Konterr Brilliant and touching

Lancoor A very feeble attempt at affirmatie action

Bessie Smyth Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

Staci Frederick Blistering performances.

JohnHowardReid Copyright 15 February 1937 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corp. New York opening at the Capitol: 18 February 1937. U.S. release: 19 February 1937. 98 minutes. (Warner Archive has a 10/10 DVD). SYNOPSIS: Although she poses as a prominent socialite, the charming and fashionable Mrs Cheyney (Joan Crawford) is actually a jewel thief who takes advantage of invitations to aristocratic homes, such as that of Lord Kelton (Frank Morgan), to spy out the lay of the land. Her partner, Charles (William Powell), believes he has complete control over Mrs Cheyney, but his dominance is threatened by a young man-about-town (Robert Montgomery) who falls in love with her. NOTES: The last film directed by Richard Boleslawski, who died before the picture was completed. A re-make of the 1929 film directed by Sidney Franklin, starring Norma Shearer, George Barraud and Basil Rathbone. The costumes were designed by Adrian. The stage play opened in London at the St James on 22 September 1925, running a hugely successful 514 performances. Gladys Cooper played Mrs Cheyney, Ronald Squire was Charles, and Gerald du Maurier, Arthur. On Broadway at the Fulton from 9 November 1925, the play chalked up a very successful 283 performances. Ina Claire played Mrs Cheyney, A.E. Matthews was Charles, and Roland Young, Arthur. M-G-M re-made the film in 1951 as The Law and the Lady with Greer Garson as a re-vamped Mrs Cheyney, Michael Wilding as his lordship, and Fernando Lamas, the equivalent of Charles. COMMENT: Joan Crawford gives such a luminous performance in the title role as to put all the other players, except Frank Morgan and Bob Montgomery, firmly in the shade. Mind you, Jessie Ralph can stand up to Joan, but her role of course is a subsidiary one and she has her best scene at the climax when Crawford is mostly off-camera. Morgan has a grand time in a typical role, whilst Montgomery is a revelation in what is basically an unsympathetic part. He even manages to steal scenes from Bill Powell, whose role here is often to act as an astute stooge - which he does with great finesse and charm. We also liked Benita Hume's adulterous wife, while Nigel Bruce grandly enacts his usual character of a blithely aristocratic ass. The picture is entrancingly photographed, stylishly directed and most attractively set.

krorie What a wonderful cast. Some of the best Thespians of the 1930's or any decade for that matter. William Powell, Robert Montgomery, Joan Crawford, Nigel Bruce, Frank Morgan, Jessie Ralph, Melville Cooper, to name the main ones. Then what went wrong? The answer is in the weak script and ho-hum direction. Based on a play, the movie is stagy, much too talky. There is little wit nor many clever lines in the wordy script. So all the viewer has left is a bunch of good actors talking themselves to death and putting the audience to sleep in the process. The script is also predictable. The plot is actually a good one. The charming and mysterious Mrs. Cheyney woos rich eligible bachelors and one not so eligible to gain their confidence so she and her accomplices can fleece them. Unfortunately Mrs. Cheyney falls for one of the eligible bachelors. Will she go through with the fleece? The answer lies in the last half of the film. Since Hollywood today is remaking so many movie classics that don't really need remaking, why not remake some of the movies such as this one that could use a good make over? As noted by critics there is a degree of miscasting involved as well. Joan Crawford just does not fit as an adventurer passing herself off as a social big-wig in England. William Power would have played Robert Montgomery's role better than the role assigned him. Robert Montgomery on the other hand is well suited for his role as is Nigel Bruce and the rest of the cast.Even if you are a fan of the stars of this fluff and an admirer of 1930's Hollywood cinema, you may still find this movie slow moving and hoping that this is truly the last of Mrs. Cheyney.

jenifefa I was surprised to read some of these unfavorable reviews. The '30s was my favorite era in film history, and this is one of my favorites. It's not "My Man Godfrey" or "It Happened One Night," but it's very enjoyable. I love the scene when her "servants" reveal themselves. I thought Montgomery was charming and adorable as usual, Powell was as awesome as ever, and Crawford was perfectly cast. She has the edge that makes her believable as a con artist. I'm curious to see the original pre-code version, if only TCM would show it! I doubt it's better, though. Norma Shearer was so weepy-eyed and hokey, and I wouldn't buy her as a con artist.

EightyProof45 Many earlier reviewers have said the Crawford was "mis-cast" as Mrs. Cheyney. I have to disagree. It is not her best performance (for her best acting, see her small but scene-stealing role in The Women and for a Crawford feast, see her Oscar-winning turn in Mildred Pierce), but it is far from her worst. The blame cannot be entirely placed on Crawford either. Nor can it be placed on the director. It must be placed on the production code administrators who sheared Hollywood scripts after 1934, cutting out anything considered "risqué." The original play by Fredric Lonsdale is a surprisingly hilarious and fresh send-up of the class sytem in England. Butler and footmen who are actually thieves in disguise get to act veddy propper and then (when the guests leave) get to drop their phony apparel. Its really quite funny. In the play, when Crawford's would-be suitor catches her at robbery, he forces her to spend a night in the closet with him. This was wonderfully handled in the 1929 Norma Shearer original of this picture. But the production code said that thieves had to always be punished, and sexual actions could not be forced or blackmailed. Thus, this is an extremely bowdlerized version of the play. It is interesting to watch the stars interplay, and I'm a bit surprised that it flopped so largely in 1937. Seeing some of the junk that goes over big nowadays, one would think that with a cast like this and high production values, it would have at least made its mark. See the Norma Shearer version, if you can find it. Unfortunately, its very rare (there is a laser disc version of it on The Dawn of Sound Volume III), but totally worth it. It is risqué and hilarious. Or see Trouble In Paradise, another early pre-Code comedy about jewel thieves, who in that film, don't have to face punishment for their actions.