Lucky Night

The second half of the movie is all about applying the frolic of the first half to the reality of day to day life...and well worth looking forward to, much less sitting through. Bill's "idea" is to seize every opportunity, much less day, and Cora's "practicality" is the deadening effect being reasonable at all costs can have. Henry O'Neill was a great find, and you'll notice him more often than you'd think once you've identified him: as Bill's worst enemy at the beginning of the movie, it is he, as Cora's dad, who brings not only the couple but the theme together by the end of the movie. Deeper than it appears, it is charming through and through

Schizophrenic writing dominates "Lucky Night," a 1939 film starring Robert Taylor and Myrna Loy. Loy is Cora, an heiress who gives it all up for the excitement of looking for a job and living on her own; she meets up with unemployed and flat broke Dick (Taylor). The two of them embark on a wild night of gambling and winning, where everything they touch turns to gold. Pretty soon they're in love and, to the horror of Loy's father, tie the knot.

This film starts out like gangbusters, like a lost treasure - a fast- paced, deft comedy with wonderful dialogue and the two Golden Age stars playing off of each other beautifully. Suddenly, it all stops and gets very serious with bizarre dialogue. Cora wants to be safe and happy with home and hearth; Dick still craves the excitement. She leaves him.

The film picks up a little toward the end, but what a disappointment. Perhaps the marital problem storyline would have been fine, but not after the way this film started; it's too much of a let-down. Not only that, but Taylor's character starts talking in absolute riddles. Somebody at MGM was asleep at the wheel. This is the type of thing that under Thalberg would never have been released as it was.

Like Tyrone Power, Taylor gets short shrift in his acting because of those amazing looks, but jealous critics (mostly men probably) failed to notice that, like Power, he had a beautiful, rich speaking voice and loads of charm. Less ambitious and less complicated than Power, Taylor pretty much took what MGM handed him. "Lucky Night" is one example. Despite the script, he shows his affinity for comedy. Loy is lovely as the heiress, but thankfully, both these actors appeared in better films.

"Lucky Night" coulda been a contender; instead, it's that rarity in film history - a bad movie from the magic year 1939.

I first saw this movie on Turner classic movies, and really enjoyed it. It was a fun, flirty and wild (as wild as you could be in the movies of the 30's) story of two people who hit it off and had a crazy life together. Not a brain teaser of a movie, nor was it made to make you think or entertain your brain. In the course of this movie, the two love birds accidentally marry each other, get drunk, beg for a quarter, get rich, and buy a car - all in one night! For a girls' night, or a veg-out session, Myrna Loy is entertaining and fun in this film. Turner should play this more often as an option to the tired and repetitive movies they sometimes show. If you haven't seen this movie, give it a try!

This may be the golden age of movies, but now and then (e.g. Penny Serenade) MGM could produce a certified turkey. This gets almost as bad as it gets. And it's 1939, the best year ever for films. Whew.

Myrna Loy and Robert Taylor are cute together. This movie is about two people that meet and have one lucky night together and decide to try and make their luck last a life time. I saw this movie on cable one night and enjoyed it a lot. I would like to have it on DVD but can't even find it on VHS. Check out some of Myrna Loy's films you wont be sorry, watch The Thin Man collection, and The Best Years Of Our Lives. They are all great movies. If you have time watch Robert Taylor in Ivanhoe. Why can't Hollywood make them like they did back in the day when there were real "MOVIE STARS" in Hollywood. Where did the Class go in Hollywood. No more greats like Katherine Hepburn or Cary Grant, we are left with these mild at best actors. George Clooney which is one of the best ones we have now days is still not up to Cary Grant league.