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Monday, September 23, 2019

MURDER IN THE FLEET (1935)

The same producer, director, lenser & comic-relief team from the previous year’s DEATH ON THE DIAMOND with another B-pic murder mystery, now moved from professional baseball to U.S. Navy operations at sea. As directed by Edward Sedgwick, a bit more ambitious, a bit less effective, fumbling the mix of murder, sabotage, romance & comedy. Robert Taylor, just shy of his MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION breakthrough over at Universal, is the handsome young lieutenant tasked with overseeing a rush job on a secret new firing mechanism. Miss the installation deadline and the Navy loses exclusive rights! Anyone could purchase the contraption! But there’s a sniper on board the ship, slowing things down with his deadly aim. Yikes! Who could it be? A civilian visiting the ship? One of that Japanese delegation on an inspection? A disgruntled crew member or mechanical expert? A pretty good set up for suspense, plus gags from various romantic intrigues. (Script by John Ford favorite Frank ‘Spig’ Wead.) But Sedgwick proves all thumbs coordinating the rapid changes in tone or in finding atmosphere on the upper deck of a soundstage ship. He’s happiest overworking the romantic rivalry between his comic trio (Una Merkel, Nat Pendleon, Ted Healy) unaware how weirdly blasé ship’s captain Arthur Byron’s looks. Or is he the guilty party? Nah, my money’s on the great Mischa Auer as a very tall Japanese diplomat with Key Luke as assistant. The film less than the sum of its mismatched parts.

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