Dangerous Number

My big criticism of Dangerous Number is that a huge chunk was apparently chopped off at the beginning and left on MGM's cutting room floor. There is an ongoing relationship with Robert Young and Ann Sothern that we walk in on the middle with.

Dangerous Number is a perfect example of the MGM pecking order. No doubt in my mind that this was offered and turned down by Robert Montgomery and Franchot Tone before Young got it. Still he does his best with it and he and Sothern do generate more than a few laughs.

Young is a silk manufacturer and Sothern a dancer who can't live without each other and do marry. But neither can stand each other's lifestyle of business and show business. There's also an ex-husband lurking in the woodpile played by Dean Jagger. Or is he really an EX-husband?

Best scenes in the film involve Young with trick short artist Marla Shelton. It's all a grand set up engineered by a jealous Sothern, but you have to see the film to see what's behind it.

Dangerous Number is a pleasant comedy from the Thirties and probably was a B feature for one of MGM's more prestige pictures.

Tired old screwball comedy of the "can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em" variety. An insufferable couple (Robert Young, Ann Sothern) rushes into getting married, only to realize afterwards they're incompatible. But, wouldn't you know it, these two crazy kids just can't let each other go.

I really like Ann Sothern and Robert Young but this one was a no-go for me. The characters are very unlikable and you have no time to get invested in their supposed romance. The movie starts mid-plot and what we see of them together throughout is just a terrible bickering couple that shouldn't be together for any reason. It's interesting to look at some of its parallels to the later "I Love Lucy" TV show. Sothern wants a career in show business but Young doesn't like that. Sothern wails and throws tantrums to try and get her way, much to Young's frustration. All it really highlights is that, in the hands of the right people with the right script, even tired ideas can be successful. Lucy & Desi made it work; Ann & Bob do not. Oh, and Reginald Owen plays Young's friend, wearing a ridiculous fake beard. Presumably for laughs. Yeah, it's that kind of movie.

TCM must have the best film libraries around. I had never seen this film before then I got a chance to see it. Ann Southern is a funny woman, she played this part perfectly. I wish they made movies like they used to, no computerized special effects, people actually had to act! I would recommend that if you like comedies see this and have a good laugh! There are a few actors in this that I had never heard of before, but I liked them. I looked up a few names and apparently they aren't on this site or they quit acting after this film came out. Ann Southern was a fine actress and I like her in all the movies I have seen her in. This film is a fine example of her talent. Yea, it is an "OLD" film, but it's worth your time to watch this one. Hopefully more people will watch the old movies and get an education in how much better the movies were back in the old days. This was when film making was in it's infancy and they hadn't worked out all the bugs yet. Still, I prefer the old movies over what is considered a good movie by todays standards any time!

I have to agree with one of the reviewers here - this film was cut at the beginning. It probably was supposed to be an 'A' feature with someone like Franchot Tone or Robert Montgomery and when that didn't work out, they made it a B movie with Robert Young and Ann Sothern by shortening the time.

As a result, we walk in after the romance between Young and Sothern is over. Young is Hank Medhill, a wealthy man who manufactures an artificial silk product.

Hank has been in Japan, and when he returns, he finds out that his ex-girlfriend, Eleanor (Sothern) is at the altar about to say 'I do.' Hank interrupts the ceremony and the two take off.

However, the same problems they had before are still present. Esther is in show business and wants a career; Hank doesn't understand her, her friends, anything. On top of that, he's jealous. She's always greeting someone she's met once with a kiss.

The two fight like crazy and ultimately separate. Hank picks any name from the phone book and asks the woman who answers out on a date. And what a date it is, including gun play and a wild cab ride. Then Hank spots Eleanor in a restaurant with another man who claims to be her husband.

This is a wild movie, a screwball comedy, with both Sothern and Young in top form. Sothern has the voice, personality, and delivery to put over a quirky character.

The nice thing about Young is that he never played for laughs. He always did the part straight, which makes what happens to him funnier. Here, the poor Hank is out of his element surrounded by crazy show folk.

Very enjoyable, but we needed to have seen more of the romance when the two were getting along.

Fitfully funny madcap from MGM. Is Young still married to Sothern or not. Looks like she already had a husband, Jagger, but Daylight Savings Time sabotaged their divorce. So what's going on with the clocks. Then too, how did the mismatched Young and Sothern get together in the first place-- he's a straight-laced businessman with a fuzzy-faced brother, while she's a wacky show-biz gal with an imperious mom. Probably it's best they go their separate ways-- or is it. Somehow the scripter has to figure it all out; that is, if the sometimes clumsy editing will let him.

For sure you don't need a hearing aid for the dialog-- even the reserved Young has to shout many of his lines, while Sothern almost screeches. It's like the movie's trying too hard in frantic style to get the madcap across. There's just too much of this ill-timed excess to reach a more memorable comedy rank. There are some good moments especially the wind-up that's charmingly done, plus the amusing chorus line that Young could do without.

Despite the problems here, Sothern would soon display her brassy brand of comedy in the highly successful Maisie series, while the handsome Young would become every kid's favorite 1950's dad. Nonetheless, this 71-minutes can't seem to find its proper wave-length, even though it tries so hard. Too bad.