Having Wonderful Crime

Sprightly B-comedy that follows the first rule of good movie-making—Keep things moving. No dead spots here, thanks to up-tempo director Ed Sutherland. But then the 70-minutes has that fast-talking dynamo Pat O'Brien never at a wisecrack loss. But even more, there's a really sparkling Carole Landis. So guys, if you've never seen her, what an eyeful. She really fills out the 40's wardrobe, plus enough blonde hair to start a mattress factory. And she can do a ton of comedy—catch her lively reactions to most every situation in a situation filled movie. Hard to think of her as ever being depressed, as I guess she unfortunately was.

Not everything is roses. If you can follow the mystery plot, there's a place for you at Cal Tech, and that's after a really good set-up— a disappearing magician who actually disappears! Then too, there's a slightly befuddled George Murphy wondering how to keep up with his two co-stars. But that's okay since he has little to do but follow them around. Also, ace villain George Zucco is largely wasted in what turns out to be a minor role.

Still, it's a lively and engaging little wartime farce, just the kind of upbeat entertainment for the nightshift at the airplane factory. Then too, I expect the boys overseas got extra motivated seeing all the movie's great looking girls. But, above all, it's a Carole Landis showcase that still gets a big share of chuckles, even 60-years later.

This is based on a novel by Craig Rice, who wrote several very funny mysteries involving the three main characters. (Rice also scripted a couple of the Falcon movies.) This movie is reasonably true to the spirit of the novels, though would have been better if Rice was more directly involved in its writing. Malone has featured in a few other movies, but Helene and Jake Justus (who were in all but one of the Malone novels) are oddly absent in the other movies. There was also a radio series and a TV series. A few months after this movie was released, Rice was featured on the cover of Time Magazine, the first mystery writer to be so honored.

This "screwball" comedy about lawyers, newlyweds, magicians and disappearing dead bodies is a bit too forced for its own good. Pat O'Brien was an old hand at this type of thing, and it shows, but George Murphy wasn't, and that shows, too--he's constantly trying to keep up with or even upstage O'Brien, but he's not up to it. The convoluted writing doesn't help matters, either, but in movies like this a good cast and director can overcome the script's shortcomings. That's not the case here, however. The slapstick is trite--there's nothing really funny about someone falling into a lake, which happens several times--and although there are some sharp lines in the script, there aren't enough of them to keep the film going.

By far the best part of the movie, however, is Carol Landis. She's a revelation. She has seldom looked more stunning, and the combination of her beauty, sweetly sexy voice and first-rate comedy chops are irresistible (as an extra added attraction, Landis puts in a brief appearance in a bathing-beauty contest; it's only a few seconds, but it's worth it). She has far more chemistry with O'Brien, who plays her nemesis, than she does with Murphy, who plays her husband, and their scenes together really crackle as opposed to her scenes with Murphy, which fall flat.

Overall, it's an OK comedy-mystery that has its moments, but not enough of them. It's worth a watch once, maybe, if only to see Carol Landis at her prime. She would unfortunately commit suicide a few years later, apparently despondent over a failed affair and a stalled career. A sad, sad ending for one of the most beautiful, talented and underrated actresses Hollywood has ever seen.

This movie appears to be a series that never developed. It begins by telling the viewer that Malloy is always being dragged into mysteries by his friends and then he's dragged into one.

It's a shame they only made one of these, because it's one of the better detective comedies of the era; not as good as the Thin Man movies, but with a similar sensibility and a cute, light-hearted tone. O'Brien does a good job as the hapless lead and Landis shows a giddy charm as his scattered friend. Murphy makes less of an impression but is basically fine.

The movie is a bit sloppy in terms of plotting; I lost track of what was going on at some point and ended up without the slightest idea of why the murder had been committed. But in spite of sloppy storytelling this is a very enjoyable little movie.

Pleasant but mostly boring and unfunny comedy about a newlywed couple (Carole Landis, George Murphy) and their lawyer friend (Pat O'Brien) that get involved in murders and mysteries. Landis is breathtakingly beautiful as always and provides most of the movie's humor, albeit strained as it is. Murphy is strictly dullsville but tries his best. Then there's Pat O'Brien. Poor Pat. Always the best man, never the groom. Pat spent most of the 1930s playing runner-up to Jimmy Cagney and here it looks like he's still playing second banana. This time to George Murphy of all people. And trust me brother Mrs. Murphy's favorite son is NO Cagney! This is one of those films that is neither great nor terrible. I personally didn't find it that funny but others might.

I would recommend you see it for Carole Landis alone. She was one of the screen's great beauties and had such unrealized potential as an actress and comedienne. The end of her career was filled with mediocre films like this. Some worse. Perhaps that played a part in why she took her life at the age of 29. I don't know. But I do know she was a memorable screen presence who never broke through to superstardom like she should have.