Source novel (info not known) was originally adapted by Emeric Pressburger as a vehicle for Elizabeth Bergner, who ended up appearing in
49th Parallel instead. The credited screenplay is by Robert Pirosh, Joseph Schrank & Ken Englund - whether there's any Pressburger left is unknown, but either way it is a very entertaining piece of work, e.g. Fonda on the phone describing a yacht whilst Tierney is lying in front of him sunbathing, and the two descriptions seem to go together!
It's a sort of reworking of the previous year's
The Lady Eve, in which dope Henry Fonda is suckered by professional con artists (the great) Laird Cregar and Spring Byington, who have roped in gorgeous shopgirl Gene Tierney. John Shepperd, Frank Orth (detective) and Henry Stephenson (Colonel-ish casino owner) also feature.
Examples of film's wit:
Byington describing their somewhat illegal activities as a "supertax".
Fonda to Tierney: "If you didn't have a face like that our quarrels would last a lot longer".
When Honda 'holds up' the accomplices and Laird says "How corny was that?"
Incredible dancing scene.
Film is quite risqué, and highly recommended.
Photography: George Barnes.
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