The Keyhole

Was there any pre-Code actress more cooly glamorous than Kay Francis? The story that has her a married woman trying to resist the charms of a private detective (the less than amazing George Brent) who's trying to entrap her is pretty average fare, but it's livened up a bit by a con artist (Glenda Farrell) taking advantage of his assistant (Allen Jenkins), getting drunk on champagne cocktails among other things. In fact, this is one where I might have been more interested in the subplot of the supporting players.

The main story is set in motion because Francis's character is being blackmailed and she feels she can't tell her husband the truth, so he suspects her of having an affair. Without going into all the details, it's a pretty contrived scenario that leads her to Cuba. Aside from Francis's wardrobe and a glimpse of an airplane (the seating section for which was amusing to me) there aren't really a lot of interesting period details, and don't come here expecting any pre-Code naughtiness. Rather predictably, the detective and the woman begin developing feelings for one another in the moonlight, which I'm not sure I was really rooting for. The ultimate fate of the sinister blackmailer (the well-cast Monroe Owsley) was a nice touch though.

Peeping through THE KEYHOLE we find an unhappy wife who sails to Cuba to shake off a blackmailing former lover, not knowing that her millionaire husband has sent a handsome detective to compromise her...

This elaborately plotted little picture is a very fine example of the kind of film Warner Bros. produced so effortlessly in the 1930's. Frothy, a bit silly & fun, it boasts entertaining performances and good production values. Depression audiences sat through scores of movies just like this, generally well made, but with interchangeable plots & stars.

Kay Francis & George Brent handle the romantic situations very nicely. Sophisticated & charming, they keep their stock characters from ever becoming dull. The humor is supplied by brassy blonde Glenda Farrell as a gold digging shill & dumb-as-dirt detective Allen Jenkins.

Henry Kolker as the suspicious husband, Helen Ware as his elderly, sympathetic sister, and Monroe Owsley as the oily Lothario, all add to the fun in their supporting roles. Especially enjoyable is little Ferdinand Gottschalk, appearing in only one scene as a comically flirtatious old banker.

Movie mavens will recognize sour-faced Clarence Wilson as the head of the detective agency.

You just need to see a few seconds of this and you know exactly what you're getting. It's the sort of movie that can only be an early thirties Warner Brothers: wonderfully corny, fast moving fun.

Did the writers sit around a table playing a game of 'who can come up with the daftest story?' In this lovely chunk of 1930s life, a millionaire tests his wife's fidelity by seeing if gigolo, George Brent, whom he's hired to seduce her can tempt her into bed..... and to pointlessly over complicate things, she's also married to someone else as well. Only in pre-code!

It's no classic but it is classic Warner Brothers, encompassing every trope you'd associate with that studio - great stuff! The cast is also the classic ensemble of cold-hearted rich folk, a slightly shady hero, Kay Francis doing the thing she always did, an idiot friend, a saucy gold-digger and a Captain Hook type villain - only the bumbling Irish detective is missing.

If you enjoy those cheap and tacky Warner pre-codes which are nevertheless professionally made (Michael Curtiz was in the chair here) or just watching Kay Francis doing what Kay Francis does, this should float your boat.

"The Key Hole" is one of those "If you've seen one, you've seen them all" type films, though it's certainly not bad. Francis plays Ann Brooks, married to a wealthy man (Henry Kolker).

Ann was married before, to Maurice (Monroe Owsley) who never got the divorce he promised her and is now blackmailing her because of it. She works out a scheme with her sister-in-law Portia (Helen Ware) to lure him out of the country, and then Portia would use her influence to have his visa taken away.

As part of the plan, Ann heads for Havana by ship, with Maurice following. Her suspicious husband has hired a detective, Neil Davis (George Brent) to try and seduce her, and along with Brent comes his spy, Hank Wales (Allen Jenkins). Wales meets Dot (Glenda Farrell), and these two provide the film's humor.

Well, you can guess what happens.

Kay Francis wears many fabulous gowns. I used to think the kind of lifestyle her character lived was just in the movies until I saw a 1930s Vogue magazine. What a formal time that was, with people dressing to the nines for lunch and to do any kind of traveling.

Almost all the ads in Vogue were for trips on ocean liners. We've come a long way, and I'm not sure that's a good thing.

Anyway, the film is predictable, but Francis is good, as are Jenkins and Farrell. Brent is very smooth and charming.

Kay Francis made these films by the truckload, and I have to admit I watch them when they appear on TCM. She really epitomizes that early '30s era for me - an era that has not one vestige of it visible today.

Kay Francis was always watchable. George Brent for me was more variable, but in the right role he could be good. Need to see more of Glenda Farrell's work, but in the not enough already seen she came off well. Haven't seen enough of Allen Jenkins either, but from what has been seen when his material was good and gelled well with everything else he was fine. Always have considered Michael Curtiz a fine director, am not going to say what films of his are favourites of mine as it will sound too much of a broken record.

While 'The Keyhole' is watchable and Francis (not unexpectedly) and Brent (was not quite as certain) come off well, it didn't strike me as a particularly great film. In my mind it's lesser Curtiz too, as it was not material to properly engage in and not enough of his style comes through, this had a still settling feel instead. Some good things here and they are actually quite great, but 'The Keyhole' also has some serious drawbacks that in my mind are even more obvious.

Francis is glamorous and sophisticated and never plays her role too heavily. Brent is very charming, giving one of his most suave performances, and has a strong presence. Their chemistry is witty, endearing and elegant as one expects typically from golden age romance, so the romantic angle of the story convinces very much. Monroe Owsley is suitably oily and Farrell is amusingly brassy. Most of the cast come off fine.

'The Keyhole' also looks lovely, especially Francis' gowns which she looks quite a sight in. The music fits well with the tone of the film without sounding stock. There is some nice wit in the chemistry between Francis and Brent and the story tends to go at a lively pace.

Despite that, the story is predictable and can be nonsensical. Capped off by a suddenly introduced and that's it ending that makes one go what. Curtiz's direction usually has a lot more spark and style than here.

Script is uneven, often sparkling with Francis and Brent but flat too much everywhere else. Also agree with not seeing the point of Jenkins' character and Jenkins feels too out of place.

A just above average film but not great. 6/10