A nimble, early film from Wyler - well, not that early - he started in silents - though distinguished by certain long takes between actors, and thus in a way set the model for Preston Sturges' own films (he wrote it) when he began directing. I was intrigued to read on IMDB that Wyler started to develop the style of deep focus photography in this film, but there's absolutely no evidence of that (Norbert Brodine shot it. What's the casual version of 'Norbert' - 'Norb'?*)
Orphaned Margaret Sullavan finds life in the Big City (Budapest; the source is Ferenc Molnar) daunting. She is fortunate to run into protective waiter Reginald Owen, less fortunate to be hit on by Frank Morgan, ends up helping impoverished lawyer Herbert Marshall. With Eric Blore, Beulah Bondi, Alan Hale, Cesar Romero, Luis Alberni. Universal.
Hilarious film-within-film in which man just keeps on saying 'Go' to the woman.
 |
In Sturges' autobiography, he writes "Two weeks before the picture finished, Willie eloped with Maggie Sullavan. He asked my opinion of the proposed match beforehand, but he must not have heard what I said." (It didn't last long.) The script's peppered with the usual Sturgesisms, like "I can do with one honest lawyer, but don't overdo it."
* Ed. 'Bert' more likely, idiot.
No comments:
Post a Comment