter Roberta (Lilian Bond). I didn't really understand why; Ashburn was a faithful loan officer, and Trent's wife (Cecil Cunningham) saw the socially connected young man as an asset to be married into their family. For Mr. Trent's part, he didn't harbor any dislike for Ashburn personally, so the intervention with Paul Douglas (Olaf Hytten) and his 'niece' Julie (Joan Fontaine) didn't really make much sense. But once the ball got rolling, it was hard to stop. Which leads me to my second question mark - how and why did Julie fall so hard for Michael at first sight, enough to make her want to chase him down as a future husband? And what was wrong with Roberta Trent? She was quite attractive in her own right, so if it was just chemistry with Ashburn, the story didn't capitalize on it very well. Notwithstanding the reservations I just mentioned, I did enjoy the picture for its lighthearted atmosphere and sense of fun. Ashburn steps it up in the closing musical number featuring Julie Evans in a night club revue, and pops the question she had been waiting for all along. All in a two-day span if I was keeping track effectively. How's that for a whirlwind romance?