Hold That Kiss

While watching Hold That Kiss this morning I once again had in mind the famous MGM pecking order. The film was to me obviously something written with Joan Crawford in mind.

But it went to Maureen O'Sullivan for one reason or another and wound up as a B film with her and Dennis O'Keefe. She's a fashion model in a fancy department store and he's a travel agent. They meet at a society wedding and each thinks the other is worth a few bucks. After that they put on quite interesting campaigns to land the other.

Hold That Kiss is a pleasant and amusing comedy from MGM's B picture unit. It's got quite a good list of character actors in support. Most prominent however was Mickey Rooney who next year would be the number one box office male star in the nation. He plays O'Sullivan's younger brother and an eager participant in her schemes.

There's also a nice diverting subplot involving Frank Albertson who's another of O'Sullivan's brothers and Edward Brophy who is O'Keefe's sidekick. Each has an all consuming interest in the sport of kings and not from the society end of owning and improving the breed. I can't really go into too many details, but trust me it's a pip.

I could easily see Hold That Kiss on an MGM double bill at the Loew's theaters around the nation with Boys Town. Imagine that, a double Mickey.

Poor travel agent Tommy Bradford (Dennis O'Keefe) gets invited by wealthy J. Westley Piermont to his daughter's wedding. Piermont introduces June Evans (Maureen O'Sullivan) to him. They both start lying about themselves to the other. She's also poor and her younger brother Chick (Mickey Rooney) only adds to the lie.

This starts with an interesting premise. I like the couple, but they're not really heating up the screen until after they discovered the truth. After the initial start, the family becomes the more prominent part and their antics are much more fun. Mickey Rooney has third billing in this. It is the third act where the couple comes back hard and it is a fun time.

The worst thing about this charming, well acted comedy is its generic title. Hold what kiss?

The leads are at their romantic best. The supporting players are delightful.

I personally would have preferred it sans the Mickey Rooney character but he doubtless helped its box office (if it had any.)

A few stereotypes are engaged in, too; but otherwise, it is a charming concoction. It's funny: O'Sullivan's boss Monsieur Maurice is written very broadly but the penultimate scene in which a tricked O'Keefe tricks her by making her pose in one gown after another after another -- they now know each other to be in retail and not in society -- is very funny.

Maureen O'Sullivan works for a caterer at a wedding. Dennis O'Keefe is a clerk from a travel agency delivering steamship tickets. They mistake each other for wealthy guests. They begin a courtship, masquerading as the cream of society.

MGM's efforts at screwball rarely sparkled, but this one shows the usual studio gloss with a cast that includes Mickey Rooney, Jessie Relph, and Eddie Brophy. Miss O'Sullivan remains too ladylike at all times. However, there are enough well-crafted lines and situations to make this one enjoyable; I suspect that Ogden Nash's uncredited contribution are among the best.

The major studios which M.G.M. was the biggest, had a stable of contract players that had to be kept occupied. From the heavy-weight Stars like GABLE, LOY, POWELL, SHEARER and TRACY to character actors, all had to be kept busy. Fifty-Two (52) features a year was the standard of the 'majors' plus shorts. From 'A' efforts too 'Bs' like this one, HOLD THAT KISS (1938).

The plot of these were simple. This comedy is a typical 'Boy meets Girl', both pretending to be of the '400'. Not wishing the other to know of their rather common back-rounds. Neither wanting to admit the truth until the last reel when true love wins out over perceived social prejudices.

MAUREEN O'SULLIVAN, never a major star was a good filler for this type of film. Something to plug into between TARZANs' and pregnancies. DENNIS O'KEEFE was being groomed for a stardom he would never fulfill, but MICKEY ROONEY would go on to greater things. The rest of the cast, all professional character actors. Who knew their lines, hit their marks and got the picture done on time and under budget. This made them very popular with Louis B. Mayer and the money men back in New York City.