Made to play as a second-feature on double-bills, this Hal Roach Studios comedy is a near (unofficial) sequel to TWENTIETH CENTURY/’34, the great Howard Hawks/Ben Hecht/Charles MacArthur screwball classic.* That's the one where flailing B’way director John Barrymore pursues former protegée Carole Lombard on a cross-country train trip. This one, pretty entertaining, too, in spite of a mess for a screenplay.* Lots of character crazies along for the ride (Patsy Kelly, Zasu Pitts, George E. Stone, Sam McDaniel, Leonid Kinskey, J. Farrell MacDonald), with pacey direction from Gordon Douglas (recently promoted from shorts to features) and classy lensing from Henry Sharp who overcomes a budget that limits camera setups by lighting to bring out chiaroscuro, texture & atmosphere.* Victor McLaglen’s the likeable lead, a train engineer who ‘borrows’ a baby for old squeeze Kelly who needs a tot for a publicity stunt Hollywood genius Kinskey is creating for film star Marjorie Woodworth. Only problem, unknown to McLaglen, the baby he borrowed is the current kidnapped sensation on the front page on every newspaper in the country. And now, they’re all accomplices. Yikes! (Great tot BTW, Gay Ellen Dakin in her only credit.) Lots of hide the baby gags once they all find out, along with engine troubles for a bit of suspense and to let McLaglen step in to save the day. Dennis O’Keefe also around as Woodworth’s old flame, a doctor who’d like to save her from Hollywood . . . and from Kinskey. Alas, Kinskey and Woodworth no Barrymore & Lombard, but who is?.
SCREWY THOUGHT OF THE DAY: *Imaginary conversation between writer Rian James (elsewhere a decent enough Hollywood hack) and studio chief Hal Roach about the unfinished script:
JAMES: Mr. Roach, don’t press me! Do you want it good or do you want it Wednesday?
ROACH: I want it Tuesday.
ATTENTION MUST BE PAID: *A top cinematographer in the ‘20s and ‘30s, a fave of Douglas Fairbanks, later at Paramount. Sharp somehow sunk to working for Hal Roach Studios, but kept his professional pride.
DOUBLE-BILL: *See for yourself: TWENTIETH CENTURY/'34.
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