For the Love of Mike

This film has been issued as part of the British Musicals of the Thirties series.Though it really more a comedy at least nominally.There are 2 musical numbers early in the film.However they are poorly staged and the first number is partly out of focus.They also suffer from poor sound recording.The film is directed by Monty Banks who had a lot of experience directing comedies in Hollywood.Maybe this accounts for the overreacted performance of some actors,in particular Bobby Bowes.He mugs his way throughout the film.It really becomes tiresome in particular the scene with the vase.It just seems to go on forever.The only familiar actor is Wylie Watson,Mr Memory from the Hitchcock version of The 39 Steps.

I found this hard to get into at first. I had trouble understanding some of the old-fashioned accents and there seemed to be a lot of random characters pointlessly fluttering about. Then, it settled into a plot where our hero tries to retrieve a document from a safe to please his love interest (she had unknowingly given the power of attorney to the wealthy and officious Mr. Miller, and she wanted the document back because she hadn't realized what she was signing away). Mostly, this is a goofy comedy, part verbal, part slapstick, where the characters pull broad faces and jump around, and engage in a lot of nonsensical actions. For example, in one scene, our hero is caught red-handed trying to steal a document from a vase and he responds simply by doing a silly walk! I suspect such random actions were purely to make the audience laugh. The final moment of the film is quite charming, with the very tall Mrs. Miller making our young lovers blush by implying they hadn't been to bed together yet! I was also somewhat impressed by the earnestly pained performance by Harcourt Brooke as a wrongly accused passerby (rather a contrast to the zany proceedings all around him). Many people are likely to find this film too dated in its acting style and mannerisms, and the comedy too broad and too scattershot... but it's a very pleasant experience if you stick with it. And the songs (and sing-a-longs) are quite nice too.

Broad comedy based on a play by H.F. Maltby with two songs added as a vehicle for star Bobby Howes.

Howes plays a private secretary to a nouveau riche man named Henry Miller (Jimmy Godden) who is trying to break into society by holding endless house parties. The trouble is that someone is stealing. He calls in a detective (Arthur Riscoe) who poses as a guest.

Along the way, Miller has his ward (Constance Shotter) sign a power of attorney agreement to protect her from fortune hunters. When she has second thoughts, she asks Howes to retrieve the letter, which sets into motion a long comedy of errors, involving the whole household.

The songs "Date with an Angel" and "Sing, Brothers, Sing" have been added to the plot for no particular reason other than to give musical star Howes more to do.

Howes and Riscoe team for long comic sketch setting up the fake burglary, and there's a long pantomime dance number with Hoes and Riscoe, along with a cop and suspect.

Renee Macready co-stars as Stella, Viola Tree plays Mrs. Miller, Wylie Watson plays the musical vicar, Syd Crossley play the butler, Hal Gordon plays the dim copper, Monty Banks (who directed the film) has a bit as the chef, and Harcourt Brooke may be the innocent suspect.

Merle Oberon is an extra among the house party guests.

Bobby is is love with lovely Constance Shotter, whose guardian has had her sign a power of attorney, but she's had second thoughts -- this is a movie in which everyone has second thoughts, but no first thoughts -- and wants him to steal it back so she can destroy it. Meanwhile, the guardian has hired private enquiry agent Arthur Riscoe because money has been disappearing in the midst of the perpetual house party he has been throwing. Arthur stays up late, guarding a safe, and when Bobby comes down to break in, there's a foofaraw, but they went to the same school.

The first half is pretty good, thanks to some interesting camera work by Claude Friese-Greene, who shoots a dance number by Bobby and Constance with a nice series of moving shots; it's very advanced movie choreography for the era. The second half, though, is all canned gags, carried on at an increasingly hectic pace to cover its essential emptiness. The performers are all competent performers, but they aren't given anything individually interesting to do. It's another early British talkie that has aged very poorly.

This was a mild drama/comedy about a silly young man who wants to help a heiress receive her power of attorney over her rude and feckless guardian. I viewed this film online and mostly to see if I could see Merle Oberon in a bit role. The acting ranges from sweet to over-the-top (especially Bobby Howes) especially with a running gag that grows tiresome after awhile. The leading lady is pleasant, but forgettable and there is nothing that will last in your memory. There is a sequence of drama but is actually a comedy of errors that keeps the ending from happening due to a silly misunderstanding. If you are a Merle Oberon fan, then you may want to see this film but if you can find her, good luck, for it is not too easy. The print and quality are good and clear, but no great shakes in the cinematic department of film.