Der Mann mit dem Kuckuck

Back during the golden age of Hollywood, things were not always so golden when it came to casting folks in films. Since almost all the actors were contract players essentially belonging to one studio, the studios often tried to fit the actors into films instead of finding the best actor or actress for the part. So, when MGM wanted to do a film about China, they cast Walter Huston and Katharine Hepburn in it! And, the same sort of wacky casting happened somewhat regularly. While not nearly as goofy, some knucklehead at MGM thought 'Robert Taylor isn't busy with a film and he IS very popular...so let's have him star in "Personal Property"'...even though the role calls for him to be English!! He sounds about as English as Greta Garbo...and this is the same guy who starred as a brash American in "A Yank at Oxford"! Now I am not saying this is a bad film....just a badly cast film. Jean Harlow (in her last completed movie) is just fine because she plays an American fortune- hunter. And, Reginald Owen is just fine as her upper-class English fiancé...though you are expected to believe he and Taylor are brothers!

When the film begins, Raymond Dabney (Taylor) has just gotten out of jail for something...though they don't say what. His brother, Claude (Owen) is upset because the sudden appearance of Raymond might scare away the fiancée, Crystal (Harlow). By a complete act of chance, Raymond sees Crystal at the opera and INSTANTLY falls head over heels for her. In 1930s films, this is kind of cute as he constantly follows her. When seen today, he seems much more like a creepy stalker!

It turns out that Crystal AND Claude are both interested in marrying each other because they think the other one is rich! Claude is far from rich...and Crystal is so broke that practically everything she owns is being repossessed! So how's all this going to work out and how is Raymond going to figure into all this? See the film...find out for yourself.

Overall, it's a decent film....enjoyable but also slight and easy to forget. The only outstanding portion was the dinner party sequence, as I thought it was rather funny seeing the British actors exaggerating their stuffy upper-class patter. They were so incredibly dull and awful...but funny.

Apparently the only film Jean Harlow and Robert Taylor starred together, this harmless but ultimately forgettable MGM star vehicle is gravely marred by plush MGM studio sets and a drab, unconvincing direction by W.S. Van Dyke, though it has its moments of unintentional humor. But given the stars and the studio, this could have been more entertaining. It is a tedious mélange of romance and comedy that somehow frazzles or drowns when a good or funny scene ends. Harlow plays an impoverished but glamorous American widow named Crystal Wetherby who, at first, has her sights set on a penniless Englishman (Reginald Owen) but soon becomes interested in Robert Taylor. If you are a fan of the stars, "Personal Property" can be eminently watchable, though Dyke's sluggish pacing can be gruelling at times.

I have been seeing many of Jean Harlow's films thanks to the glorious T.C.M. In the past few months, I have caught The Girl From Missouri, Reckless, Dinner at Eight, Wife Versus Secretary, and Red Headed Woman. My opinion of her as a comedienne has definitely improved after seeing her growth and maturation as an actor. Actually, all the titles I mentioned are better than Personal Property.

As for this movie, Jean is charming as ever, but she does not exhibit the same sparkle as she had in previous films. She looks beautiful as always, but she does show a bit of the extra weight also exhibited in Saratoga. Of course, this was due to her kidneys failing, as her health was in serious and fatal decline.

The movie itself is a bit on the slow side, and I think Robert Taylor, though handsome, wasn't up to her level. I think part of the film fell flat due to his performance.

One thing that totally puzzles me is that in the movie Robert Taylor's family all have British accents except for him. He sounds totally American. What's the deal with that?

A piece of trivia: I noticed that in the film she wore William Powell's star sapphire ring, a sort of engagement ring.

If you are a Jean Harlow fan, this movie should be seen, but she's so much better in Red Headed Woman, The Girl From Missouri, and Bombshell, just to name a few.

It's sad to see that Jean Harlow is largely forgotten by so many in our society today. Read David Stenn's book Bombshell: The Life and Death of Jean Harlow for superb information on her.

Never viewed this Jean Harlow film where she stars as a widow with the name, Crystal Wetherby and Robert Taylor, (Raymond Dabney). Robert Dabney just comes home to his family after being in prison for six months for breaking the law and his brother and father are not pleased to see him come back home. Robert's mother is the only one who is happy to see her son and she wants to protect her son. The Dabney Family deals with ladies underwear and the business is not doing very well and Robert's brother wants to marry Crystal Wetherby for her money in order to save his business and he does not want anyone to know he had a brother who went to prison. It just so happens that Crystal is also broke and owes a large sum of money and she is being hounded by the bill collectors. Raymond Dabney is hired by a sheriff to collect the funds owed him and requires that Raymond stay in Crystal's home until the debt is paid. Crystal decides to have Raymond pose as her butler, but does not realize that Raymond is a Dabney and his brother wants to marry her. There is plenty of comedy and Jean Harlow and Robert Taylor burn up the silver screen together.

What surprised me about PERSONAL PROPERTY is that Robert Taylor had such a good sense of humor that could have been used in more films of this type for him when he was starting out. Usually cast as a rather dour and stern looking type (and later, the heroic villain or bad guy with a gun), it's a pleasure to see him in this mild romantic comedy that passes the time pleasantly enough but is easily forgotten.

Jean Harlow co-stars with Taylor in what would be her last completed role for MGM. She seems a bit sluggish with her comeback remarks and somehow seems lacking the zest she usually showed in her romantic comedies with William Powell or Clark Gable. But she and Taylor make a handsome couple.

The silly story never quite comes off as convincing enough with a strange number of elements in the plotting that has Taylor pretending to be her butler while falling in love with her--although she seems to resist his charms from the start. While the predictable ending is never in doubt, it takes a bit of persuasion to believe his brother could be Reginald Owen.

Summing up: The thin plot moves rather sluggishly despite the brief running time but there are a few chuckles to get out of the whole thing. All in all, it's undistinguished from any viewpoint and a not too subtle jab at the idle rich.