Protegida de Papai

Andre Morestan is delighted to get called up for jury service, determined to take the job seriously he is very upset when he is merely put on the reserve list. However one of the other jurors falls ill and Andre grasps the opportunity with gusto and honour, the case is a tricky one, a pretty woman named Natalie Roguin is accused of murdering her partner. Andre asks some probing questions and manages to sway the outcome to earn Natalie an acquittal, this in spite of the other jurors not being totally convinced as regards Natalie's reputation. taking things further, Andre gives Natalie a job at his bicycle shop. Andre's son, Pierre is quite taken with Natalie, and this coupled with the nagging doubt over her innocence from other quarters puts a major strain on the Morestan household.

This is a remake of the French film Gibouille, it's an interesting piece that never quite gets out of first gear. Rita Hayworth looks lovely and plays off well with Glen Ford's Pierre, whilst Brian Aherne is very entertaining as Andre, but one never gets any sense of feeling with the characters. In a film that purports to be a comedy drama, you find that the picture is caught between both genres, the comedy is sporadically interesting but the drama then comes across as staid. I personally haven't seen the French original but i wouldn't be at all surprised if Gibouille is a bit more daring and close to the knuckle with its execution?. This is a decent picture and one that certainly has a watch-ability factor for cast and outcome of story, it just really should have been so much more one feels. 5.2/10

I never thought I'd see the movie that would endear me to Rita Hayworth. I'm notorious for criticizing her, but not only did I not hate her in The Lady in Question, but I willingly admit she gave a fine performance. This isn't her usual role; there's no shade of Gilda in it.

An unrecognizable Brian Aherne stars as a peasant patriarch who owns a bicycle shop. He's too soft in his business and gets hassled by his wife, Irene Rich. His daughter Evelyn Keyes is young, foolish, and in love with the boy next door, but Brian doesn't want to see her grown up so soon. His son Glenn Ford (who looks adorable in his young curls) has a passion for astronomy. Brian has just been called to jury duty, and his excitement is adorable. He's waited 27 years to sit on a jury, and he won't let anything stop him. He's insulted when he's relegated to an alternate, but when a juror keels over, he literally snatches the seat out from under while others are attending to the man's health. The case is a murder trial, and Rita Hayworth is fighting for her life. Brian takes his duties incredibly seriously, and his enthusiasm is infectious. It's hard to believe this is the same Errol Flynn lookalike who sculpted a nude Marlene Dietrich in Song of Songs, when he's so convincing as a middle-aged, paunchy, stubborn, not-too-bright, peasant. If you liked him in My Son, My Son, you've got to see him in this.

The script is very funny, even though the subject matter lends it more to a drama. Brian's tongue is faster than his brain, and he often talks himself into a corner with no way out. While trying to end a conversation with an irritating pal, he accuses him of winking at his wife in church. At the dinner table, he tries to distract everyone from the topic at hand by praising his wife's soup. When that doesn't work, he asks for salt, insisting that she never puts enough in the soup. When that doesn't work, he spits the soup out and leaves the table, claiming she always puts in too much salt and he can't stand to eat it. With a mixture of quick comedy, dramatic plot points, and great acting, you'll have a very enjoyable evening when you rent The Lady in Question.

This film has a fine cast, including the first of half a dozen pairings of Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford. It is only Ford's seventh film, but Hayward had made more than 30 films since 1934. This is a good look at the young Ford before he became the more mature character most movie fans will remember him as. Other members of the supporting cast do very well too. Curt Bois is very good as Henri Lurette, and Irene Rich is especially good in the role of Michele Morestan.

But "The Lady in Question" is a Brian Aherne showcase all the way. His Andre Morestan is a character, in a true sense of the word - comical at times, caring at other times, and conflicted often enough. Who couldn't help liking him or wanting him for a friend? Aherne's particular persona in putting flair into scenes is shown at its best here. It's the stuff that provided much laughter in one of the funniest comedies of all time, "Merrily We Live" of 1938. And, that he used for much laughter in "The Great Garrick" of 1937, and in "Hired Wife" of 1940 and other films. This is one actor one would have liked to see in more comedies.

When this film was made, Aherne was one of the top box office draws, especially in comedy. He was an all around actor and good in drama and mysteries. But I think he excelled in comedy. Yet he only made 14 comedies of his 70 credits, which included mostly TV series roles in his last decade. By the mid-1960s he was through with acting and retired permanently at age 65

This story is set in Paris. Morestan and his wife own a bicycle and music shop and live above it. He is thrilled to be called for jury duty selection, after waiting nearly 30 years. The humor is apparent when he is contrasted to most people who try to avoid jury duty. Well, he holds out and eventually persuades his fellow jurors to enter a not guilty verdict in a murder or suicide case. But then, when he feels sorry for and invites the acquitted poor girl, Natalie Roguin, to stay in their home and work in their store, the humor ramps up. Suspicion, jealousy, envy, distrust, false impressions, romance and more with Andre's wife, son and daughter, her suitor, and Mr. Lurette, a fellow juror.

The film has a slight blanket of intrigue over whether or not Natalie was guilty of a crime after all. And it has a very nice twist for an ending. Here are a few favorite lines from the film.

Andre Morestan, "What makes everyone think that a trial is a picnic?"

Michele Morestan, "I don't want you to go to trials. If your father wants to associate with criminals, let him; but not you." Andre Morestan, "Tell your mother that a juror associates with the police, not with criminals."

Andre Morestan, "I've told my wife so many lies, I don't think I could ever tell her the truth now."

This is the sort of dramatic comedy the French knew how to do superbly, but Hollywood was unable to carry off in 1940. Blame it on censorship. The original 1937 French film starred the great tragic comic actor, Raimu, famous for his work in Marcel Pagnol's Marseilles comedies. Brian Aherne, a fine actor, is still too much of the English matinee idol, too young too thin to play pater familias roles, although he tries. This was a role for an older man. Edward G. Robinson might have gotten in right. Rita Hayward is as always lovely and believable. Glenn Ford is only the juvenile in this one. A few years later both would have their great successes together. Harry Cohn took a chance on this one.

Greatly enjoyed this film which is full of drama and plenty of laughs along with a great cast of new stars who would become very famous and successful on the Silver Screen in Hollywood for many years. Charles Vidor produced this film and that is living proof this is a great 1940 extra special film. Brian Aheme, (Andre Moestan) is a bicycle shop owner who desperately wants to become a juror in a court case and gets himself deeply involved with the trial of Natalie Roguin played by Rita Hayworth and Andre Moestan feels great compassion for Natalie and manages to sway the jury into setting her free. Andre gives her a job in his bicycle shop and lets her live with his family above the shop. Glenn Ford plays the role as Pierre Moestan, the son of Andre and he falls madly in love with Natalie. Evelyn Keyes, (Francois Morestan) gave a great supporting role as the daughter of Andre Moestan who wants to get married in the worst way and is simply boy crazy about all men and full of the devil. It is great seeing such great super stars so very young and just starting out in their Hollywood careers. Enjoy this film. I must also mention that Evelyn Keys had just given a great performance in "Gone With The Wind", 1939 and played a great role in this film and went on to become a great Pin Up Girl for our Fighting Troops during World War II.