We're in the Money

All I can say is any Warner film that has ROSS Alexander and PHIL REGAN in supporting roles is already in trouble. Ross has no sparks as a leading man running away from a process server (Joan Blondell) and Regan's high-pitched tenor is hard on the ears. For comic slant we have HUGH HERBERT in another one of his stereotyped roles to gather whatever laughs there are from a motorboat out of control.

Then we have JOAN BLONDELL and GLENDA FARRELL fast talking their way through an "Okay, toots" kind of script and we have more trouble ahead as the two leading ladies blunder their way through one mistake after another in search of good comedic results. The script is no help, with Blondell getting dumped overboard from a yacht several times in a row.

Mercifully, the programmer is only 66 minutes in length, but seems longer than that. Not recommended to anyone but die hard Joan Blondell fans who apparently think she's great in everything, no matter how ridiculous the plotting is or how slim the material.

EARLY Joan Blondell.. LOVE HER in Desk Set, but that was about twenty years after this. She and Glenda Farrell were silly working girls in all those black and whites in the 1930s and 1940s... Ginger and Dixie are process servers, and are trying to get out of such a dangerous business. Their boss has one last assignment for them, and after being offered a huge amount, this will be their last caper, serving the big mob boss who doesn't want to be served. Ginger has a beau Carter, played by Ross Alexander. Sadly, Alexander offed himself a couple years after this film was released. The Hays film code had just started being strictly enforced, and this clearly was not good news for Alexander, as his lifestyle could not be kept quiet, and this clashed with the studio big-shots. Silly, vaudeville man Hugh Herbert is the goofy attorney, and is clearly here for the laughs. Some fun cameos, or almost cameos... a young Lionel Stander (Max.. from Hart to Hart) has several spoken lines. Walter Brennan is a guest at the wedding, and according to IMDb, Mayo Methot's scene was deleted. Also several songs by actor/singer Phil Regan... he had quite the adventures after his acting days, if you look him up on wikipedia. This one is fun, and scurries right along. Story is pretty straight forward, and has some clever lines. I recommend this one. Pretty surprised at the low rating... only a 6.. but of course, only 140 votes so far. Hopefully TCM will show this one more often.

"We're in the Money" is a comedy romance that pairs Joan Blondell and Glenda Farrell in one of five films they made together. In this one, they are process servers hired by Hugh Herbert, a shady lawyer, Homer Bronson, who has had a hard time trying to serve warrants on various characters.

As two attractive bombshells, Joan's Ginger Stewart and Glenda's Dixie Tilton, are able to fenagle their way into the inner sanctums of men and catch their prey. But, for their last target, it becomes complicated when Ginger falls for Richard Courtney, played by Ross Alexander. He has been disguised as a chauffeur named Carter, just to avoid being served.

One might wonder how Herbert's Bronson ever got through any law school to become an attorney. But then, some of us have seen some real blockheads and daffy lawyers.

The film has some scenes with funny antics and situations. And, it has stretches of humorous dialog. If ever there were two subpoena servers like these, they would be the best in the business. This may be the best film of the two female leads. These aren't anywhere near the top comedies of Hollywood for the period, but they are okay for light entertainment.

Here are some favorite lines from this film. For more comedy dialog, see the Quotes section under this IMDb Web page of the movie.

Ginger Stewart, "But you told me that you won't be a chauffeur for long." Carter, "That's right. In a few days, and I'll be out of this uniform." Stewart, "Oh, I'm sorry. I like you in this uniform. But you won't tell me what you're gonna be?" Carter, "Well you won't even tell me what you are now." Stewart, "It doesn't matter. Cause what I am now I'm not gonna be for long, either."

Carter, "I wish whoever's honking that horn would stop. I had to combine business with pleasure."

Dixie Tilton, "In a town full of big cars, you have to fall for a chauffeur."

Ginger Stewart, "I'm going to be busy and won't be able to see you." Carter, "I was wondering how I was going to break the same sad news to you." Ginger, "You going on a trip?" Carter, "Just a short one. But it'll clear up a lot of things, for us."

Ginger Stewart, "I have to go." Carter, "It'll be a long wait. But I guess there's nothing either of us can do about it." Stewart, "Well, as long as it has to be, it's nice we both picked the same time. After that, things'll be different." Carter, "For both of us."

Carter, "Have you ever been in love?" Jevons, "Not in recent years, sir." Carter, "Marvelous feeling, wasn't it?" Jevons, "I've heard it spoken of very highly, sir."

Carter, "Jevons, have I ever told you about her eyes? They're like..." Jevons, "Two spoonfuls of the Mediterranean. Yes, sir."

Butch Gonzola, "C'mon, Clancy." Policeman Clancy O'Rourke, "Yeah, we need each other's protection."

Two lady process servers will stop at nothing to do their job - but then one falls in love with the man they are stalking...

WE'RE IN THE MONEY was the sort of ephemeral comic frippery which the studios produced almost effortlessly during the 1930's. Well made & highly enjoyable, Depression audiences couldn't seem to get enough of these popular, funny photo dramas.

Joan Blondell & Glenda Farrell are perfectly cast as the fearless, fast-talking females who will try anything to serve their subpoenas. Although Joan gets both top billing and the romantic scenes, both gals are as talented & watchable as they are gorgeous.

Ross Alexander plays Blondell's love interest and he does a very nice job. Remembered now chiefly for his appearance in the classic A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM (1935), this talented young man from Brooklyn was gifted with the good looks & acting skills which should have made him a major Hollywood star. Instead, Alexander ended up in mostly forgettable parts in obscure films. Tragically, Ross Alexander died a suicide in 1937, at the age of only 29.

Hugh Herbert, whimsical & wacky as ever, appears as the girls' boss. Whether driving a stolen car or piloting a speeding motorboat, he is equally hilarious. Behind him comes a rank of character actors - Henry O'Neill, E.E. Clive, Lionel Stander, Hobart Cavanaugh - all equally adept at wringing every smile out of any situation. Sharp-eyed movie mavens should spot an unbilled Walter Brennan as a witness at the wedding.

While never stars of the first rank, Joan Blondell (1906-1979) & Glenda Farrell (1904-1971) enlivened scores of films at Warner Bros. throughout the 1930's, especially the eight in which they appeared together. Whether playing gold diggers or working girls, reporters or secretaries, these blonde & brassy ladies were very nearly always a match for whatever leading man was lucky enough to share equal billing alongside them. With a wisecrack or a glance, their characters showed they were ready to take on the world - and any man in it. Never as wickedly brazen as Paramount's Mae West, you always had the feeling that, tough as they were, Blondell & Farrell used their toughness to defend vulnerable hearts ready to break over the right guy. While many performances from seven decades ago can look campy or contrived today, these two lovely ladies are still spirited & sassy.

... and if they had it would have likely been much better.

Dixie Tilton (Glenda Farrell) and Ginger Stewart (Joan Blondell) are process servers employed by attorney Homer Bronson (Hugh Herbert). They want to quit, but Bronson has a troublesome client, Claire LeClaire who is suing a rich man for breach of promise. There are four subpoenas involved, and the male servers who have attempted to do the serving have been beaten up. Bronson promises the girls a thousand dollars if they can serve all four, the idea being that a female process server will not be suspected. Ginger is in love with a chauffeur she has been meeting in the park and she only knows his name is Carter. He is, in fact, the object of the breach of promise suit. C. RIchard Courtney. He wears the chauffeur's outfit to throw process servers off the trail. Neither Carter nor Ginger knows who the other is, but since Ginger is going to end up serving him, you just know complications will ensue when the truth comes out about both of them.

As it stands it would have made a good three reel (30 minutes long) short. Or the plot could have been beefed up considerably and it could have been worthy of its 64 minute runtime. Instead it is stuffed with a wrestling match, a nightclub number, and a bunch of badly done overlong chase scenes both in boats and cars with third rate back projection while the actual dialogue and cast interaction is somewhat anemic. I will say this about it - Joan Blondell and Glenda Farrell have great chemistry together and make a terrific comedic duo. It's no wonder they were teamed several times as they were a joy to watch.