Loose Ankles

After receiving a "foot powder" (as director Ted Wilde has the camera caress her beautiful legs), pretty Loretta Young (as Ann Harper Berry) is ready to attend the reading of a wealthy grandmother's will. She inherits a fortune, but Ms. Young must marry a nice young man and avoid scandal in order to collect. Young decides to advertise. She finds good-looking and unscrupulous Douglas Fairbanks Jr. (as Gil Hayden) through an escort service. However, their business arrangement gets complicated by love and scandal...

Young's sexy opening is followed by the beautiful actress appearing in slinky attire. Not to be outdone, Mr. Fairbanks is stripped of his clothing by zealous maid Daphne Pollard (as Agnes), in order to assume a "compromising" position. However, it is cute gigolo Eddie Nugent (as Andy Martin) who gets the naughtiest scenes. Introduced in a bathtub, Mr. Nugent later appears without his pants; apparently, for no other reason than to exchange more personal foot spankings with fellow escort Norman Selby (as Terry Todd)...

The cast winds up in the wicked "Circus Cafe", with leggy dancers and plenty to drink. Straight-laced aunts Ethel Wales (as Katherine) and Louise Fazenda (as Sarah) don't know the punch is spiked. Also appearing are snorting Otis Harlan (as Rupert Harper), smoking Inez Courtney (as Betty), and studly Raymond Keane (Linton Harper). Young and Fairbanks become mechanical as the supporting players take over the screen. "Loose Ankles" is stolen from them, especially by Nugent and Ms. Wales.

******* Loose Ankles (2/2/30) Ted Wilde ~ Loretta Young, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Edward J. Nugent, Ethel Wales

Loose Ankles (1930)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Rich girl Ann Harper (Loretta Young) inherits her grandmother's fortune but she must get married and have the man approved by two of three selected people as well as avoid any scandal. Feeling the entire thing is a bunch of junk, Ann decides to "hire" Gil Hayden (Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.) to make some trouble and cause her the inheritance. LOOSE ANKLES starts off on a very good path but it quickly falls apart during the second half but there's still plenty of reasons to check this out. If you're a fan of Douglas or especially Young then this here is going to be a must see because the two of them have some nice chemistry together and this helps keep the film moving at a good pace. This is especially true for Young who is very good in the part and the director wastes no time showing off her beautiful legs. The film certainly fits the pre-code standard of allowing more frank situations to enter and there's a very funny scene where Young is trying to undress Fairbanks but not really knowing how. Another funny scene is the will reading where Young really gets a chance to shine. The supporting players are also good and help keep this film moving. I think the film starts off well but begins to fall apart in the second half because things get a tad bit too silly for their own good. Still, fans of the stars or pre-code films should still have plenty here to enjoy.

"Loose Ankles" has a lively start (certainly any movie that opens with a close-up of Loretta Young's legs starts on the right foot - pun intended), Young and Jr. (Douglas Fairbanks Jr., that is) are appealing, and Inez Cortney is a joy as Young's cousin. But when the focus switches to Young's two middle-aged aunts and their two "professional escorts", especially in the extended "circus cafe" segment, the film becomes dreadfully unfunny. ** out of 4.

This film, based on a 1926 stage play, is extremely funny and fun to watch. It is also somewhat hard to find. I was fortunate to see it screened at Cinevent 39.

The story concerns a group of society people hearing a will read to them. The deceased's niece (Loretta Young) has most of the luck when an estate is left to her under the condition that she find a husband and no scandal be brought to the family. Everyone else's inheritance depends on this clause, but Ann (Young) doesn't want her share. In fact, she's determined to force everyone out of theirs because she thinks the family is too greedy. Off she goes to put an ad in the paper for a boy to "compromise her." Andy (Edward Nugent) finds it in the paper and thinks he'd be perfect for the role, but instead thinks maybe his room mate Gil (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.) would be better suited. In a very funny scene, Gil goes to Ann's home and is taken advantage of by the maid (Daphne Pollard).

Somehow, they all end up at a speakeasy where Ann's uptight aunts Katherine (Ethel Wales) and Sarah (Louise Fazenda) steal the show during a drunken spectacle where Andy tries to control his laughter.

This film is certainly a pre-code. Aside from outright illegal drunkenness, we see Andy taking a bath and women disrobing men, along with the generally racy storyline. Possibly the reason they got away with so much (besides being made during the pre-code era) is because this film is based on a play.

Thankfully, the camera-work does not make the film's roots evident. Of course, there are many shots that look like characters on a stage, but we also have a moving camera and many close-ups to take advantage of the beautiful stars. Young and Fairbanks struggle with their dialogue, but there are enough scenes with the character actors to make up for their scenes.

This film is a little known entry from the early days of "talkies" that deserves better recognition. Not a masterpiece by any means, it is still a forerunner of the screwball comedies of the later 30s and 40s and, as such, is pleasant and delightful in its own way.

The cast is very good. It is hard to believe that Loretta Young, playing an heiress who wants to create a family scandal, was only sixteen or seventeen when this movie was made. She has a charm and sensuality that belies her years. Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., who was nearly as young, does a nice job as a bumbling wannabe gigolo who falls in love with Loretta. Also, as noted by other reviewers, Louise Fazenda, as Young's aunt, and Daphne Pollard, as the "helpful" maid, give very funny performances.

The next time that this movie is on TCM, try to catch it or tape it. There are a lot worse ways to spend an hour or so.