Kansas City Princess

Joan Blondell and Glenda Farrell play fast-talking, wise-cracking blondes, roles they often had because they did it so well. They wind up trying to escape from small-time hood Robert Armstrong, who believes Blondell gave her engagement ring to Gordon Westcott, who actually stole it from her. The chase is on when Westcott meets Armstrong and shows the ring to him. He steals it back again, but is furious enough to wring Blondell's neck if he catches up with her. The fun in the first part is all in the chase, with the girls staying one step ahead of Armstrong, first by donning scout uniforms to get on their convention train, and then by jumping into a cab already occupied by two aldermen going to Paris by ship. Armstrong flew to New York to get there ahead of the train and followed the cab, with all three boarding the ship. Before you know it, they are on their way to Paris, but broke. The girls use their wiles to get passage money, and Armstrong uses his gun to force millionaire Hugh Herbert to hire him as a bodyguard. Farrell is more the gold digger of the two, and when she hears a millionaire is on board, they pose as French manicurists to get into his room, where Armstrong is waiting, but more pacified. At this point, the focus of the film changes, much to its detriment. The three hatch a plan to get Herbert's wife, Renee Whitney, to stop fooling around with Ivan Lebedeff in Paris and come back to Herbert. The idea is to trap Lebedeff in a room with one of the girls, so that Whitney can see how unfaithful he is to her. It didn't quite work out that way, with Herbert in for a big surprise.

The first half of the film was genuinely funny, with lots of quips and one-liners, including Farrell reminding Blondell that girls these days need three things - money, jack, and dough. The second half was more tedious than funny, and except, perhaps, for the surprise ending, was a waste of time.

Rosie Sturges (Joan Blondell) and best friend Marie Callahan (Glenda Farrell) are manicurists in Kansas City. Marie does not like Rosie's gangster boyfriend Dynamite Carson (Robert Armstrong). There is a ring, girl scouts, and plenty of situational comedy.

This is a gangster screwball comedy thriller. The situation is convoluted. I was expecting more from the girl scouts. There is potential for greater comedy. The concept suggests some more outrageous fun but it doesn't quite get there.

From the first few bars of Leo Forbstein's jaunty, jolly intro music you know what to expect and that's exactly what you get: Joan and Glenda's smart and sassy comedy double act guaranteed to make you smile.

You'll certainly smile but probably not laugh at this one. Joan Blondell and Glenda Farrell are both brilliant as are Robert Armstrong and Frank McHugh but this is one of the weaker pictures in the series. It's entertaining enough (in fact, very entertaining) but somehow doesn't feel as funny as it should be. Some critics have blamed the ridiculous story but it's no less believable than those of their other ones. Possibly this wasn't quite as sparky because it was made at the time when the new Production Code regulations were being introduced - it must have been difficult adapting such a racy, raunchy double act to conform with Hollywood's new pseudo-puritanical regime.

It's not a fabulous film, the story is makes no sense, the acting flips between over the top overacting and uninspired just reading by rote but.... I still loved this. It's harmless, good natured fun.

Joan Blondell and Glenda Farrell spout zippy dialog as a couple of manicurists moving up in the world in this very silly comedy.

Robert Armstrong is Dynamite, a good-natured tough guy who wants to marry Blondell—who is keen on that idea despite Glenda's outspoken disapproval ("If you was the bearded lady in the circus, you'd still be too good for Dynamite"). All three end up on a boat bound for Paris, where Armstrong meets millionaire Hugh Herbert and quickly declares himself Herbert's bodyguard.

The plot itself makes very little sense but is held together, more or less, by the personalities of the four stars, who seem determined to make it something fun, however thin the story. The dialog is certainly colorful—packed with phrases like "a low down mug" and "That guy getting fresh?"—and generally delivered as rapidly as humanly possible (especially by Blondell and Farrell, certainly a couple of Hollywood's all-time great fast talkers).

Overall, it's not particularly memorable but very easy to take for the hour or so it lasts.

One of the many films made by early talkie stars Joan Blondell and Glenda Farrell.. This is a fun one, as long as you buy in and go along for the ride. Rosie and Marie are manicurists, trying to get away from the mafia boss Dynamite (Robert Armstrong), and end up getting stuck on a ship that is sailing off to Paris. The antics include meeting up with Hugh Herbert, rich guy "Ashcraft". he is easy going, and easily buys into everyone's story, as they all take advantage of him. there's a bit of slap-stick humor, three stooges style, as they run around the ship, and try not to get discovered. so they are hiding out on the ship, and they take jobs as..... manicurists! of coure, it will all hit the fan, and everyone's secret will come out. it's pretty light and fun. good, fluffy, fun. directed by William Keighley... directed some great actors in great films, (errol flynn, pat o'brien, james cagney, al jolson) but no oscars for him.