MartinHafer
During the Pre-Code era before mid-1934, pretty much anything went in films...though OFTEN it was strongly implied instead of said outright. This is because there was no rating system and kids could easily be watching any film...so Hollywood often IMPLIED things like abortion, promiscuity and the like. Some films went much further than implying...but most implied. With the new Production Code, films were to be pure and things weren't even supposed to be implied. However, somehow "Unfinished Business" got made in the Production Code era and still implied quite a few things...but frankly, I am NOT sure exactly what it was implying and the film could be interpreted different ways. The more salacious way would seem to make the film make more sense.The film begins in Ohio at a wedding. Nancy's younger sister is getting married and finally Nancy will be free to live her life. This is because Nancy ended up raising her sister and had no time for love. So now, she's eager to make up for lost time. On the train taking Nancy to the big city, she meets a very suave rich guy, Steve Duncan (Preston Foster). He seduces her and she is naive enough to believe his promises...though to him she's simply another conquest.Later, when she's working in the big city, she sees Steve...with his fiance! Obviously the louse had no honorable intentions and she is heartbroken. Steve's brother, Tommy (Robert Montgomery), sees Nancy is upset and takes her out for a night of drinking and merry-making.The next day, Tommy awakens to discover he's married to Nancy! They try to make a go of it but ghosts of Steve interfere and the marriage is on the rocks. What's next? See the film.Here are the two possible ways to interpret the film: One, Nancy made out with Steve but nothing more. Why she kept holding on to this memory and why she had so much trouble getting over him is a puzzler. She apparently is an idiot. Two, Nancy and Steve did the nasty. This makes it much easier to understand why she had trouble getting over him as well as the baby at the end of the film!! Either way, the movie is pretty good...but the second explanation (clearly NOT a Production Code plot) really makes much more sense and if they'd been clearer about this (which they couldn't because of the tough new code), then it all would have made a lot of sense and would have been a better film. As it is, it's just confusing though terribly well acted.
SimonJack
"Unfinished Business" is billed as a comedy and romance. It is that, and more. The comedy is mostly of a biting nature, set in a plot that otherwise would be a serious drama. The plot sets up early around a theme that was prevalent in the movies, at least, of the first two- thirds of the 20th century. A small town guy or gal had to leave the "sticks" for the land of golden opportunity and/or the excitement of the big city. Most often it was the big apple, New York. The story soon splits into smaller plots that overlap. The girl from the sticks meets and falls for a guy right away. He, of course, is just looking for some fun or a one-night stand. She meets another guy who happens to be the brother of her first love, although she doesn't know it at the time. He is a wealthy lush who doesn't like his brother and who, for some unknown reason, is running away from life by drowning his sorrows in a hedonistic lifestyle. But, he has a good heart, is affable and pleasant and takes the gal out one evening. They get plastered and wake up the next morning married. She then finds out he's the brother of the guy she fell for, but doesn't tell him. After some weeks of partying every night, he wants to stay home, and she still wants to live a night life that leaves her with no memories of the night before the next morning. In time, he falls in love with her. The story continues from there, and one can guess many different endings. So, the one that comes is something of a surprise and good. It wraps up the complexity of this multi-plot story at least satisfactorily. This is not the stuff around which comedies are built normally, and it's obvious why there weren't many such films made. But, with the biting humor, it is a sort of social commentary on the various escapist ideas of life – their fantasy and futility. The cast all are very good. Irene Dunne plays Nancy, showing her great diversity in manners and mood for roles. Robert Young is very good as Tommy, her husband. And Eugene Palette is superb as Elmer, Tommy's butler and nursemaid. All the others of the cast are fine. Most of the comedy is provided by Elmer and Tommy. The screenplay can't handle very well the complexity of the different subplots. It has gaping holes in places. And it has some sections of dialog that seem strange, not to belong or necessary. For instance, Tommy's experience as a baby with black cats. Nancy's romance in a one-night fling on a passenger train, and then her hurt and bitterness for many months afterward is a stretch. She's intelligent to begin with, and wary of just such encounters. We never know the cause of Tommy's wanting to escape from life by drowning himself in booze. The mood and attitude changes are sudden with Nancy and Tommy after many weeks of drinking themselves into stupors. There are missing aspects of the wealthy, such as meeting family members before marriage. The film, for length, cuts out the night flight to South Carolina and Tommy and Nancy's getting married. It jumps from their split to Tommy suddenly in Army boot camp. He goes from a lush to stopping drinking, apparently overnight. Then there are a couple of strange exchanges between Nancy and Elmer. They aren't important for the plot and seem out of place as though they were inserted just to liven up the film with some comedy. It's an interesting film, but not a comedy that provokes laughter. It's highest value may be in its look at the reality of a period of time in American culture. Many young people sought to pursue dreams of wealth, excitement, success and love with so little to go on, and while the vast majority of them never reached their dreams, those few who did often found lives that were far short of their fantasies. Here are some humorous lines from the film. For more dialog samples, see the Quotes section in this IMDb Web page of the movie. Frank, "You can't make an eagle out of a hen by changing the shape of the egg."Tommy, "Where do you come from, anyway?" Nancy, "Messina, Ohio." Tommy, "Oh, Indian country." Nancy, "You know, if you hadn't been with Mr. Duncan for such a long time, I'd fire you." Elmer, "I wouldn't mind. Give me a chance to catch up on some sleep." Nancy, "You're not my idea of a butler" Elmer, "You're not my idea." Tommy, "You aren't complaining, Elmer?" Elmer, "Why should I complain? I've had two wonderful hours sleep every night for a week." Nancy, "Well, it's all your fault. You said you were going to teach me how to live. I'm gonna learn if it kills me." Tommy, "Learning how to live is one thing. We didn't enter into a suicide pact." Tommy, "Uh, Mrs. Duncan, I'd like to present Mrs. Duncan." Nancy, "How do you do!" Sheila, "I suppose we should all congratulate each other." Tommy, "I've already done it. You three can go ahead." Nancy, shaking hands with Sheila, "Congratulations!" Sheila, "Oh, congratulations!" Nancy, shaking hands with Steve, "Congratulations!" Steve, "Congratulations!" Nancy, "Maybe we can all celebrate our anniversaries together if our husbands remember." Sheila, "They can always be prompted." Tommy, "I've been doing a lot of thinking this past year." Nancy, "Have you?" Tommy, "Yeah. The Army has a way of toughening up your muscles and softening up your pride." Nancy, "Well, you mustn't allow anything to soften your pride."
calvinnme
This was an odd little piece of filmmaking from Universal back in 1941. Irene Dunne plays a never married woman, Nancy Andrews, probably in her mid to late 20's, who has spent her life raising her younger sister who is now marrying. In 1941 in Ohio, where this movie starts, Nancy would be considered a spinster. Sis and her new husband have a surprise for her - she can come live with them! Nancy doesn't want to be treated to life in a rocking chair just yet and decides to leave and go off to the big city (New York) and "do things". However, she doesn't really have a plan, and it seems that is part of the attraction for her - for once in her life, having no plan.On the train to New York she meets rich playboy Steve Duncan (Preston Foster). He makes a bet with his companion on who can pick up the most attractive woman and bring her back to their compartment first. Nancy is not wise in the ways of the world and does not see this obvious fellow for what he is, and is charmed by him and believes his pick up lines as sincerity. Steve wins the bet but decides to go for the gold and seduces Nancy. Now this is where things get murky - probably deliberately. As the train whistles, Steve, with an expression that screams "date rape" in modern times, comes closer and closer to Nancy and they wind up kissing - it is mutual. The camera then moves to the outside of the train with that train still whistling. The insinuation is that they sleep together.They arrive in New York, and Steve says he will call her. He has no such intention. She is just the latest conquest among many and he is engaged - something he never told her - to someone he probably doesn't love any more than the rest of his conquests. However, his intended is old money like himself and that is what matters. Slowly Nancy comes to the realization that she's been used like yesterday's newspapers, and through luck and coincidence winds up a novelty "singing operator" at a nightspot run by the always fascinating to watch Walter Catlett. So who winds up at the nightspot one night but slimy Steve, his fiancée, and Steve's brother Tommy (Robert Montgomery), who shares Steve's worst characteristics PLUS he is a drunk. However, Tommy takes a genuine shine to Nancy and they begin dating. Primarily Tommy is "Steve by proxy" in Nancy's life - she still carries a torch. However Tommy is so drunk most of the time he can't see this. They marry on a lark - Tommy is drunk, Nancy is trying to put Steve behind her. The next day Tommy doesn't even remember that he got married and Nancy doesn't seem to care. How will this all work out? I'll let you watch and find out.I'll just say that a busy boarding house, a little accident, the United States Army, and the opera are all involved. Oh, and one of those girls from Tommy's past that meant no more to Tommy than Nancy did to brother Steve is pivotal in a small but important role.I liked this movie because it dealt with an issue that was seldom brought up in the production code era - that a woman can have a past involving some man that she loved and even made a fool of herself over, but didn't get and always carries a torch for, and not wind up the object lesson in some Victorian morality play. Life goes on. This one is very much worth your time exactly because it doesn't go where you think it is going and with a talented cast to boot.
