I viewed the 66minute American version of this film which is strangely titled "Adventure In Blackmail".The film originally ran for 79minutes and many scenes have been brutally truncated.This may contribute to the lack of humour though i somehow doubt it.The first problem is with the script which is unfunny surprising given that Emric Pressburgers name is attached to it.It may also be the fact that Clive Brook at 55 is just too old a lead to make the premise of the film work particularly when you consider that Judy Campbell was just 26 when the film was made.So it rather undercuts the prenise of Breach of Promise.As with all farces the situation gets rather turned on its head and we land up with a very predictable ending.Compare this with say My favourite wife made about the same time by RKO in Hollywood.Imagine what Cary Grant and Irene Dunne could have made with these parts.A lot more than Brook and Campbell.
2 Reviews
Breach of good taste.
mark.waltz17 September 2020
Warning: Spoilers
The lack of believable motives and chemistry between Clive Brook and Judy Campbell makes this humorless British drama nearly unbearable to get through. It concerns a successful playwright (Brook) who accepts a kiss from a stranger (Campbell) for good luck on opening night, resulting in a lawsuit for breach of marriage and a quickie marriage as an attempt for revenge. But revenge from whom? It's painful to sympathize with either person even though it's obvious that the writers are going to throw in twists so the viewer seems obligated to care. This is creaky in the most painful of ways and laughable especially for the age difference between the two.
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