La folle confession

The aspirant writer Helen Bartlett (Carole Lombard) and her husband, the lawyer Kenneth "Ken" Bartlett (Fred MacMurray) are facing financial difficulties, since Helen is a mediocre writer and compulsive liar and Ken is an ethical and honest lawyer and can not find clients. Ken does not want that Helen works, but she secretly accepts the job of secretary to work with her father's friend Otto Krayler (John T. Murray) having a high salary for a few working hours a day. However, she is lured by Krayler that harasses her and she leaves his apartment. Helen summons her best friend Daisy McClure (Una Merkel) to go with her to retrieve her coat and purse from the apartment. But Krayler is found dead and Helen becomes the prime suspect of the police. Ken believes that his wife killed Krayler to defend her honor in self-defense and he defends her in court. After the trial, Helen is blackmailed by the weird Charles "Charley" Jasper (John Barrymore).

"True Confession" is not the best screwball comedy, but makes laugh. The story is dated and Helen Bartlett is not a bright character, with silly and stupid attitudes that are funny, but not intelligent jokes. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Confissão de Mulher" ("Confession of Woman")

TRUE CONFESSION is one of the unsung gems of the 1930's, a brilliant black comedy that surprisingly is often written off as a misfire. I think it may be because it is so remarkably different than other 1930's comedies which usually feature lovable and endearing characters in a charming situation; in TRUE CONFESSION we get a certified pathological liar in Lombard and a downright menacing villain in Barrymore. Lombard starts as a woman finds herself falsely accused of murder, to help her husband's floundering career as a lawyer she falsely admits to the crime!! This wacky, envelope-pushing comedy is a thorough delight and makes the cynicism in a more famous Lombard picture, NOTHING SACRED, seem downright sugary. Alas, this picture, clearly inspired by the plot of the famous 1920's musical CHICAGO, was obviously too audacious in theme for 1930's audiences as it would be in 1942 when Ginger Rogers filmed the musical as a song-less comedy in ROXIE HART. CHICAGO was never really appreciated until it's 1975 revival and it's later film version with Renee Zellwegger, but critical respect for ROXIE HART came around with time and I believe it's time for TRUE CONFESSION too to get a new reevaluation as a pioneer black comedy.

Lombard is at her best as the novelist who couldn't tell the truth if she wanted to; Barrymore is superb in an over-the-top caricature of as seedy adventurer. Una Merkel is absolutely perfect as Carole's best friend, this has to be one of her greatest roles. Fred MacMurray is a solid presence as Lombard's devoted and idealistic husband and very sexy too, especially in those swimsuit scenes near the end. Famed movie musical chorine Toby Wing is fun in a bit part as the mistress/"secretary" of the deceased and Hattie McDaniel is hilarious in her few scenes and has perhaps the best line in the picture as she quizzes MacMurray about possibly representing her in as of yet uncommitted crime. Beautifully photographed by Ted Tetzlaff and brilliantly directed Wesley Ruggles, TRUE CONFESSION has more potential to become a cult film than any as of yet undiscovered 1930's comedy that I've seen.

What a mess this thing is! Both lead characters are fools and irritating in the bargain. Carole's native intelligence shines through which actually weakens the movie since it reminds you that a woman obviously this smart would never do things so stupid. Fred's part is a dullard simp and even he would never believe the ridiculous things his wife comes up with. John Barrymore, or rather what's left of him at this point, is beyond hammy with another character that makes no sense. The only bright spot is Una Merkel who gives a sprightly, cute performance of the only person in the picture who seems like she would actually exist. Aside from her the movie is a dog.

... and he's pathologically honest. In fact, Kenneth Bartlett is an attorney who will only take innocent clients. Someone should break it to him that the ethics of his profession - and the production code for that matter - only require that he not break the law himself and not suborn perjury. You're perfectly free to take guilty clients. They need counsel too.

As a result, the Bartletts don't have much money because Kenneth Bartlett can't get any innocent clients. His wife Helen (Carole Lombard) is a novelist, but she wants to get a job to help out with the lack of funds. Ken tells her not to, but she finds one anyways that only requires that she work three hours a day five days a week and pays 50 dollars a week. But when she shows up her employer, Otto Krayler, turns out to be a wolf and attacks her. She hits him with something and runs away. When she later tries to sneak back into the house to get her purse and hat, the police show up at the same time because Krayler has been murdered. She is arrested for the murder, and Ken ends up defending her. Somehow, after talking to Ken, she figures the only way she can get out of this is claim she did kill Krayler, but it was because he was assaulting her.

Helen is acquitted of the killing, and suddenly her fiction is in high demand and Ken starts getting more (innocent?) clients than he knows what to do with. They buy a large home on a lake. But then a monkey wrench gets thrown into all of this when an absurd criminologist (John Barrymore) shows up at the Bartlett home demanding a princely sum for Krayler's wallet - proof that he killed Bartlett. Complications ensue.

Yes, Lombard's character does some wacky things like going through with being a defendant in a murder trial when she had nothing to do with the killing, but Ken told her that to claim anything other than what she did could lead to the death penalty. So Ken gets annoyed at her when she wants a job because they don't have enough money to live due to his pickiness with clients, he tells her to plead not guilty would lead to her execution so she lies and pleads self defense, and then he gets annoyed at her later because she seems to be enjoying their prosperity even though it came at the expense of Krayler's life - she knows it did not.

I still rate this one pretty highly because the idea is a unique one and well executed, even if one major character is an unlikable drip.

A witty, original black comedy made at the height of the screwball comedy era of the 1930's. Carole Lombard's role originates the wacky wife that became a staple in films and television. Her efforts to make her husband (Fred MacMurray)a successful lawyer offer a still-relevant critique of what Americans tolerates of people "making it" and "getting ahead" in American society, in addition to sharp, witty comments on the meaning of celebrity in American society. The playing of MacMurray and Lombard as husband and wife is vibrant, sexy, wholly believable. They radiate a sense of joy playing off each other. The teaming of MacMurray, Lombard, and John Barrymore makes for one of the most memorable screen teamings ever. Una Merkel is sharp as Lombard's best friend. Beautiful, sunny, often noirish photography enhances the beauty of the stars and the black aspects of the plot.