Review of Fast Company

Fast Company is my favorite of MGM's three "Fast" films based on a popular novel written by Marco Page (a pseudonym for Harry Kurnitz, which I would love to read). As a HUGE Thin Man (aka Nick and Nora) fan, I can say these aren't quite as good but if you are looking for a solid marriage with witty dialogue, a lot of drinking and a side of mystery solving ala Nick and Nora, these three films come close. Each of the three films use the same "rare book dealer" home office set, but completely recast the husband and wife duo. In this the first film, Joel and Garda are played by Melvyn Douglas (my favorite Joel) and Florence Rice (my second favorite Garda), in film two (Fast and Loose) they are played by Robert Montgomery and Rosalind Russell (my favorite two stand alone actors...but my least favorite as Joel and Garda), the third and final film (Fast and Furious) stars Franchot Tone and Ann Southern ( my favorite Garda) as our intrepid lead and leading lady. This is a light hearted mystery with snappy dialog, great banter and one liners being exchanged between our married couple and occasionally the police detectives. Melvyn Douglas and Florence rice have wonderful and believable chemistry as a married couple. No one hams it up for the camera better than Douglas. Louis Calhern plays an excellent bad guy. When a young and innocent friend of Joel and Garda's is released from having spent a year in prison for a crime he didn't commit, Joel and Garda attempt to find him a job when his former boss and accuser ends up dead, the friend becomes the obvious suspect leaving Joel and Garda to figure out who r ally committed the crime both then AND now. The story has a beautiful mol played by Claire Dodd and some other wonderful character actors who fill in the "criminal" element! Fun, light-hearted movie that you will enjoy.