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Saturday, December 23, 2017

WIFE WANTED (1946)

Slinky & soigné at the height of her stardom @ Paramount & Warners in the early ‘30s, Kay Francis bid declassé adieu producing a trio of B-pics at distinctly non-soigné Monogram Pictures. This, last of the three, was neatly helmed by Phil Karlson, already smart & efficient in an early credit, and matches Kay to her character as a fading actress going into real estate, but the story doesn’t make enough sense to build any suspense. The business, run by smooth Paul Cavanagh, has two sides, a ‘legit’ real estate company and a fraudulent Lonely Hearts Club marriage racket. (Overseen in a ferociously fierce turn by Veda Ann Borg, the only interesting thing in the pic.) Francis doesn’t know it, but she’s really there to pull in ‘marks’ with her famous name & sexy rep because (surprise!!) the real estate side of things is also a scam operation. Too bad no one explains how this all works, or how she wises up with help (and a bit of romance) from undercover investigating reporter Robert Shayne. Lenser Harry Neumann tries for sheen, but, this being Monogram, subfusc processing holds him back. (What did these films look like on release?) Poor Kay, fading away, like the proverbial old soldier, and at only 41.

WATCH THIS, NOT THAT: Instead, try one of Kay’s best late outings, CONFESSION/’37, stylishly helmed by another Hollywood fade-out, Joe May.

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