No doubt Michael Wilding had his fans at the time (and even now) but for me he is trading on a charm doesn't in fact possess in this story. To be fair I am saying story rather than performance because the silliness really is at the story and script level, and Wilding is delivering what is required by both. By virtue of an unexpected inheritance he breaks in on the Neagle character's successful fashion business and he and his buddy set about spoiling it in small ways and then a large way. His behaviour is insensitive and irritating but clearly is intended to be accepted as whimsical and charming, and eventually irresistible to Neagle. A real person with self-respect would have socked him and walked off the job well before she does in this film. I was born the year after this film was made, and so I have had a good chance to observe how much attitudes to women have changed - or not changed as much as they should. I can see presented uncritically in this film some of the fundamental disrespect of women which is still so toxic to our culture today. In between repeatedly muttering "that ain't funny" I did enjoy some of the aspects of this film (eg the costumes). Neagle does a respectable job of her dancing although I take it the dancing in the major dance sequences is done by a lookalike double. In closeups she is heavily painted and clearly is no spring chicken. Yet her character is described as a "girl". She is a lovely, dignified and ladylike woman, and very credible as a successful businessperson, which many might think is better than being a girl.
Review of Maytime in Mayfair
