La mortaja de seda

Fast-paced little mystery-comedy involving a movie studio. The mystery's a little murky and the developments hard to keep up with. Nonetheless, Blondell and Brent are energetic, while Jergens has never looked lovelier. As rival newspaper reporters, Blondell and Brent have a friendly rivalry that usually involves him locking her in a closet. But being Blondell, you can't keep a good woman down. Veteran director Levin keeps things moving, and has a nice sense of pacing for a sometimes difficult narrative. As a result, events never drag. And I like the running gag with the wimpy guy in the waiting room who just wants to sing. Sure, this is no more than a routine programmer, but the two leads treat the material like an A-production, along with a rather surprising ending that I sure didn't see coming. All in all, it's an entertaining little time passer.

Despite an intriguing opening sequence referred to in the title, THE CORPSE CAME C.O.D. is simply a potboiler mystery that is too thin to be stretched into a movie almost 90 minutes. Movie star Adele Jergens receives the body of her fashion designer in a c.o.d. shipment of fabrics delivered to her home. The movie is alas an uninspired comedy-murder mystery with the aging George Brent in the lead (who was never very charismatic even in his youth as leading man to Bette Davis and other movie queens). The always dependable Joan Blondell shows up somewhat late in the proceedings (this would be the 41-year-old star's last romantic lead before moving into character parts) but she isn't able to make much out of this stale story. Adele Jergens is quite beautiful but not too interesting. One of the few bright spots is handsome tough guy Jim Bannon as a no-nonsense detective. Una O'Connor has a bit part where she does her scared screech shtick and then disappears from the rest of the movie.

The movie was based on a potboiler novel by Hollywood columnist Jimmy Starr. Covering it's bases and perhaps fearing the wrath of jealous rivals, the opening segment features cameos from virtually every such reporter working the Hollywood scene at the time including Louella Parsons and Hedda Hopper as well as Starr.

Alas, THE CORPSE CAME C.O.D. is a complete stiff as a film. The first time I attempted to watch it, I was so bored I couldn't get past 40 minutes. The next day I decided to watch the rest of it and had to go back a bit to what I'd already seen because it was so dull I forgotten much of what I had already viewed.

When a movie star accepts delivery of gown materials, she finds out that "The Corpse Came C.O.D.," a B film with an above average cast: George Brent, Joan Blondell, and Adele Jergens. Brent plays Joe Medford, a newspaper reporter in hot competition with Rosemary Durant (Blondell) to get the best stories. When star Mona Harrison (Jergens) discovers the body of a studio costume designer in a box of material, she calls Medford instead of the cops and begs for help. She and the designer didn't get along, and it looks as if she's being set up to take the fall.

This is fairly routine stuff brightened by the always delightful and energetic Blondell, whose character follows Medford everywhere, often getting caught. Brent conveys a light comic touch rarely seen in his leading man days of the '30s. By 1947, at the age of 48, Brent was moving into character parts and television. Ditto 41-year-old Blondell. I suppose B movies were a good way to have them use up their contractual obligations. Jergens is appropriately glamorous.

We actually learn more of the background story toward the end of the film rather than at the beginning, so the plot has a little twist that otherwise might not have been there. Otherwise, it's a lot of running, chasing, and hiding, but Blondell's many fans will enjoy it.

When watching this movie, it is easy to lose interest early in the script. But if you can hold on and watch to the end, you will be treated with a tale that makes for a pleasant watch.

The movie has all the feel of any other 1940's style comedy/mystery that pairs a man and a women working together to find a murderer. It has the fast pace talking, the 'one-better' scenes and the mysterious fist-a-cuffs in the dark-- all part of the same style. What sets this movie apart from others is that it has the two stars working separately on a case and coming up with the solution to a clever story. Add the surprise twist to the plot and you have a better movie than expected. However, the film does have it flaws.

The problem is that the first half of the film does little to stir interest. Yes, there is a murder and a suspect must be found. But the way the script quickly introduces characters to the plot causes much confusion. As the viewer is trying to cope with the task of remembering the main characters, the script continues bringing people to the cast that may, or may not, have anything to do with the story. It becomes crowded and confusing to the point of losing interest.

But if you can make it through the first half, you will be treated to a nice story that will remedy the interest. At times, the movie can be a little silly but overall it was an enjoyable departure from the norm.

Joan Blondell and George Brent must have felt like it was old home week and they were time warped back to the Thirties when both were contract players at Warner Brothers. This Columbia Picture has something of the look and feel of one of those Warner studio products from that era. Too bad it wasn't all that good.

Blondell and Brent play a couple of rival reporters who are trying to scoop the other concerning a murder. Adele Jergens plays a movie star who receives a shipment of bolts of cloth for some dress designs and the driver asks for it to be COD. What happens is that with the bolts of fabric is the body of the studio dress designer, The Corpse Comes COD.

As was the case in those days when the studio protects the stars from scandal, she calls a reporter friend George Brent who comes right over to Jergens home to comfort her and get a bead on the other papers. Then at his suggestion, she calls the cops and they come in the person of Detective Jim Bannon.

That gets Blondell's dander up and she's out to best Brent whatever the cost which drives Bannon up a wall.

Both Brent and Blondell are a little older and should be a little wiser fooling with an obstruction of justice charge for one or both of them. The elements of drama and comedy and mystery are not mixed very well in The Corpse Came COD. And the identity of the one behind the killing is not a surprise that is satisfactory as much as it is off the wall.

Brent and Blondell and the rest do their best, but the story just defeats them.