Loose Ankles

Based on a successful play and moderately pre-Code, this look at 1930 Flaming Youth has Loretta Young as a not-that-interesting heiress and Douglas Fairbanks Jr., looking younger than I've ever seen him, as the nice boy forced to pose as a gigolo by his roistering buddies. There's some amusing pre-Code clucking about overnight guests of the opposite gender, and a lot of footage given over to Louise Fazenda, as a too-prim aunt unwittingly given some liquor and turning into a loose woman; this was the era when alcohol was still automatically hilarious. Warners peddles its own contemporary hit songs in the background ("Am I Blue?", "Painting the Clouds With Sunshine") and there's some clunky choreography in the nightclub sequence, but the focus is mostly on Loretta and Doug, who are quite charming together. His lack of experience shows, but he's convincingly a young man in love, and what young man could wish for a lovelier conquest than Loretta. An undemanding time capsule, with sufficient spirit.

This film is a little known entry from the early days of "talkies" that deserves better recognition. Not a masterpiece by any means, it is still a forerunner of the screwball comedies of the later 30s and 40s and, as such, is pleasant and delightful in its own way.

The cast is very good. It is hard to believe that Loretta Young, playing an heiress who wants to create a family scandal, was only sixteen or seventeen when this movie was made. She has a charm and sensuality that belies her years. Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., who was nearly as young, does a nice job as a bumbling wannabe gigolo who falls in love with Loretta. Also, as noted by other reviewers, Louise Fazenda, as Young's aunt, and Daphne Pollard, as the "helpful" maid, give very funny performances.

The next time that this movie is on TCM, try to catch it or tape it. There are a lot worse ways to spend an hour or so.

Talkies introduced a new breed of cinematic female comedians that were quickly replacing such silent movies' light-hearted actresses as Mabel Norman and Mary Pickford. Teenager Loretta Young, 17, serves as a prime example of those young performers with silky voices ready to step into the shoes of the silent veterans. Her February 1930 comedy "Loose Ankles" demonstrates Young's ability to draw laughs from theater audiences. The film's premise showcases a pair of prudish spinster aunts to Ann Berry (Young), who stands to inherit a fortune from her late wealthy grandmother if she marries a man acceptable to her two guardians The plot, adapted from the 1925 Sam Janney play as well as the 1925 silent, 'Ladies At Play,' follows the manipulations of Young and her cousin, Betty (Inez Courtney) when they place an ad in the paper for a potential hubby. Ann Berry doesn't want the money and is looking for a scandal to break the inheritance. They pick one sucker, Gil Hayden (Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.), who answered the ad.

The free-spirited movie fires at a near 'screwball comedy'-fashion pace in the hands of Ted Wilde's direction. An Academy Award nominee for Best Director of a Comedy Picture for his 1928 Harold Lloyd "Speedy," Wilde had the natural touch of making scenes hilarious by mixing full-to-medium framed shots with reactionary close-ups in the midst of a quickened pace. Wilde's imprint shows during the scene when Ann Berry arranges reporters to come to her apartment as a naked Gil is discovered in her bedroom. As a 'pre-code' era film, when the Hays' Production Code Office was more permissive with their censorship than later on, "Loose Ankles" was allowed to show a sequence of the two aunts, Aunt Sarah Harper (Louise Fazenda) and Aunt Katherine Harper (Ethel Wales), getting snookered at an illegal speakeasy by two of Gil's roommates acting as gigolos.

The film's snappy dialogue shows an advancement in suggestiveness from those silent movies where their inter-titles were restricted from displaying over-the-top innuendos. One exchange in "Loose Ankles": "You don't mean to say you've been in a compromising position?" Response: "Well, the positions weren't so bad, but the circumstances were." With scenes of illegal drinking, salty language and suggestive sequences, Hollywood was indeed heading in a new direction with the arrival of talkies.

Loretta Young fit snugly in this 'new woman-of-the-screen' category. Born Gretchen Young, her mother secured parts parts for her at the tender age three, beginning in 1916. Appearing in ten movies in the next 12 years, Young's big role during that span was as an extra as an Arab girl in the 1921 Rudolph Valentino's "The Sheik." Young's hired manager's wife, actress Colleen Moore, gave Gretchen her stage name, Loretta, after Moore's favorite doll. Young's first credited debut under her new name was in Lon Chaney's 1928 'Laugh, Clown, Laugh.' After filming "Loose Ankles," she eloped with actor Grant Withers, nine years her senior. A year later, her marriage was annulled. Even an emotional divorce couldn't stop Young from playing spritely roles in comedy, especially after she displayed her comedic chops in "Loose Ankles.".

Loose Ankles (1930)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Rich girl Ann Harper (Loretta Young) inherits her grandmother's fortune but she must get married and have the man approved by two of three selected people as well as avoid any scandal. Feeling the entire thing is a bunch of junk, Ann decides to "hire" Gil Hayden (Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.) to make some trouble and cause her the inheritance. LOOSE ANKLES starts off on a very good path but it quickly falls apart during the second half but there's still plenty of reasons to check this out. If you're a fan of Douglas or especially Young then this here is going to be a must see because the two of them have some nice chemistry together and this helps keep the film moving at a good pace. This is especially true for Young who is very good in the part and the director wastes no time showing off her beautiful legs. The film certainly fits the pre-code standard of allowing more frank situations to enter and there's a very funny scene where Young is trying to undress Fairbanks but not really knowing how. Another funny scene is the will reading where Young really gets a chance to shine. The supporting players are also good and help keep this film moving. I think the film starts off well but begins to fall apart in the second half because things get a tad bit too silly for their own good. Still, fans of the stars or pre-code films should still have plenty here to enjoy.

After receiving a "foot powder" (as director Ted Wilde has the camera caress her beautiful legs), pretty Loretta Young (as Ann Harper Berry) is ready to attend the reading of a wealthy grandmother's will. She inherits a fortune, but Ms. Young must marry a nice young man and avoid scandal in order to collect. Young decides to advertise. She finds good-looking and unscrupulous Douglas Fairbanks Jr. (as Gil Hayden) through an escort service. However, their business arrangement gets complicated by love and scandal...

Young's sexy opening is followed by the beautiful actress appearing in slinky attire. Not to be outdone, Mr. Fairbanks is stripped of his clothing by zealous maid Daphne Pollard (as Agnes), in order to assume a "compromising" position. However, it is cute gigolo Eddie Nugent (as Andy Martin) who gets the naughtiest scenes. Introduced in a bathtub, Mr. Nugent later appears without his pants; apparently, for no other reason than to exchange more personal foot spankings with fellow escort Norman Selby (as Terry Todd)...

The cast winds up in the wicked "Circus Cafe", with leggy dancers and plenty to drink. Straight-laced aunts Ethel Wales (as Katherine) and Louise Fazenda (as Sarah) don't know the punch is spiked. Also appearing are snorting Otis Harlan (as Rupert Harper), smoking Inez Courtney (as Betty), and studly Raymond Keane (Linton Harper). Young and Fairbanks become mechanical as the supporting players take over the screen. "Loose Ankles" is stolen from them, especially by Nugent and Ms. Wales.

******* Loose Ankles (2/2/30) Ted Wilde ~ Loretta Young, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Edward J. Nugent, Ethel Wales