ManiakJiggy This is How Movies Should Be Made

Majorthebys Charming and brutal

Numerootno A story that's too fascinating to pass by...

Claire Dunne One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Retired508 I agree with all the good things said about this movie by other users. We are all used to seeing Myrna Loy as Powell's partner. But I wonder if we were used to seeing Rodgers, what would we think of Loy? Would we say " Loy is fine, but she is no Ginger Rodgers. Just asking. My biggest problem is with the ending. Doesn't the ending bother anybody? How exactly did Powell find the bank Mary Smith used? Did he go to all the banks on 5th Avenue and ask someone in every bank if they recognized and would provide an address for the lady he was looking for? This is too much to swallow. But, other than this, I loved the movie.

vincentlynch-moonoi The ending of this film is very disappointing. Suddenly it seems as if they ran out of celluloid and we are cheated out of seeing the real ending.Before that, it's a fairly decent mystery. A mysterious actress/singer suddenly (and I do mean suddenly) disappears. So many people -- with varying motives -- are looking for her. But the one who is trying to solve the case is William Powell.If there's a real reason to watch this film, it's William Powell. There's something special about Powell in virtually every film he ever appeared in.Ginger Rogers is "okay" as the female lead, but she seriously pales in the shadow of Myrna Loy in the Thin Man series (which was filmed a year before this movie). It's just not a really good film match.Paul Kelly was somewhat interesting here as a high class gangster. Gene Lockhart had a disappointing role as the butler. You'll notice a few other recognizable character actors, including J. Farrell MacDonald as the Police Inspector.Again, the reason to watch this film is William Powell, though the basic story is decent. But, it's such a let down after "The Thin Man".

mark.waltz Whether playing Philo Vance or Nick Charles, William Powell always served it up with sophistication, a beautiful woman, a little wisecrack and a lot of martinis. On loan to RKO, Powell did two of these. Here, with Ginger Rogers by his side, he gets involved with murder among the theatrical crowd. It is all very nice to look at with smashing art deco sets and a great supporting cast, including Ralph Morgan, Gene Lockhart and Paul Kelly. "Bitch extraordinaire" Vivian Oakland is extremely amusing as the femme fatal. While Ginger is fine, she's not Myrna Loy, and Powell isn't Fred Astaire. Unlike Astaire, William Powell already had "sex" and Rogers doesn't bring anything to the role in the case of class that out-shined the marvelous Loy (paraphrasing a quote by Katharine Hepburn about Astaire and Rogers). The denouncement is clever but for some reason, it is all rather familiar in a way that had been done better.

John Seal No movie with William Powell can be a complete loss, but he really seems to be sleepwalking through this undernourished RKO mystery. The major problem is a poor screenplay--- apparently a collaborative effort---that never provides Powell with the witty repartee he could so joyfully dispense in better efforts. Even the supporting cast, excellent as they are, seem to be a bit embarrassed by the proceedings.