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Wednesday, November 18, 2020

THE DEFENSE RESTS (1934)

Punchy Columbia programmer left Jean Arthur, already in her mid-30s, still on the cusp of a career breakthru.  That’d happen on her next, THE WHOLE TOWN’S TALKING/’35, playing gal pal to Edward G. Robinson’s double act (Milquetoast clerk/on-the-lam gangster), John Ford directing a script by Jo Swerling and Joseph August lensing.  The last two two both repeating swell work here, but under journeyman hack director Lambert Hillyer who tends to suck the air out of this neat legal melodrama about brilliant, but ethically challenged lawyer Jack Holt (rough-edged Columbia contract player) who hires straight-arrow Arthur straight out of law school.  She wants to learn from the best defense man in town; she’d also like to reform the guy.  A hope that comes to a head when he represents a vile kidnaping child murderer.  Arthur, unaware Holt’s been blackmailed onto the unsavory case, thinks she can flip him with some past dirt she’s dug up.  But quit the case?  Quit the practice?  Quit this mortal coil?  Arthur may not know what she’s gotten her clay-footed idol into.  Swerling’s script takes the easy way out here & there, but tosses colorful character bits around generously.  Heck, even creepy Arthur Hohl plays a good-guy for a change.  Arthur (that's Jean Arthur) pushes all the right buttons, but needed a better setting and a more becoming hairstyle to sparkle.*  It took six mostly good features in 1935 before Frank Capra (and Gary Cooper) sealed the deal with MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN/’36.

ATTENTION MUST BE PAID/DOUBLE-BILL: While Arthur had Capra in her A-list future; Holt had him only in his past: SUBMARINE/’28; THE DONOVAN AFFAIR/’28; FLIGHT/’28; DIRIGIBLE/’31.  Note this re-release poster flips billing to put Arthur on top in larger font.

SCREWY THOUGHT OF THE DAY: *Columbia boss Harry Cohn thought Arthur looked like a horse from the ‘wrong’ side.  Problematic for an actress with Arthur’s insecurities.  Closer to the mark, Arthur’s looks only came up short when she was overdressed to look like a raving beauty.

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