A lot of fun.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

1937's "Second Honeymoon" reunites the stars of "Love is News," Tyrone Power and Loretta Young, this film coasting along at a slower pace than its predecessor, less amusing and quite predictable. Loretta, living in Miami with second husband Lyle Talbot, just happens to encounter former spouse Power (yeah, right!), and they immediately kiss before we learn that they USED to be married! From there surprises are few, as Talbot may be a good provider but is also prissy and businesslike, while the happy go lucky Tyrone, the very qualities responsible for his divorce, proves now to be irresistible to the undecided bride. There are some minor complications involving Marjorie Weaver, whose Kentucky working girl catches the eye of both husbands, winding up marrying Power's new valet Stuart Erwin. Among the unbilled reporters appearing in the final reel is Lon Chaney, getting some unintelligible dialogue and virtually nothing to do, one year into his forgettable two years as a Fox contract player, his role in the earlier "Love is News" excised from the film prior to release. Chaney did survive as another reporter in Power's "Thin Ice," opposite Sonja Henie, and plays a photographer in the upcoming "Alexander's Ragtime Band," with his future co-star John Carradine assuming the role of a taxi driver.

I guess it's somewhat fortunate that I recently watched Woody Allen's Radio Days because Second Honeymoon seemed to be about just the kind of people that his family used, his mother especially, used to listen to on the radio. These people who go to glamorous nightclubs and never seem to worry about where the money is, the kind of people during the Depression everyone would fantasize about.Loretta Young seems to have gotten off the fantasy trip. She was married for awhile to Tyrone Power who is a Thirties type playboy who normally would be found over at MGM played by Robert Montgomery or Franchot Tone. But life was too much of an adventure with the irresponsible Power, so she got rid of him and married reliable old and dull Lyle Talbot.Now when Power and Young meet up again quite accidentally at a resort vacation if you're any kind of movie fan you KNOW they'll be back together. Curious that Talbot's very reliability, the kind of man most in the Thirties in real life would have liked to have as provider is just dismissed here. Of course Talbot's given a roving eye himself so he's not made a sympathetic figure.I thought of Radio Days and the parents who when it is reported that Power's renewed interest in Young is reported in Walter Winchell's column that they would be listening to Winchell and hanging on every word of gossip he had about the beautiful people.No doubt about it though, Power and Young were certainly beautiful people back in the day. Second Honeymoon though is a fluff kind of fantasy comedy that would never fly today, I'm not sure how well it got off the ground in 1937.

This screwball comedy surprised me. I've already seen a few Tyrone Power-Loretta Young films and liked them very much. This one, on the other hand, was far less enjoyable and just a bit shrill--with lots of actors shouting their lines--even the usually demure Miss Young. All too often, the film seemed to try a bit too hard and ended up being a very loud and far from subtle film.Power and Young play a couple who have divorced each other and now Young is married to dull old Lyle Talbot. When Power comes on to the scene, he claims it's all an accident and he has no intentions towards his -ex, but it's obvious to almost everyone (except poor Lyle) that Tyrone wants his wife back. In many ways, the film reminds me of several of Cary Grant's films such as THE AWFUL TRUTH and MY FAVORITE WIFE, as well as the Colbert-McCrea film, PALM BEACH STORY--though all of these films are made better. The bottom line is that there have been many similar movies that were simply written better--with better dialog and far less yelling. As a result, this is a thoroughly mediocre film and not among the stars' best.By the way, look for Lon Chaney, Jr. in a tiny part as a reported towards the end of the film. Look fast or you'll miss him in one of his earlier roles.

"Second Honeymoon" is a fluffy comedy which probably had its genesis in "Private Lives." It concerns a beautiful divorcée (Loretta Young) who, upon marrying her second husband (Lyle Talbot) runs into her first (Tyrone Power). Everyone is rich, magnificently dressed, and does a lot of traveling in the spirit of Hollywood escapism during the Depression.This movie is talky and doesn't have the energy or enough of the humor of "Cafe Metropole," another early Power-Young film. Even with an 85 minute or thereabouts running time, it felt long.There are some very good performances. Stuart Erwin plays Power's valet, and he has an interesting characterization. Claire Trevor is delightful in a supporting role, and Marjorie Weaver brings liveliness to the part of Joy.Young is absolutely fabulous looking and is appropriately jealous and angry when the script calls for it. Power is absurdly handsome, just stunning, and alas, doesn't have too much to do. It's an extremely lightweight role. It's probably just as well. It was difficult to do anything but ogle when he was on screen in this one.