Pretty Good

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

I like Myrna Loy. I like Franchot Tone. I like Rosalind Russell. I like Walter Pidgeon. I hated this movie.For Rosalind Russell's wedding gown alone this film should get a demerit!!!!! But the problem here is that Myrna Loy's character is despicable...and then we're supposed to forgive her in the end. Bull toddy. The whole basis of the film is that Loy is in love with Walter Pidgeon, but he marries Rosalind Russell. And the depressed Loy sets out to sabotage the marriage and win Pidgeon back. She has no morals and no conscience.Another problem is that she really dislikes Franchot Tone who is friends with Loy's mother. Which of course we know means that Loy and Tone will end up together before the end of the movie.What's good here is a mostly more lighthearted role for Walter Pidgeon than we're used to. And, handles it well. And, Franchot Tone's role is good here, as well. Character actress Nana Bryant as Loy's mother turns in a good performance as well.Honestly, were it not for my desire to watch more Franchot Tone films lately, I wish I had just turned this film off after about the first 20 minutes. Take my advice...do what I should have done.

"Man-Proof" is one of those films that the studios just ground out week after week. There's nothing particularly special about it unless you count Myrna Loy, who is always special. Here she plays a young woman, Mimi, from new money - her mother (Nana Bryant) is a popular romance novelist -- who's jilted by her boyfriend Alan (Walter Pidgeon). He dumps her unceremoniously to marry Elizabeth (Rosalind Russell), who has lots more money. A family friend, Jimmy (Franchot Tone) who seems to love Mimi himself, thinks he's a jerk and is just as glad.After the wedding, Mimi, Alan, and Elizabeth bury the hatchet, and Mimi and Alan decide to be friends. After an evening at the fights while Elizabeth is home sick, Mimi decides that she wants Alan back.This is pretty predictable stuff, overwritten with heavy dialogue. I will say this - Rosalind Russell wears the most atrocious-looking wedding veil I've ever seen. It seems to be held up on either side of the head by wires and resembles the flying nun's habit, and it looks like it's made of cellophane. Actually it's some sort of silk but it's hideous. Worth a look if you want to chuckle.Pidgeon and Loy are good; Franchot Tone doesn't have much to do but wisecrack. Loy is beautiful as usual. Not much to recommend this.

I got chewed out for asking this over on the Classic Movie Board, but why oh why did Myrna take this dreck? Unlike her other MGM women peers, Myrna went straight from "Oriential" villaness to vamp to good-time girl to wife and mother. In the process, she rarely got the chance to do the witty, champagne romantic comedies given to Joan Crawford or Norma Shearer at MGM, or even Irene Dunne, Claudette Colbert and Jean Arthur at other studios. Her few stabs at it were, regrettably, very, very lackluster, as it seems the studio just didn't know what to do with Myrna if she wasn't portraying William Powell's sly wife or Clark Gable's ultra-feminine love interest (on that note, I recently watched Myrna in the pre-code "Penthouse" and she was an absolute DOLL. Her character was a call-girl, but Myrna was so witty and breezy and sexy; wish she could have kept some of that).Man-Proof is one of those lackluster films given to Myrna when she wasn't paired with Clark or William or Robert Montgomery. Here she plays Mimi, who is in love with Alan (a stodgy Walter Pidgeon), and is the sparring partner of Jimmy (Franchot Tone). Alan breaks Mimi's heart by eloping with the wealthy Elizabeth (Rosalind Russell in her annoying "lady Mary" voice)--who in turn bizarrely invites Mimi to be her bridesmaid. Elizabeth wears this horrible wedding gown that looks like some sort of Medieval wimple and gown--and is completely serious! The film begins innocently enough, but it peaks during Myrna's wonderful drunk scene at the reception, where she'd struggled to hold it together as everyone gossiped about her being jilted.After this scene, it seems as though the writer(s) just threw at the plot. One of the culprits is probably the Production Code, since adultery was not to be condoned, so the scandal of Alan and Mimi's meetings is muted and getting around the subject was even more awkward than Joan Crawford and Robert Montgomery's escapades in "Forsaking All Others." Jimmy spends the majority of the film drunk and dully witty, which is supposed to hide his true feelings, but comes across as obnoxious in scene after scene of his drunk nonchalance. However, the main culprit is the complete and utter lack of character motivation. Mimi we get, Jimmy somewhat, but Alan and Elizabeth not at all. As I watched the film I kept asking: why did Elizabeth invite Mimi to be her bridesmaid? Why did she condone Alan running around town with Mimi? What did Alan want from Mimi after his marriage? Who were they? And after Alan returns to the oh-so understanding Elizabeth, I still didn't understand the characters.Needless to say, the only charm to this film is Myrna Loy. The script isn't at all good, and the direction was faulty, but Myrna and Franchot tried. Track this down only if you have a hankering to view Myrna's filmography.

I should confess up front that Myrna Loy buys the first 6 points just for showing up. That said, I think this movie has been underrated. It's a bit uneven and has some weak moments - self conscious and over wrought, or at least over written. But all in all, there's a lot to like. Myrna Loy, for one. Wait. I said that already. There are two really interesting characters - Loy's and Pigeon's. Russell and Tone are fine, but one dimensional. Meg, Loy's mother, is quite good, if expected. And despite Tone's obvious love for Loy throughout, there's no compelling chemistry between them even at the end when they're supposed to be obviously in love. But the overall package is well worth it.