Lucky Night (1939)
4/10
Ode to irresponsibility
6 January 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Sometimes I don't like a film, but this film annoyed me. I guess I have a tendency to like people who are responsible. And the two main characters here -- played by Robert Taylor and Myrna Loy. It all begins when the two run into each other and go on an evening fling where every bit of gambling they do brings in more money. So, egged on by Taylor's character, they get married (in part due to alcohol) and plan to live a life based on doing as little work as possible and having as many going on a lark days and nights as possible. Of course, they need a place to live, and to have that Taylor needs a job, so he becomes a very successful paint salesman. At various times it's difficult to tell which character is more irresponsible, but ultimately Loy becomes the one yearning for a home and some stability. The biggest problem of the whole film is that when it ends...suddenly...we're not sure if the couple is going to go Loy's way, or Taylor's way. At that point I felt I wasted my time watching the movie.

Don't get me wrong. The acting here is really good and Taylor is strikingly handsome. The problem is the concept of the script. In fact, for the first third of the film I kept wondering if there was actually plot, or if this was going to be 82 minutes of people just acting frivolously. The plot shows up about halfway through the film. Oh, and tell me how a man with $0 always has such a nice, and nicely pressed suit.

There are 3 people I'll mention in the supporting cast: the usually rather staid (but always good) Henry O'Neill as Loy's father; there is one funny scene where he is drunk! Perpetually grumpy Charles Lane as the boss at the paint store. And Marjorie Main -- acting and sounding NOTHING at all like Ma Kettle -- as the land lady.

I'm still holding my nose on this one.
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