By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.5 cats
Director: Frank Capra
Starring: Adolphe Menjou | Barbara Stanwyck | Charlotte Henry | Dorothy Peterson | Ralph Bellamy | Thomas Jefferson
Country: united_states
Year: 1932
Running time: 85
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0022905/reference
Thom says: “Here’s an early film from Hollywood legendary director Frank Capra (IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT, MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN, LOST HORIZON, YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU, MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON, MEET JOHN DOE, ARSENIC & OLD LACE, IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, etc.) when he still used the name Frank R. Capra which, to be totally candid, I watched due to the participation of Barbara Stanwyck (who along with Bette Davis & Joan Crawford I consider to be the best American film actresses of their generati on). This film is as corny as a country squire but the outstanding contributions from the professional cast raises the ante. Lulu (Stanwyck), a spinsterish librarian in a dull town takes a vacation to Cuba where the garish atmosphere is depressing until she meets/cute with Bob (a suave Adolphe Menjou) an on-vacation District Attorney and they fall hopelessly in love. Of course Bob is married and, naturally, his wife is cripple so he can’t leave her, and, wouldn’t you know it, Lulu gets knocked-up and has a little girl. Bob adopts little Roberta, much to the delight of his handicapped wife, and he hires Lulu as Roberta’s governess. A young Ralph Bellamy stars as a hot-shot newspaper editor, Holland, who hires Lulu as an advice columnist, is sexy &, gosh darn it, he falls in love with Lulu. Bob decides to run for Governor but Holland decides he has a dirty little secret. It’s odd the script has such a liking for Bob. Also the film which starts in 1932, as Roberta grows up into a young woman, the clothes, backgrounds, and decor all remain in 1932, as if no time has passed, although Lulu & Holland’s hair have both gone gray. Very involving film, although never approaching much credibility.”