The Villain Still Pursued Her

Introduced by bombastic Billy Gilbert, the story begins in old New York, where moustache-twirling lawyer Alan Mowbray (as Silas Cribbs) is trying to get control of the estate recently inherited by handsome young Richard Cromwell (as Edward Middleton). The lascivious Mr. Mowbray is also interested in harp-playing beauty Anita Louise (as Mary Wilson), who finds her true love is Mr. Cromwell. After the lovebirds wed, Mowbray tries to gain control over Cromwell with alcohol...

This broad parody of old-time melodramas may initially be taken as a bad movie, but it's a surprisingly clever spoof, for the time.

Unfortunately, the film stays in a mildly amusing mode for most of the running time, and depends on a mediocre pie-in-the-face for its comedy climax. With their tongues pressed firmly in cheek, Cromwell and Mowbray make swell scenery-chewing, eyebrow-raising impressions. As Ms. Louise's mother, marvelous Margaret Hamilton matches the melodramatics. While miscast as Cromwell's boyhood pal, silent legend Buster Keaton is a bonus. Farm animals offer deadpan counterpoint.

******* The Villain Still Pursued Her (10/11/40) Edward F. Cline ~ Richard Cromwell, Alan Mowbray, Buster Keaton, Anita Louise

This movie is a painful viewing experience. I don't know if its because the humor has all been ripped off by later films or because its just awful, either way I can't recommend this film to anyone.

the idea of the film is that its a film version of the melodrama that things like Dudley Do Right makes fun of. With "Boo Hiss Villains" who twirl their mustaches and Heroes you cheer on. Indeed the film begins with Billy Gilbert saying that the audience should feel free to boo and cheer as they see fit. The problem is this sort of thing is so close to parody now (and even then) that making fun of it, unless you're very clever, doesn't work, or rather doesn't work for more than say a 15 minute sketch. This film runs out of steam wall before that and we are left with a film that is neither fish nor, or rather just foul. yes it works occasionally but I'd be hard pressed to tell anyone to sit down and watch this film in order to find them.

Avoid this film.

I hate melodrama, but had reservations about this satire of the genre nonetheless. I thought it would be one of those films Buster Keaton only appeared in order to garner a paycheck. My qualms quickly diminished as I watched this unheralded classic. I have watched it a few times since I first obtained a copy, and it never fails to make me laugh throughout. Keaton is superb, as is the rest of the cast, and the comedy stands up very well. As long as we have soap operas, "The Villain Still Pursued Her" will always be funny!

This absurd parody of Victorian melodramas watched in the right frame of mind is very enjoyable. The cast attacks the material with the proper degree of whimsy playing it broadly, the only reasonable approach to something designed to be this silly.

The director and studio were wise to cast character actors with a talent for either farce or slapstick and then give them free rein to dig into the ridiculous situations with aplomb. The biggest surprise is probably Anita Louise, an busy and very lovely actress until her retirement but not especially known for her comedic skills. In this she jumps right into the mood of the proceedings playing a character that can only be described as an imbecile in her naiveté. By playing it straight and never winking at the audience she makes the woman an object of sympathy no matter how dumb she seems.

If you start watching this expecting anything but an overblown bit of ridiculousness you will either be disappointed or irritated.

This review will be roundly slapped down as 'Not Helpful'. But with the best will in the world this teaming of the director of 'Never Give a Sucker an Even Break' and the cameraman of 'The Wild Bunch' with a dream cast never takes flight, and sadly outstays it's welcome. 'Hellzapoppin' managed the same idea with far more success the following year.

Had it been just part of a longer film - like the melodrama 'The Drunkard' in 'The Old Fashioned Way' - it might have been quite diverting; but doesn't sustain a full-length feature, even one clocking in at barely an hour. Buster Keaton is utterly wasted, again, although Margaret Hamilton is briefly permitted to display a surprisingly attractive singing voice.