...When it comes to keeping the romance alive in their marriage...
Wealthy botanist Charlie Ruggles calls his wife Mary Boland everyday at 10am and 4pm. So she knows that he's thinking about her. Flowers, candy, pistachio nuts. But is that really romance or just a routine? It is to Ruggles' old college rival (Adolph Menjou) who puts it into her head that Ruggles only does it out of obligation, sending Boland into a depression. Too lame to see the truth, Ruggles strives to make her jealous, and oh what a mistake that is. For a lovable but dizzy woman like Boland, L'Amour is a complicated thing, and they are going to both come to grips with their differences.
For a good portion of the 1930's, the light comedy of Charlie Ruggles and Mary Boland provided a ton of laughs. They weren't your typical screen team, playing both leads and supporting parts, but often together. Vivienne Osborne is the eccentric stage actress who flirts openly with Ruggles and provides a brief unfulfilled temptation for Ruggles. As for Menjou, he's as dashing as ever, a reminder of the well dressed man about town whose image was made fun of in "Sunset Blvd." Also providing laughs is the forever lovable Louise Beavers, cast as (what else?) the lovable maid, advising Boland based on her own experience with her many husbands.
Not quite a "B" film (but not a blockbuster either), this succeeds on the merits of its easy to take screenplay, art decco sets, sophisticated costumes and a reminder of the glamorous days of the depression era 1930's. There's enough subtle insinuation that keeps this clean without insulting the story. This is a delightful forgotten screwball comedy that covers a lot of ground and finishes the race a winner.
Wealthy botanist Charlie Ruggles calls his wife Mary Boland everyday at 10am and 4pm. So she knows that he's thinking about her. Flowers, candy, pistachio nuts. But is that really romance or just a routine? It is to Ruggles' old college rival (Adolph Menjou) who puts it into her head that Ruggles only does it out of obligation, sending Boland into a depression. Too lame to see the truth, Ruggles strives to make her jealous, and oh what a mistake that is. For a lovable but dizzy woman like Boland, L'Amour is a complicated thing, and they are going to both come to grips with their differences.
For a good portion of the 1930's, the light comedy of Charlie Ruggles and Mary Boland provided a ton of laughs. They weren't your typical screen team, playing both leads and supporting parts, but often together. Vivienne Osborne is the eccentric stage actress who flirts openly with Ruggles and provides a brief unfulfilled temptation for Ruggles. As for Menjou, he's as dashing as ever, a reminder of the well dressed man about town whose image was made fun of in "Sunset Blvd." Also providing laughs is the forever lovable Louise Beavers, cast as (what else?) the lovable maid, advising Boland based on her own experience with her many husbands.
Not quite a "B" film (but not a blockbuster either), this succeeds on the merits of its easy to take screenplay, art decco sets, sophisticated costumes and a reminder of the glamorous days of the depression era 1930's. There's enough subtle insinuation that keeps this clean without insulting the story. This is a delightful forgotten screwball comedy that covers a lot of ground and finishes the race a winner.