Hot Money

Hot Money (1935)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Hal Roach short with Thelma Todd and Patsy Kelly. In the film the two girls are about to be kicked out of their apartment but that's until a thief enters their room and drops off $50,000. Todd is a favorite of mine and she delivers plenty of laughs but I've always had a problem with Kelly. She can be a funny woman and has several funny moments here but when she goes off on her "tough girl" act, it gets rather annoying. She has several annoying moments here that keep this from being better.

As of now these Roach shorts aren't on DVD but Turner Classic Movies plays them once in a while.

PATSY KELLY is a bit more brash than usual as THELMA TODD's roommate, informed by their landlord that unless they pay the rent that evening he'll have to evict them.

Kelly rubs an Aladdin's lamp and asks for $50,000 but instead of a genie a criminal with hot money in his hands drops off the loot in the sum of $50,000 at their apartment until he can return to collect it. Naturally, Kelly thinks it's a way to pay the landlord and flee with the cash. Todd isn't sure what to do, and always comes up with the line that she has to "take a rest and think about it." It's an amusing caper, totally improbable as most of these screwball shorts always were, but good for a few laughs.

Shown on TCM as part of a tribute to Thelma Todd, it's an example of her flair for comedy in the '30s before her untimely and controversial death.

"Hot Money" is a funny and likable Hal Roach short comedy starring Patsy Kelly & Thelma Todd, directed James W. Horne. A runaway thief dumps large of amount money on Kelly & Todd's apartment. The police are searching their room where the thief is hiding somewhere. Kelly as the dumb brunette gets mad and yells most of the time; Thelma Todd as the smart blonde is a bit restrained and understanding.

A harmless fun and a must if you like classic short comedies.