weezeralfalfa
It doesn't take long to figure out who is going to be the archvillain. Basil Rathbone frequently played villains. For example, he opposed Errol Flynn in fencing duels in "Captain Blood", and "The Adventures of Robin Hood". Here, he plays the imposing dictatorial Wroxton, who functions as the butler in the mansion of Mr. and Mrs. Winfield. More importantly, he is given the authority to hire and fire other household functionaries, besides which he takes a cut of their salaries to insure his continued approval of their work. He is uncommonly stiff and formal, and treats the staff as a drill sergeant treats his recruits. He reluctantly offers Loretta a job. She doesn't accept right away, and is about to leave, as she can't imagine working under the thumb of the zombie-like Wroxton. However, maid Patsy Kelly, as Gracie, flags her down, and convinces her to give it a try. Patsy becomes her friend throughout the film. The son of the Winfields: Richard)Robert Taylor) is immediately smitten by Loretta's beauty, initially assuming she is a guest, rather than a maid. Soon, he's talking marriage, but she initially objects that a marriage between a scion of a wealthy family and their maid wouldn't be accepted socially. He nixes this objection, and eventually, she gives in, not telling his parents, initially. Meanwhile, evil Wroxton finally makes his move, proposing marriage. She flatly turns him down. Wroxton spends the remainder of the film trying to get Loretta in trouble with the family or the law. He announces to the parents, that one of the staff is going to have a baby, of which Richard is the father. Loretta admits such, but informs them that they are married. Wroxton's major success relates to an incident in which a broke Loretta hesitantly accepts a ride with an unfamiliar man((Monroe Owlsey, as Coakley),who supposedly stops to introduce her to his grandmother(May Beatty, as grandma Gammon), but it turns out to be an illegal gambling den. Unfortunately, the police stage a raid just then, and Loretta winds up at the police station, with no money. Loretta reluctantly calls Wroxton to take a taxi to the police station and pay her fine. This he does. Thus, he finds out about her entrance to the gambling den. When, he tells the Winfields about this, they demand an annulment of the marriage. Richard is not so demanding at first, and refuses to sign the annulment, but after talking to Loretta, he gives in and signs it. However, there has to be a trial. Her lawyer finds Coakley, who agrees to tell about his role in her being found in that gambling den. However, Wroxton pays Coakley to lie, and make it look like Loretta was the sleazy one, which seemed to cook her goose. But, Loretta's lawyer finds out about the dirty deal between Wroxton and Coakley, and tells Richard, who promptly socks Wroxton's jaw, causing him to fall over backwards over a desk: the most satisfying moment in the film! Loretta's lawyer called her to the stand once more, and she testified that she was only 17 at the time, thus underage to be in such an establishment This sealed Richard's mind to withdraw the annulment request........Besides the police raid, there was another episode of pandemonium when a guy who talked like a mobster got fresh with Loretta while she was seated in a nightclub. The big sailor with buck teeth, who hardly talked, got up and socked this guy. In response, his buddies came at the sailor, followed by various sailors coming to his defense. Soon, everybody was fighting, and Loretta's salary was stolen from her purse....... As always, Loretta is extraordinarily beautiful, with many closeups of her face, with those big soulful eyes. Robert Taylor was also in his prime, and made a very handsome groom.
nomoons11
This was one of the few Robert Taylor films where he actually does a decent job with the role he's give. This is Loretta Young's film though...with a splash of Patsy Kelly and a huge dog thrown in.Loretta come comes to the big city to find work and decides to try being a maid at a rich family's home. With the help of Patsy Kelly she gets in he door to talk to the creepy head of the servants...the butler played by Basil Rathbone. He's a scheming sort and goes for her in a big way but she always manages to skirt the issue around him. She finally meets the family's son and that's it. They fall in love and that's it. Well...almost.This is a decent enough picture. Normally I don't do to well with Robert Taylor but in this he gets by. This along with maybe, Johnny Eager are probably the only films I can swallow with him in it. In this he goes without a mustache and honestly, I think he looks way better. Loretta Young is a fine actress and she always brings you into her innocence in her films. Patsy Kelly is just the same as always. A wisecracker with the best lines in the film. She's a spark plug throughout this. Basil Rathbone really plays the smarmy head butler very well. So well you'll hate him. The dog, a huge great dane, is just a star all the way. Watch all his gestures. Most of the scenes he's in seem so natural and not set up with a trainer. This big sucker had personality.Throughout, this film was good but towards the end it just gets to be a bit...yeah rightish. There are scenes where if the character would speak up a lot of what happens would work themselves out but they up the snobbery and bossiness to keep it going. The end takes place in a court room to annul the marriage and the groom doesn't even show up until the end of the trial. I mean the guy signs the annulment papers for it to go through and he's not in court the whole time? Come on. The court scenes are actually a laugh. Not really well done but acceptable. His whole family lies to get to point in court and they leave without an aftermath of all this. I mean they blatantly lie and no punishment. I thought lying in court was a crime. Not in this film. They just let it slide without an outcome. Of course this is suppose to be a love story. Working class maid marries the rich son. Perfect for its day and age in the middle of the depression.Pretty good little film. Grab it and see a really young Loretta Young and Robert Taylor. Stay and watch it for Patsy Kelly and the huge Dog. You'll probably get a kick out of it like I did.
