Wealthy Connie Allenbury is falsely accused of breaking up a marriage and sues the New York Evening Star newspaper for $5,000,000 for libel. Warren Haggerty, the managing editor, turns in desperation to former reporter and suave ladies' man Bill Chandler for help. Bill's scheme is to maneuver Connie into being alone with him when his wife shows up, so that the suit will have to be dropped. Bill is not married, so Warren volunteers his long-suffering fiancée, Gladys Benton, to marry Bill in name only, over her loud protests.
Bill arranges to return to America from England on the same ocean liner as Connie and her father J. B.. He pays some men to pose as reporters and harass Connie at the dock, so that he can "rescue" her and become acquainted. On the voyage, Connie initially treats him with contempt, assuming that he is just the latest in a long line of fortune hunters after her money, but Bill gradually overcomes her suspicions.
Complications arise when Connie and Bill actually fall in love. They get married, but Gladys decides that she prefers Bill to a marriage-averse newspaperman and interrupts their honeymoon to reclaim her husband. Bill reveals that he found out that Gladys' Yucatán divorce was not valid, but Gladys states she got a second divorce in Reno, so she and Bill are actually man and wife. Connie and Bill manage to show Gladys that she really loves Warren.
Spencer Tracy plays Warren Haggerty, a newspaperman known for postponing his Maridel nuptials, this time due to a young woman (Myrna Loy) threatening to sue the paper for slander. Haggerty quickly hatches a plan to persuade her to change her mind, in comes lady’s man Bill Chandler (played by William Powell), who slowly woes himself into the hearts of Connie and J.B. Allenbury via J.B.’s affinity to trout fishing. By the description on the DVD slip, I expected to watch a drama, but instead, I found a great comedy. Should I have expected anything less from Nick and Nora Charles?
Anyway, Chandler checks out every book on trout fishing known to man and the result is tall tales of fishing glory and a trout fishing trip with J.B. to prove his skill. Needless to say, craziness and sheer luck ensue.
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| Bill Chandler’s fishing tactics |
Haggerty’s fiance, Gladys Benton (Jean Harlow) is also in on the act, marrying Chandler in order to play the scorned wife later on with the master plot of seduction. The problem? Both girls have fallen in love with him.
This movie had me avidly watching and cursing out Bill Chandler (sorry William Powell) but at the same time, he had me laughing, especially his fishing efforts. The acting was acceptable and perfect for a slapstick comedy which was the feeling that I got. While I have not seen any other “Best Production” nominees for the 9th Academy Awards I was a little surprised that it was in that category; mainly because comedies are not typically chosen. Overall, it was a fun movie and I am happy to have seen it.
I do enjoy Spencer Tracey, this sounds like a fun movie.