Man-Proof

I noticed from the IMDB cast list of the film that Rita Johnson and Ruth Hussey's scenes are deleted from the film. Perhaps this explains why the movie seems to have no proper beginning that explains the characters' motivations. At the beginning of the print I saw, Myrna Loy's character is heartbroken over losing Walter Pidgeon's character to Rosalind Russell's. However, it's not clear why she likes Walter Pidgeon's character, though. For me, Franchot Tone's character comes off as much more likeable, but maybe that's Franchot Tone--who usually seemed charming in films. It's hard not to enjoy a film with such great actors as those in this film, but if this film was edited, it's hard to see why. The version I saw (not sure if there's another one) was only about 1 hour and ten minutes long so it couldn't have been too long unless it was meant to be a B-picture, but why make a B-picture with an A-list cast? Anyway, I think fans of Rosalind Russell and Franchot Tone will like it more than Myrna Loy or Walter Pidgeon fans will since both Myrna and Walter play rather dislikable characters, although both do a fine job of making them believable. But Rosalind Russell and Franchot Tone have less screen time, so even their fans may be disappointed in this film.

"Man-Proof" is one of those films that the studios just ground out week after week. There's nothing particularly special about it unless you count Myrna Loy, who is always special. Here she plays a young woman, Mimi, from new money - her mother (Nana Bryant) is a popular romance novelist -- who's jilted by her boyfriend Alan (Walter Pidgeon). He dumps her unceremoniously to marry Elizabeth (Rosalind Russell), who has lots more money. A family friend, Jimmy (Franchot Tone) who seems to love Mimi himself, thinks he's a jerk and is just as glad.

After the wedding, Mimi, Alan, and Elizabeth bury the hatchet, and Mimi and Alan decide to be friends. After an evening at the fights while Elizabeth is home sick, Mimi decides that she wants Alan back.

This is pretty predictable stuff, overwritten with heavy dialogue. I will say this - Rosalind Russell wears the most atrocious-looking wedding veil I've ever seen. It seems to be held up on either side of the head by wires and resembles the flying nun's habit, and it looks like it's made of cellophane. Actually it's some sort of silk but it's hideous. Worth a look if you want to chuckle.

Pidgeon and Loy are good; Franchot Tone doesn't have much to do but wisecrack. Loy is beautiful as usual. Not much to recommend this.

Okay, so maybe it's really uneven, but there are wonderful moments -- like Myrna Loy's drunk scene, and many of the scenes between Loy and Franchot Tone, especially the "Why didn't we name them Nip and Tuck?" scene in the car. The premise could be promising, but a lot of the dialogue is stilted and silly. However, Myrna insisting that they had oars all the time is great.

This is a typical love triangle movie with Myrna Loy, Rosalind Russell and Walter Pidgeon, with Franchot Tone at the odd man out. It's hard to know which is worse, the acting, the plot or the dialog. The outcome is fairly predictable, given the time period when this movie was made. As far as the acting goes, Ms. Loy is thoroughly unlikeable, Mr. Pidgeon stiff and Mr. Tone an insipid hanger-on. Ms. Russell comes off the best of the lot, thought her final scene when she is magnanimously prepared to give up her husband is unconvincing and without the necessary character motivation. Motivation is also lacking in the apparent coupling of Myrna Loy and Franchot Tone, when the prior attraction seemed to be all one-sided. The best acting by far is by the little known Nana Bryant, who plays Loy's mother.

Based on the casting that included Myra Loy and Rosalind Russell, I decided to watch this movie. Some reviews are unkind so I was surprised to find that I enjoyed it as much as I did. And I watch a lot of the thirties and forties movies. My impressions...

• It evolved from a comedy into a more serious theme of troubled relationships. Uneven but still interesting.

• I had to check out the date of the movie to verify that it was not pre-code film because the storyline became more 'adult' as it moved along, until the ending.

• I enjoyed Franchot Tone, who I was not that familiar with. Definitely want to see him in some other films.

• Some call the dialog stilted but I found myself listening closely to it because there was a lot of thought in the words spoken.

Bottom line - there are mixed reviews but I found this film to be well worth the time spent.