Too Hot to Handle

A sometimes thrilling adventure that is first and foremost a Clark Gable vehicle. He's as cocky and quick-witted as ever. There are some good lines and a few good laughs, but his performance completely dominates and overshadows this movie, even when he's in a chicken suit. You would think that a movie with Myrna Loy would have some great zingers back and forth with the male lead. This happens too few times, however, and Loy looks like she doesn't want to be in this movie. This is some of the least amounts of chemistry from either of these two actors that I've ever seen.

I liked the story a lot, with its focus on the "backstage" of early newsreels. Much of the satire is still true today, and this movie doesn't look dated because of it. There are some holes and only Gable is truly worth watching. There are also a few too many racist references that might make a modern viewer uncomfortable.

It's still worth watching though, even if just for the antics of Gable and the jokes about the news business.

When I saw the first time this movie I was a teenager and now after 15 years I have the same feelings, it's a masterpiece, really a great movie of the '30s. Yes I'm a fan of Clark Gable and Myrna Loy. Everybody can enjoy the speech the timing, the screenplay. Gable at his best, don't forget that in '38 Gable and Loy were nominated King and Queen of Hollywood. Why?

Just watch the movie and immediately realized!Let's have a lot of fun and malencony of a period that will never come back again.

Walter Connoly was a great actor and his part of journalist was remarkable.

Really a must to see for all of you who like the golden period of Hollywood and the movies of his king and queen.

Okay, this isn't Shakespeare. Clark Gable and Myrna Loy were the number one box office draws of 1938 and it seems that what made them famous was not believability but that their films were so much fun. Gable's films were always high on the action, romance and fun while Ms. Loy became famous for her wonderful banter in the THIN MAN movies. So, in this case, you merge the two into a very light adventure film filled with laughs and some marvelous dialog--and a romance that doesn't always work. It's certainly NOT the best film they did together, nor is it the worst and fans of both are sure to enjoy the film because it is pure "1930s MGM formula". Now modern viewers might not find the film so magical--after all, the plot is pretty tough to believe and the characters seem pretty cartoonish. But, given my love for this genre and these actors, I don't mind terribly. Sure, it's not super-memorable, but it was more than worth the energy I spent watching the film.

Clark is a "get it at ANY cost" cameraman for a company specializing in newsreels. He meets Loy my accidentally causing her plane to crash. Instead of being mad, she unbelievably praised Clark for saving her life (hey lady, it was HIS obnoxious actions that CAUSED the plane crash in the first place!). The rest of the film is on again/off again romance between them with Walter Pigeon trying to horn in between them. It's not at all believable and awfully silly, but the action and comedy bits are pretty cool, so they make up for the deficiencies and result in a decent and watchable flick. But, for persnickety people like me who delight at spotting problems with movies, take a look at the Amazonian villagers. They are all Black Americans who look and dress EXACTLY like extras from a TARZAN movie--and look not one bit like South American Indians!

The kings and queens of comedy are here in this 1930s comedy-exotic-travel-adventure. Walter Connelly is the newspaper boss who has sent on-scene action reporter Hunter (Clark Gable) overseas to China to get the latest, hot, south seas action caught on film. Hunter's nemesis is Bill Dennis (Walter Pidgeon), and every scene is a competition to see who can top who, or who can put one over on the other. If Clark Gable is present, then Myrna Loy must be in here too, and she is... as Alma Harding. A fun, fast paced good-natured contest between the two reporters. Alma's brother is missing, and she talks Hunter (Gable) into helping to find him. Did you spot Marjorie Main as the secretary in the newsroom? She was only 48 in this one... she would go on to be nominated for Ma Kettle ten years later! Gable had recently gotten HIS Oscar for It Happened One Night. Myrna Loy received an honorary Oscar for lifetime achievement. Even Walter Pidgeon was nominated for TWO Oscars in the 1940s. What a cast of pros! Obviously, they never left the back lot of Hollywood, but for the general public who had never traveled very far, this would have been very exciting and exotic. Of course, Hunter gets caught up in his own web of deception, but he must figure out how to win back the lady, as well as his job. This is a fun, exciting story, and worth every minute. Shown on TCM now & then. Directed by Jack Conway, MGM bigshot who made TONS of stuff with Gable and Loy. Catch this one when you can! You won't be sorry.

Clark Gable is a newsreel photographer doing stories on the China-Japan war in Shanghai, Walter Pidgeon is his rival, and Myrna Loy an aviatrix in "Too Hot to Handle," a 1938 film from MGM. Gable and Pidgeon know each other well and besides stealing each other's film, they fake stories so they can scoop one another and satisfy their bosses. They were way ahead of their time there. The funniest scene is Gable staging an airplane dropping a bomb over the house of a family. It's a toy airplane. Hilarious! Loy plays Alma Harding, trying to break air travel records so she can get money for an expedition to the Amazon to find her brother, who is presumed dead. When Pidgeon fakes a delivery of serum by Alma, a childhood friend, it goes wrong when the plane catches on fire after crashing. Gable saves her life and gains her trust. Whether or not it's justified is another matter.

Everyone is great in this movie, including Walter Connolly, who plays Gable's frustrated boss, Pidgeon, Loy and Gable. Gable is irresistible with that smile of his, and Loy is excellent as a determined woman who nevertheless succumbs to Gable's charms. Pidgeon plays a more boisterous part rather than his usual gentlemanly ones, and he comes off very well.

This is a fast-talking film where the action moves along at a rapid pace. A great example of a '30s comedy, tinged with romance, that you won't want to miss.