Chantagem

"Evelyn Prentice" starred William Powell & Myrna Loy, who were inbetween working on the first & second movies in "The Thin Man" series. There are similarities between their roles in this movie & their roles in that series. In both cases, they're debonair rich folks with fancy clothes & a beautiful home. In both cases, Powell plays a character who likes to drink (more so in "The Thin Man") & is involved with solving a murder mystery. But "The Thin Man" series is more light-hearted, with more flippant, snappier dialog, & is generally more enjoyable than "Evelyn Prentice." Astra the Dog is missed, & replaced by the couple's young daughter. But this is a good movie, & has a more surprising plot twist than any entry in "The Thin Man" series. The plot here has more typical pre-code elements than the later "Thin Man" entries, which I won't mention here because I don't want to give away the storyline. Una Merkel is good as Loy's wisecracking friend. Isabel Jewell is very convincing in her role (I didn't think so at first, but as I began to watch her more closely, I started to think that she's a really good actress). I rate it 8/10.

Despite the presence of stars Myrna Loy and William Powell (not to mention Rosalind Russell in her brief film debut), supporting player Isabel Jewell's performance is easily the most memorable in this drama. Powell plays a prominent lawyer, and Jewell plays a potential client, one who can't afford his serves as much as the glamorous socialite played by Russell. The legendary Loy has some fine scenes, but she really isn't given much of a chance to change her somber demeanor throughout the picture. There isn't really much action in this film, just a few well-placed confrontations and plot devices to keep up a modest amount of suspense, plenty enough to hold ones interest in a short running time. Films of this era didn't have to rely on spectacle or sensation to be good, and this is one example.

Evelyn Prentice (Myrna Loy) is the neglected wife of a prominent lawyer (William Powell) who briefly takes up with his beautiful client (Rosalind Russell). When Evelyn finds out, she does her own dallying with a conniving poet and playwright (Harvey Stephens) who has a jealous girlfriend (Isabel Jewell). Evelyn's ditsy friend and house guest (Una Merkel) acts as confidant when the dalliance turns disastrous and Evelyn finds herself involved in blackmail and murder. Now, her marriage and the future happiness of her little daughter (Cora Sue Collins) are in jeopardy.

This courtroom mystery could have stood fewer melodramatic contrivances, especially toward the end, but the dialogue and characterizations are strong. Far stronger, however, are the remarkable performances from everyone involved. Myrna Loy's quiet desperation is utterly convincing. Powell, good throughout, is especially deft after discovering a stunning secret during the climactic courtroom trial: without a trace of ham, he genuinely looks as if he is about to keel over from shock, as he is forced to go on. Isabel Jewell, eschewing all phony theatrics, is remarkably good during her testimony at the end. Cora Sue is charming as the little girl. These performances distract us from the occasional creaks and groans in the plot and make the movie worth seeing.

This movie is one of the best examples of what resulted when the studio machine didn't quite know what to do with its talent pool.

Powell and Loy, who had recently proven themselves a winning team in the original Thin Man, are again the urbane marrieds. Their individual talents and snappy chemistry aren't entirely swamped by this soapy melodrama, but they are given a slight patina of caricature. Thank god the studio figured it out and gave us five more Thin Man movies.

The very freaky thing about this movie is the film debut of the divine Roz Russell. Granted, she was an extremely beautiful woman, but casting her in the Joan Crawford femme fatale role gives unintentional comedy and a textbook demonstration of "What do we do with this one" syndrome. Thank god the studio figured it out and gave us the rest of her career.

As a movie, Evelyn Prentice is not bad lazy rainy Sunday viewing. It's much more interesting as a piece of oddball film history and an object lesson in how mediocre things can happen to great people.

William Powell and Myrna Loy made fourteen films together; "Evelyn Prentice" was their third, released in 1934.

Powell plays John Prentice, a busy attorney who isn't spending enough time with his wife Evelyn (Loy) and child; he drifts into an affair with a needy client (Rosalind Russell) whom he has successfully defended in a manslaughter case.

Evelyn is being wooed by a so-called poet (Harvey Stephens) who in truth has blackmail in mind. When he presents Evelyn with incriminating letters (though she hasn't had an affair with him, the letters are suggestive), a struggle ensues, and he winds up dead. His girlfriend (Isabel Jewell) is accused.

The acting helps what has now become a familiar story. Myrna Loy is absolutely gorgeous and sympathetic as a lonely wife resisting the attentions of another man; and you know that Powell, despite his philandering, cares for her deeply. Una Merkel is delightful as Evelyn's friend.

Powell and Loy worked so easily together and by all accounts enjoyed their collaborations, keeping up their friendship even after Powell retired. They're always a joy to watch.