Dinheiro em Penca

All I can say is any Warner film that has ROSS Alexander and PHIL REGAN in supporting roles is already in trouble. Ross has no sparks as a leading man running away from a process server (Joan Blondell) and Regan's high-pitched tenor is hard on the ears. For comic slant we have HUGH HERBERT in another one of his stereotyped roles to gather whatever laughs there are from a motorboat out of control.

Then we have JOAN BLONDELL and GLENDA FARRELL fast talking their way through an "Okay, toots" kind of script and we have more trouble ahead as the two leading ladies blunder their way through one mistake after another in search of good comedic results. The script is no help, with Blondell getting dumped overboard from a yacht several times in a row.

Mercifully, the programmer is only 66 minutes in length, but seems longer than that. Not recommended to anyone but die hard Joan Blondell fans who apparently think she's great in everything, no matter how ridiculous the plotting is or how slim the material.

This is one of the better of all those very similar Blondell and Farrell comedies of the mid thirties. It's not brilliant but some thought and effort have gone into this one and the cast seem to be enjoying themselves - that lets us enjoy watching them. These days those pictures would probably have been made as a tv sit-com - they've got a comforting familiarity about them which makes you want to see them all but they do tend to merge into one.....except MISS PACIFIC FLEET which is truly awful.

This one has quite an interesting twisty plot, a lovely upbeat feel to it and some genuinely funny moments. Joan and Glenda both exude warmth and charm and are instantly likeable. Glenda and of course Joan are both gorgeous so are also instantly watchable. Being made after the infamous production code was enforced however means that Joan Blondell is a little more conservatively dressed than in her earlier films but she's still got the sexiest smile anyone's ever had.

It only lasts just over an hour so it's all quite lively but there is a lot of Hugh Herbert who does seem to repeat the same scene several times. He is funny in small doses but perhaps he's in this just a little too much. That same befuddled character he always plays does tend to wear a bit thin after a while. He's still just about amusing in this very silly, very fun little picture.

"We're in the Money" is a comedy romance that pairs Joan Blondell and Glenda Farrell in one of five films they made together. In this one, they are process servers hired by Hugh Herbert, a shady lawyer, Homer Bronson, who has had a hard time trying to serve warrants on various characters.

As two attractive bombshells, Joan's Ginger Stewart and Glenda's Dixie Tilton, are able to fenagle their way into the inner sanctums of men and catch their prey. But, for their last target, it becomes complicated when Ginger falls for Richard Courtney, played by Ross Alexander. He has been disguised as a chauffeur named Carter, just to avoid being served.

One might wonder how Herbert's Bronson ever got through any law school to become an attorney. But then, some of us have seen some real blockheads and daffy lawyers.

The film has some scenes with funny antics and situations. And, it has stretches of humorous dialog. If ever there were two subpoena servers like these, they would be the best in the business. This may be the best film of the two female leads. These aren't anywhere near the top comedies of Hollywood for the period, but they are okay for light entertainment.

Here are some favorite lines from this film. For more comedy dialog, see the Quotes section under this IMDb Web page of the movie.

Ginger Stewart, "But you told me that you won't be a chauffeur for long." Carter, "That's right. In a few days, and I'll be out of this uniform." Stewart, "Oh, I'm sorry. I like you in this uniform. But you won't tell me what you're gonna be?" Carter, "Well you won't even tell me what you are now." Stewart, "It doesn't matter. Cause what I am now I'm not gonna be for long, either."

Carter, "I wish whoever's honking that horn would stop. I had to combine business with pleasure."

Dixie Tilton, "In a town full of big cars, you have to fall for a chauffeur."

Ginger Stewart, "I'm going to be busy and won't be able to see you." Carter, "I was wondering how I was going to break the same sad news to you." Ginger, "You going on a trip?" Carter, "Just a short one. But it'll clear up a lot of things, for us."

Ginger Stewart, "I have to go." Carter, "It'll be a long wait. But I guess there's nothing either of us can do about it." Stewart, "Well, as long as it has to be, it's nice we both picked the same time. After that, things'll be different." Carter, "For both of us."

Carter, "Have you ever been in love?" Jevons, "Not in recent years, sir." Carter, "Marvelous feeling, wasn't it?" Jevons, "I've heard it spoken of very highly, sir."

Carter, "Jevons, have I ever told you about her eyes? They're like..." Jevons, "Two spoonfuls of the Mediterranean. Yes, sir."

Butch Gonzola, "C'mon, Clancy." Policeman Clancy O'Rourke, "Yeah, we need each other's protection."

Joan Blondell and Glenda Farrell are process servers for nitwit lawyer Hugh Herbert. Their current and last assignment is to serve subpoenas on Ross Alexander and his associates in a breach-of-promise case brought by Anita Kerry, who's French when she isn't talking like someone from the Lower East Side of New York. What Miss Blondell doesn't know is that the chauffeur she's in love with is Alexander, made up in the disguise by his lawyer, Henry O'Neill, to avoid be subpoenaed.

The comedy is securely carried by Herbert and Miss Farrell, both operating at a great pace, with Miss Blondell playing the more serious of the two young ladies. There's a lovely sequence showing the ladies at work as they subpoena various people for the case, only to be blocked by the calm cynicism of Henry O'Neill as Alexander's lawyer. The happy ending is a bit rushed, and the process photography that makes Herbert such a terrifyingly funny driver is a bit obvious, but the easy camaraderie of Miss Blondell and Miss Farrell, who appeared in five films together, help to make this a superior comedy.

Joan Blondell and Glenda Farrell made quite a few films together, and you could tell had fun. That is the secret to any good film, and Warner Brothers held the distinction of cranking out a ton of dramas and comedies that clicked. Warners also had a stable of some of the best actors, and always put them to good use. The word on the street was everybody had fun making these films.

The ladies, this time, are process servers(?) who go through some wacky situations to get the job done. But what happens when their next target is someone who catches their eye, at least one of them? Sparks fly and it gets even more complicated.

This is fun stuff, and with a dependable cast, foremost hilarious Hugh Herbert, who is perfect for this kind of material. Herbert's trademark was his "woo woo" laugh, which could either mean he's enjoying something or in big trouble. Humphrey Bogart's wife at the time, Mayo Methot, also has a small part in this one. Methot gained more fame being married to Bogey and always fighting with him, making lots of headlines at the time. One big happy family.

Its also neat to spot all the veteran actors here, and most were Warner Brothers alum. Many were in the GOLD DIGGERS musical comedy series. Both Farrell and Blondell appeared in GOLD DIGGERS OF 1937. A big thank you to TCM for rerunning this on a lazy summer afternoon with lots of memories attached.

Usually sold in WB box sets, this film is on dvd for collectors.