Society deb Melsa Manton (Barbara Stanwyck) discovers a body late one night in a abandoned house. She goes to get the police but when they return the body is missing. The police don't believe her so Manton and her bunch of ditzy friends try and solve the murder mystery themselves. Reporter Peter Ames (Henry Fonda) immediately falls in love with Melsa (after hating her on sight) and helps them.
Pretty unknown movie...and it's easy to see why! Stanwyck, a wonderful actress, is woefully miscast as Manton. Fonda hated doing this movie and it shows. He's stone-faced throughout. The movie has plenty of potential but the comedy is either stupid or unfunny. Also I found Melsa's bunch of friends incredibly annoying--they all act like idiots and they're constantly screaming at everything. The romance between Manton and Ames comes out of nowhere and isn't believable for one second. Pauline Kael once wrote that this was written by people who had too much time on their hands. How true! Halfway through I just turned it off in disgust--I was bored and sick of having my intelligence insulted. If you want to see a good movie with Stanwyck and Fonda see "The Lady Eve". This one is hopeless.
Pretty unknown movie...and it's easy to see why! Stanwyck, a wonderful actress, is woefully miscast as Manton. Fonda hated doing this movie and it shows. He's stone-faced throughout. The movie has plenty of potential but the comedy is either stupid or unfunny. Also I found Melsa's bunch of friends incredibly annoying--they all act like idiots and they're constantly screaming at everything. The romance between Manton and Ames comes out of nowhere and isn't believable for one second. Pauline Kael once wrote that this was written by people who had too much time on their hands. How true! Halfway through I just turned it off in disgust--I was bored and sick of having my intelligence insulted. If you want to see a good movie with Stanwyck and Fonda see "The Lady Eve". This one is hopeless.