One of my all time favorites.

Admirable film.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

I'm sure William Powell was not available so in the MGM pecking order Walter Pidgeon got to star with Rosalind Russell in what turned out to be her last MGM film Design For Scandal. Pidgeon's part seemed to be cloned from Bill Powell's role as the reporter in Libeled Lady.Pidgeon is a reporter who works for Edward Arnold a rich publisher who hates to part with a nickel. Arnold just got taken to the cleaners in a divorce settlement from gold digging Mary Beth Hughes and he's mad as hell at Judge Rosalind Russell for really socking it to him.There's some really dirty pool played here as Pidgeon romances Russell so that Jean Rogers playing his girlfriend can sue her in a trumped up alienation of affections suit. What happens here is what happens in all movies of this type. You can truly figure out what's going on here.The leads are fine, but Edward Arnold really steals this film as the 'mastermind' behind this scheme. His reactions every time another bill is brought to him are priceless.Rosalind Russell plays another one of those patented career woman roles she did so well. Her fans who like to see her in these parts will be pleased.

Women make horrible judges, powerful newspaper owner Edward Arnold announces in court, upset by judge Rosalind Russell's fining him for contempt and giving wife Mary Beth Hughes a huge settlement. That's all it takes for Arnold to vow revenge, rehiring recently fired employee Walter Pidgeon in his scheme against her. He presents himself to her when she goes on vacation, chewing her ear off and generally making a nuisance of himself as he poses as a sculptor and purposely romances her in an awkward manner to get her into an awkward position so Arnold can blackmail her. Obviously, nature isn't going to take that course of action, and there's a lot of silliness in taking this ridiculous plot in the direction it goes.In spite of the implausabilities, this is an entertaining, if plot heavy, screwball comedy, with Jean Rogers as a blackmailing beautician, Vera Vague as Russell's malapropism spouting sister, Bobby Larson as Russell's prankster playing nephew (using the heads of sleeping bald men as an etch-a-sketch) and Guy Kibbee as an influencial judge. This is certainly a gorgeous film to look at (the type that probably produced gorgeous stills and lobby cards) and romantic in spite of it's con plotline. My judgement? Simply enjoy and throw the book at those thoughts that criticize the film as a whole.

Very funny 1941 film with Rosalind Russell and Walter Pidgeon starring.Russell plays a tough judge who lowers the boom on Edward Arnold when the latter's chorus girl wife divorces him. To get the judge off the case for future appeals, Arnold devises a plot with his photographer Walter Pidgeon to come on to her and then have her name smeared through the media by his alleged fiancée who he has hired for this nasty deed.Russell comes into herself as a woman here and Pidgeon is quite a lady's man. It's a riot how Russell eventually discovers this plot and when Arnold and Pidgeon are brought into court for plotting such chicanery, Russell gets to see the other side of the law.A very appealing comedy.

Walter Pidgeon distinguished himself in many films, but Design for Scandal isn't one of them. He is grievously miscast as a womanizing, fast-talking reporter out to besmirch Judge Rosalind Russell's reputation in order to save his boss's. Pidgeon looks uncomfortable much of the time, and delivers most of his lines without conviction or commitment.Russell, too, gave many memorable performances in both dramas and comedies. Not here. As she so frequently did in the 40s, she panders to Hollywood convention by playing a brittle, sophisticated career woman who finds she needs a man to achieve true happiness. I wonder if many women didn't find that stereotype demeaning, even in 1941.