I really like this movie. Yes, it is a Poverty Row film with a basic plot that’s easy to resolve, but I don’t think that’s always a bad thing. In the case of this movie especially, it gives good actors an opportunity to show off their acting skills. As Paul mentioned, the characters who solve the case aren’t introduced until halfway through the film, though I actually kind of like that twist. After spending an amount of time seeing Henry being falsely accused and dealing with Effie’s lawyer, it is nice seeing these two signs of hope suddenly show up, especially when you consider that Luana Walters’s character is the third party that Effie’s lawyer insisted on having in the house, which means that he ended up screwing himself over in the process. I also find it funny that she ends up showing herself off as a much better detective than Ralph Byrd’s character when you consider that Ralph Byrd was known for being Dick Tracy in the movies. Regardless, they’re both charming characters played by very charming actors. I also like that while they do hint at a romance between the two, it still takes a major backseat to the Henry and Effie storyline.
Gayne Whitman is great at making you really hate the lawyer, and Fred Kelsey as always is a delight, even getting a nice comic moment with Langdon causing him much frustration and confusion. But the real standouts are Betty Blythe and Langdon himself. The two are very convincing as an older couple; Blythe’s character is of course caught in the middle of a scheme by a divorce lawyer while deep down really wanting to believe her husband is innocent. I know you could argue that her character is impulsive and never gives her husband a chance to properly explain himself, but that is something that happens sometimes, and it makes sense that she would leap to that conclusion given the circumstances. It’s not like she’s portrayed as completely irrational from the beginning, either. Normally you see these kinds of plots with a husband forgetting their anniversary and the wife gets super angry. However, in this case she doesn’t get angry because she knows her husband is attached to his job, and it’s only when rumors begin to circulate at her party that those thoughts change. Blythe does a really good job as this character.
And then you have Harry himself. I once said that I thought Harry could have had a great career as a character actor, and to me, this is the movie that proves it. You do get some classic Langdon moments like when he’s wandering around drunk and telling his story to a random bystander. Heck, he even briefly reuses the gag from TRAMP, TRAMP, TRAMP where he gets a gun in his hand without realizing it. And yet, this character is different. For one thing, he wears glasses, which Langdon actually did need in real life as far back as the silent era, and as a matter of fact, for all of his supporting roles following this film (except for SWINGIN’ ON A RAINBOW), he would continue to wear them. But much like Blythe as Effie, there’s a certain realism as this character that he really sells as an actor. When Effie’s lawyer is basically threatening to throw him out of his own home, he gets legitimately angry. There’s a joke at the very end of it that causes him to go suddenly quiet, but before then, it’s not really played for laughs; it’s a normally meek man suddenly letting all his anger build up and it’s completely realistic. There’s even a part when Effie leaves for a party by herself where Langdon seems like he’s almost on the verge of tears, but not in a comical way. He legitimately feels like a very heartbroken man seeing his life fall apart before him. We talk a lot here about how Langdon often seemed like he’s in his own world, but this film proves that he very much can be a part of our world when Harry Langdon the actor chooses to be so.
So yeah, I think this is a good movie. This was not my first time watching it, nor will it be the last. I will admit that the portrayal of the servant characters here is a bit uncomfortable, but their roles do diminish as the film goes on and it’s not nearly as bad as in something like ZENOBIA. Beyond that, though, I actually do find this movie entertaining and would definitely recommend it.
