L'habit ne fait pas le moine

"Smartest Girl in Town" is a very funny comedy romance that borders on the screwball. This is one of several comedies that Gene Raymond and Ann Sothern made for RKO, and I think the best of the lot. Although there are a couple more in the screwball realm that are just about as good.

Besides Raymond and Sothern, three other familiar actors in the supporting cast contribute to the humor. Helen Broderick plays Mrs. Gwen Mayen, the sister of Sothern's Frances "Cookie" Cooke. Gwen has an itinerant ex-husband who shows up periodically to mooch off of her. That's Terry, played by Harry Jans. Eric Blore - I think the best comedy actor of all time in butler or valet roles, plays Lucius Philbean here. He is - you guessed it, the valet to Raymond's Dick Smith. That's the somewhat alias that Richard Stuyvesant Smith goes by as he makes a play for Cookie. She calls him m"Smtty." Erik Rhodes is Baron Enrico Torene, who's out to woo Frances with his rare egg collection.

Well, I said this is borderline screwball. The first half is rather straightforward comedy with one of those common wealthy people disguised or acting as a common non-wealthy person, trying to win the other without his (or her) money. It all starts out as a mistaken identity when the wealthy Smith returns early to his yacht. Trusty Philbean has rented it for a couple of hours for use by a photo publicity firm. The shoot has been delayed some because the male model hasn't shown up, so when Dick figures out what's going on, he plays along as the model. All of this to win the girl he's just fallen for.

Philbean, in the meantime, is glad not to have been caught for his indiscreet way of making some money on the side. But, he's also the watchdog of his boss, to keep him from again going overboard and having a young thing taking his boss for some big dough. Well, Cookie has her heart set on marrying for money - nothing new there. Sister Gwen wants her to go for the baron who's loaded with money. She puts off Dick's moves, so he makes up an advertising company with Philbean at the head and he hires Cookie. This is all to film commercials for the make-believe company. But, in reality, it's so Smitty can get close to Cookie and win her over.

Before this is over with, lots of mayhem, silliness and just plain screwball activity happens, bringing the whole thing to a happy conclusion at the end. One scene that may be unique in all of filmdom has Cookie giving Smitty a hair treatment and shampoo. It's funny and quite intense and messy, so it's probably a scene that was shot in just one take. This film has lots of laughs and many smiles. It's for those who enjoy real comedy and like to laugh. I think most people would still enjoy it well into the 21st century. The last scene in the Belvedere Hotel is riotously funny and had me laughing out loud.

Here are some favorite lines.

Mrs. Gwen Mayen, "What's wrong with him?" Frances "Cookie" Cooke, "Oh, there's noting wrong with him, and there's nothing right with him. He's a foreigner. I don't understand him, and he's a bore."

Gwen Mayen, "Oh, what difference does it make what he collects, so long as he has the habit? You can get him to collect furs, emeralds, diamonds just as easy."

Photographer, "Hey, what's your name - I told you to hold here there." Dick Smith, "The name's Smith." Frances Cooke, "You sure it isn't locksmith?"

Lucious Philbean, fumbling with the office phone, as Smith tries to get him to use the switch on his desk, "Hello... switch, which switch, hello, are you there? Oh, of course you're there. Yeah, we're all here... yeah, were al..." He continues mumbling.

Lucious Philbean, "Oh, but sir, I thought...." Dick Smith, "What with?"

Frances Cooke, "My father used to say, A smart man knows that money can buy anything, so he doesn't have to prove it.'" Dick Smith, "Well, mine used to say, 'Money makes a man go for it.'"

Dick Smith, "Wait a minute! That's not right. She can't be in love with that fellow. She must be in love with me." Lucius Philbean, "Isn't that rather carrying the wish to the well, sir?"

Cookie Cooke, "This stuff'll nail your hair right into your scalp."

Dick Smith, "You mean you'd really go to bat for me?" Cookie, "Well, you were nice to get me my job. Anyway, you're such a nitwit that you need a manager."

Dick Smith, "Say, I'm no cripple." Gwen, "Well, you stand an awfully good chance of making it if you don't scram."

Despite a charming and capable cast, this movie was really bad.

The story had a fair-to-middling premise, but the final script was just muddled and silly.

The whole things seems to be based on "Hmmmm. We've got to crank out some film to fill some theaters."

Ann Sothern has long been one of my favorites (I guess I have several), and she is delightful to watch and lovely to look at. She is always charming, even downright adorable.

Gene Raymond is a good-looking and talented guy who seems to be little known these days, and I don't understand why.

Unfortunately, the production is slap-dash and fairly senseless and ultimately not a lot of fun. Except to see Ann Sothern.

"The Smartest Girl in Town" is a typical 1936 film with a typical plot. A wealthy man (Gene Raymond) falls for a model named Cookie (Ann Sothern) who mistakes him for a model. He has his butler (Erik Blore) call Cookie's booker and claim he's from an advertising agency so he can book her again and get close to her during the shoot. Meanwhile, Cookie's sister (Helen Broderick) is trying to marry her off to a supposedly rich foreigner (Erik Rhodes) whom Cookie not only doesn't love but can't understand.

The actors are all good - Helen Broderick always had great line delivery, and Eric Blore is in his usual role. Ann Sothern is beautiful and Gene Raymond is charming. It just doesn't add up to much with its very thin plot. I assume this was a B film since it only ran an hour. It's cute, but nothing special.

Ann Sothern plays a model here who, especially in the beginning, is portrayed as quite a spoiled brat, as a viewer you quickly start to dislike her because of her selfish character.

However, Raymond nevertheless falls head over heels in love with her upon their first meeting. While he knows that she is purely after money, it comes across as very naive.

Gradually she becomes more sympathetic and the sharp edges in her character are smoothed away.

The scene in the bathroom is crucial but actually a bit too little to make it really believable.

All in all, somewhat amusing, but the romance is ultimately not very believable.

This film is nearly identical to one of those Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movies, except minus music, in place of Astaire is Gene Raymond and in place of Ginger Rogers is Ann Sothern. The supporting characters are taken right from Top Hat or Swing Time. Helen Brodericik, Eric Blore, and Erik Rhodes are all in top form in identical roles from the Astaire/Rogers movies. This particular film is pretty funny, though, mainly because of Eric Blore's power trip when Gene Raymond, his boss, has him pretend to be HIS boss. Blore, always the servant, is hilarious as the pretend-boss. Also, the climactic scene is so bad it's funny. Raymond pretends he's about to commit suicide so that Sothern will prove her love for him. Odd, but charming all the same. 7/10.