It's hard to believe this stylishly directed movie was turned out by Frederick De Bonzo Cordova. True, it was produced by Alex Gottlieb, one of the most intelligent and capable men on the Warner Brothers' lot. Even more importantly it was conceived by the Ephrons and cleverly revised by the witty Izzy Diamond (later a close associate of Billy Wilder). It wouldn't surprise me if it was Izzy's ingenious idea to make Jane a keen picturegoer, treating herself (and us) to such side-splitting gems as "Million Dollar Lady" and "Yesterday Is Gone".
However, the situations are even more laugh-provoking "off screen". The characters have been imaginatively conceived in a solidly realistic way. Their reactions always seem perfectly natural, but this only makes them even more delightfully amusing. As a result, many of the lines and "business" come across as very funny indeed.
Vivacious Joyce Reynolds and the normally glum (but brilliantly cast here) Robert Hutton make an excellent team, although impishly irascible Cecil Kellaway has all the best lines and easily manages to steal the film (with a close assist from Ernest Truex and a host of hilarious character players led by Ransom Sherman and Tom Dugan).
Production values are absolutely top-drawer with strikingly moody photography from Carl Guthrie, great (in both senses of that word) sets from Leo K. Kuter and a very pleasant music score from Werner Heymann.
Vivacious Joyce Reynolds and the normally glum (but brilliantly cast here) Robert Hutton make an excellent team, although impishly irascible Cecil Kellaway has all the best lines and easily manages to steal the film (with a close assist from Ernest Truex and a host of hilarious character players led by Ransom Sherman and Tom Dugan).
Production values are absolutely top-drawer with strikingly moody photography from Carl Guthrie, great (in both senses of that word) sets from Leo K. Kuter and a very pleasant music score from Werner Heymann.