Three of the biggest ‘30s stars tweak still developing screen personalities in this darker-than-expected character piece. Gary Cooper, who basically never played a bad guy, here a cad, if a likeable one; a ‘con’ man living on credit at a lux Shanghai hotel and paying his overdue bill with a bit of stealth-accounting legerdemain. Partner Carole Lombard (officially his ‘wife’ under newly strict Production Code enforcement) along for the ride, but pointedly not a partner-in-crime and wearying of life on the run. Appalled when Coop reveals his latest financial plan: ‘selling’ the 6-yr-old daughter he's hardly even met to his late wife's brother, Lombard splits for Paris, Coop heads Stateside to sign over parental rights. Who knew he had a kid? Who knew he had a dead wife? Who knew he was such a heel? But then, he meets the girl. It’s Shirley Temple. He’s enchanted. An indulgent flop as father, Cooper’s still working dodges before heading to Paris, Temple in tow, for a reunion with Lombard. But attempts to go straight only go so far with his cash flow, so it’s back to scamming, now with a jewel thief who's targeting a rich old gal who’s met-cute with Shirley and keeps ropes of fabulous gems just lying about. With convenient, but cleverly worked out dovetailed plotlines, rising director Henry Hathaway, not long off Western programmers, keeps Temple on a tight lead*, even cutting away from her sole party piece to move the plot along. And dispatching the film’s sweet-and-sour ending as if this were a YA Lubitsch film. An impressive showing all ‘round.
ATTENTION MUST BE PAID: *Shirley had already started her reign over at FOX, but presumably had a final commitment to Paramount.
DOUBLE-BILL/LINK: Hathaway solidified his gains on his next two, both with Cooper, the superb LIVES OF A BENGAL LANCER and the odd, poetic near-miss PETER IBBETSON (both ‘35). https://maksquibs.blogspot.com/2010/01/lives-of-bengal-lancer-1935.html
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