The greatest movie ever!

Don't listen to the negative reviews

What a freaking movie. So many twists and turns. Absolutely intense from start to finish.

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

Produced on an expensive budget by Ralph Wheelwright for M-G-M, with beautiful photography by Karl Freund and gorgeous sets by Wade Rubottom, this screenplay by Leslie Charteris and Ethel Hill is as thrilling, fast-paced and full of surprising twists as any "Saint" novel. It's well directed too – by none other than Jules Rififi Dassin. Admittedly, this pic doesn't quite have the flair of Dassin's later work. For example, I'm sure the more experienced Dassin would have used a low angle in the mardi gras shots rather than the high angle he employs here. However, I have no complaints against the skillful film editing, or against the players. In fact, Lucille Ball delivers an excellent performance – and never looked lovelier. Available on an excellent Warner Archive DVD.

Oil paintings and oil wells. Ricki ( Lucy) and her friend "Ace" are somehow involved in selling things. John Hodiak is "Ace" Connors, and he and Ricki are trying to sell oil wells or paintings, but neither one seems to be authentic, so the buyers back out, and then there are the mysterious missing bonds. Elisha Cook is the dark horse "Feletti". It's all very 1940s noirish, with Lucy all dolled up in fancy costumes, and many things are only partially explained. They all meet on a train when Bob Simms (Lloyd Nolan), is bringing Connors in for justice. Simms tells Ricki why they are on the train, and tries to get her on his side. Then, they end up on the Mexican side of the border. Now, they are all at a Mardi Gras party. Wow, they sure have a lot of adventures for someone on their way to Sing Sing; it's all in good fun as we wait to see if Simms, Feletti, or someone else will find the stolen bonds. You have to really pay attention or you'll miss important details. It's more of a get-away adventure than a who-dunnit. It's okay, but not a lot of meat on the bones of this story. This was a couple years before I Love Lucy. They hardly ever show this one, but her best films were Long Long Trailer, Big Street, Fuller Brush Girl, and Meet the People. Hodiak had just done Hitchcock's Lifeboat, and Harvey Girls.Directed by Jules Dassin, nominated for two Oscars for "Pote tin Kyriaki" 1960. He had also directed Rififi and Topkapi, and was harassed by the House Unamerican Activities Committee in the 1950s. Looks like this is the only time Dassin and Lucy worked on a project together.

Bob Simms (Lloyd Nolan) accompanies fraudster Ace (John Hodiak) to prison via Mexico and New Orleans. They share their journey with Ricki (Lucille Ball), another fraudster who is up to tricks of her own. Ricki and Ace fall in love but fellow crook Fly (Elisha Cook Jnr) is tracking her and wants something from her. The film builds to it's climax at Mardi Gras..........everyone gets what they deserve....This film is quite boring. Nothing really happens and the whole Mardi Gras sequence drags on and on and isn't at all interesting. It provides one good moment when Ricki steals the cook book behind Fly's back. The cast are OK but Elisha Cook Jnr is as awful as always - he is a very unconvincing tough guy. More like a pip-squeek. The love affair between Ace and Ricki is also a bit suspect. The film is watchable and ticks by but when it finishes, it leaves you with a feeling of absolutely nothing. The film is OK if a little dull. No need to see it again.

THREE SMART PEOPLE might be considered the low-point of Lucille Ball's career at MGM in the 1940's but it's still a quite good little tale and a rather unique cross between romance and crime drama. Lucy and John Hodiak are elegant con artists who find themselves battling for the same pigeon. There are romantic sparks immediately but a rival is a rival and they each deliberately ruin the other's con. When Lucy learns from old partner Elijah Cook Jr that Hodiak is carrying a hidden a half million in bonds, she ditches Cook and manages to find a spot on the cross-country train Hodiak is on heading toward New Orleans. Lucy is unaware though that Hodiak's traveling partner Lloyd Nolan is a cop escorting him on one last fun fling before Hodiak turns himself in for a prison stretch of at least five years.This smooth pseudo-film noir is surprisingly agreeable. Essentially a three person picture (Ball, Hodiak, and Nolan) the only other part of any length is Cook's who surprisingly billed below both Hugo Haas and Lenore Ulric in roles that are basically bit parts. The movie looks great and it's no surprise Lucy later sought the cinematographer Karl Freund to helm I LOVE LUCY. She's a vision here, particularly in the Mardi Gras segment. The extended New Orleans sequence is the highlight of the film and director Jules Dassin and the production designers do a very fine job of capturing both the unique look of the city and Carnival season, complete with jazz for the background music. TWO SMART PEOPLE is a very enjoyable diversion with a nice performance by Lucy in an atypical role.