Snowed Under

At only 63 minutes long, "Snowed Under" is plenty long for its subject--a comedy about a playwright who holes up in a Connecticut cabin to finish a play, but is continuously interrupted by interlopers. I thought this film felt like a converted stage play, but it is not. Regardless, I think "cute" best describes this story about rekindled love amidst mayhem.

Alan Tanner (George Brent) is the playwright who seeks a third act. His first wife, Alice (Genevieve Tobin), is recruited by his producer to get the creative juices flowing in Alan. The second wife shows up seeking alimony, accompanied by a sheriff's deputy and an attorney. To further complicate things, a young woman with a crush on Alan injects herself into the proceedings.

While everyone is snowbound for a night, Alan and Alice try to write the third act that triggered this tale.

I can't say this is a great story or a hilariously funny piece, but I really enjoyed it. There are too many flaws to consider "Snowed Under" a classic comedy, but it tickles the funny bone. After a while, it feels like doors are slammed just for the sake of slamming them. But there are some good lines (e.g. "Now I hate to interrupt baby's first steps.") And the characters are likable. This comedy does not take itself too seriously and the lightheartedness is infectious. It would be fun to see what Clark Gable could have done with the Alan Tanner part.

A frustrated Broadway playwright finds himself SNOWED UNDER in a Connecticut country house with both of his ex-wives, the flirtatious girl next door, a deputy sheriff and a lawyer.

This delightful little comedy is an excellent example of the fluff films that Warner Bros. was so adept at producing during Hollywood's Golden Age. Boasting fine production values, a literate script & some genuinely funny performances, it is a shame that the film is so obscure today.

George Brent & Genevieve Tobin have charm to spare as the protagonists whose divorce seems in danger of floundering; sophisticated & witty, they are a very entertaining duo. Glenda Farrell is hilarious as the boozy floozy after Brent for unpaid alimony - this brassy blonde could always be counted on for some mischievous merriment.

Pixilated Frank McHugh is the milkman turned most unlikely deputy. John Eldredge plays the gentle young lawyer; Patricia Ellis is not gentle at all as the pushy prom princess from next door. Apoplectic producer Porter Hall & sassy housekeeper Helen Lowell add to the amusement.

Movie mavens should recognize Mary Treen as a secretary & Olin Howlin as the sheriff, both uncredited.

The producer of a play is having trouble with playwright Alan Tanner (George Brent) in that he can't seem to finish the third and final act of a play that is due to go into rehearsals. He taps Alan's first wife, Alice (Genevieve Tobin), to go to Tanner's home in Connecticut to help him finish that play. She shows up, Alan is more than a little glad to see her, and it looks like the play is on its way to getting finished. But then the deputy sheriff (Frank McHugh) shows up with a warrant for Alan's arrest for non-payment of alimony to the second wife, along with said gold-digging second wife (Glenda Farrell) and her lawyer (John Eldridge). Then Alan's current girlfriend (Patricia Ellis) sneaks back into the house, refusing to leave. With the sheriff's car wrecked and a blizzard in progress, all of these people have to spend the night under one roof. Complications ensue.

The way this is set up - playwright whose life has spun out of control due to missing his first wife after having cheated with, married, and divorced a gold digging showgirl but who also has a new girlfriend who is really too young for him but is used to having her way because her family is wealthy - It could have been spun into a Douglas Sirk film if you wanted to take the plot outline and make a melodrama. But like I said, it is obvious from the farcical beginning this is going to be light entertainment all the way and you can pretty much see the end from the beginning. It doesn't outlast its welcome at 62 minutes and is a nice way to pass the time if you are recovering from a nervous breakdown without a serious tense moment in its entire running time.

A nice cast, consisting of George Brent, Gladys George, Frank McHugh, Genevieve Tobin, and John Eldredge star in "Snowed Under," a 1936 Warner Brothers film.

Alan Tanner (Brent) has new play opening in a week, but the play has no acceptable third act.

In order to get it done, Tanner goes to a cottage, which at the moment is snowed under to work in peace. Not happening. His blonde neighbor (Patricia Ellis) is crazy about him and shows up.

The play's producer, Arthur Layton (Porter Hall), dispatches Alan's first wife Alice (Tobin) to keep him on task. Unfortunately Alan's second wife, Daisy (Farrell), shows up and demands her alimony.

Soon the women are screaming at one another and fighting over who can help Alan more. And the neighbor wants to know where she stands. Meanwhile Alan can't get any work done.

This is a madcap comedy, and for some reason I found it incredibly loud and a little too crazy, a fun premise, but forced. Despite going over the top, it has a sophistication to it.

Frank McHugh is a scream as a deputy sent to arrest Alan, who just may find some peace if he can only get to jail. With a little more attention, this film would have been much better.

Snowed Under casts George Brent as a playwright who is working to get a third act right for producer Porter Hall. To get away from it all he's taken a mountain cabin up in snow country to get some privacy and the creative juices flowing.

Privacy is about the last things he gets in this somewhat claustrophobic comedy where all three women in his life come for a visit. Ex-wife Genevieve Tobin arrives first, current estranged wife Glenda Farrell is second who brings along lawyer John Eldredge and Deputy Sheriff Frank McHugh to get either her back alimony or Brent in the pokey. Finally there's current girlfriend Patricia Ellis who kind of sneaks in when no one is looking.

Snowed Under is short and fast paced comedy in which Glenda Farrell stands out in this cast. Brent learns that old adage of it's cheaper to keep her.

We kind of know right away who Brent winds up with, still Snowed Under is a lot of fun with an impeccably cast ensemble.