Il segreto di Mary Harrison

When a movie star accepts delivery of gown materials, she finds out that "The Corpse Came C.O.D.," a B film with an above average cast: George Brent, Joan Blondell, and Adele Jergens. Brent plays Joe Medford, a newspaper reporter in hot competition with Rosemary Durant (Blondell) to get the best stories. When star Mona Harrison (Jergens) discovers the body of a studio costume designer in a box of material, she calls Medford instead of the cops and begs for help. She and the designer didn't get along, and it looks as if she's being set up to take the fall.

This is fairly routine stuff brightened by the always delightful and energetic Blondell, whose character follows Medford everywhere, often getting caught. Brent conveys a light comic touch rarely seen in his leading man days of the '30s. By 1947, at the age of 48, Brent was moving into character parts and television. Ditto 41-year-old Blondell. I suppose B movies were a good way to have them use up their contractual obligations. Jergens is appropriately glamorous.

We actually learn more of the background story toward the end of the film rather than at the beginning, so the plot has a little twist that otherwise might not have been there. Otherwise, it's a lot of running, chasing, and hiding, but Blondell's many fans will enjoy it.

Warner Brothers turned out lots of these comedy/mysteries. After a while, they seem to blend into one another. This has a lot of the same elements. But it has some unique ones too. And it's not from Warner's: It's from Columbia.

George Brent looks as if he'd been filmed for "Hollywood Babylon." He is always a good actor and is fun here as a news hound. But he bears little resemblance to the leading man he played earlier that decade at Warner's. Joan Blondell is a rival newswoman. As always, she is delightful. No, she doesn't look the way she did in the Busby Berkely or earlier Cagney movies. But she always looked great. And I never saw her turn in a bad performance -- even in Hugo Haas's "Lizzie." Adele Jergens p a very glamorous movie star. Talk about perfect casting! The title corpse comes C.O.D. to her Hollywood estate. The movie is concerned with finding out why and courtesy of what evildoer.

Despite an intriguing opening sequence referred to in the title, THE CORPSE CAME C.O.D. is simply a potboiler mystery that is too thin to be stretched into a movie almost 90 minutes. Movie star Adele Jergens receives the body of her fashion designer in a c.o.d. shipment of fabrics delivered to her home. The movie is alas an uninspired comedy-murder mystery with the aging George Brent in the lead (who was never very charismatic even in his youth as leading man to Bette Davis and other movie queens). The always dependable Joan Blondell shows up somewhat late in the proceedings (this would be the 41-year-old star's last romantic lead before moving into character parts) but she isn't able to make much out of this stale story. Adele Jergens is quite beautiful but not too interesting. One of the few bright spots is handsome tough guy Jim Bannon as a no-nonsense detective. Una O'Connor has a bit part where she does her scared screech shtick and then disappears from the rest of the movie.

The movie was based on a potboiler novel by Hollywood columnist Jimmy Starr. Covering it's bases and perhaps fearing the wrath of jealous rivals, the opening segment features cameos from virtually every such reporter working the Hollywood scene at the time including Louella Parsons and Hedda Hopper as well as Starr.

Alas, THE CORPSE CAME C.O.D. is a complete stiff as a film. The first time I attempted to watch it, I was so bored I couldn't get past 40 minutes. The next day I decided to watch the rest of it and had to go back a bit to what I'd already seen because it was so dull I forgotten much of what I had already viewed.

Fast-paced little mystery-comedy involving a movie studio. The mystery's a little murky and the developments hard to keep up with. Nonetheless, Blondell and Brent are energetic, while Jergens has never looked lovelier. As rival newspaper reporters, Blondell and Brent have a friendly rivalry that usually involves him locking her in a closet. But being Blondell, you can't keep a good woman down. Veteran director Levin keeps things moving, and has a nice sense of pacing for a sometimes difficult narrative. As a result, events never drag. And I like the running gag with the wimpy guy in the waiting room who just wants to sing. Sure, this is no more than a routine programmer, but the two leads treat the material like an A-production, along with a rather surprising ending that I sure didn't see coming. All in all, it's an entertaining little time passer.

When watching this movie, it is easy to lose interest early in the script. But if you can hold on and watch to the end, you will be treated with a tale that makes for a pleasant watch.

The movie has all the feel of any other 1940's style comedy/mystery that pairs a man and a women working together to find a murderer. It has the fast pace talking, the 'one-better' scenes and the mysterious fist-a-cuffs in the dark-- all part of the same style. What sets this movie apart from others is that it has the two stars working separately on a case and coming up with the solution to a clever story. Add the surprise twist to the plot and you have a better movie than expected. However, the film does have it flaws.

The problem is that the first half of the film does little to stir interest. Yes, there is a murder and a suspect must be found. But the way the script quickly introduces characters to the plot causes much confusion. As the viewer is trying to cope with the task of remembering the main characters, the script continues bringing people to the cast that may, or may not, have anything to do with the story. It becomes crowded and confusing to the point of losing interest.

But if you can make it through the first half, you will be treated to a nice story that will remedy the interest. At times, the movie can be a little silly but overall it was an enjoyable departure from the norm.