Although uncredited, "Merrily We Live" was based upon Courtenay Savage's play "They All Want Something" (by way of E. J. Rath's book "The Dark Chapter") and it has been directed as such, with stage-left to stage-right action, swinging doors and pratfalls, and kooky behavior designed to reach the back rows. Billie Burke plays a wealthy wife and mother of three who has a history of taking in hobos in order to reform them. She mistakes novelist Brian Aherne for a homeless tramp and hires him to be the family's chauffeur; he's happy to do it since that means flirting with Burke's eldest daughter, Constance Bennett. Subtle moments in this household, such as a heart-to-heart chat between father and daughter, get trampled by the frenetic screwball, though there's a funny butler who keeps threatening to quit, a sassy kid sis, and some amusing lines (mostly between the staff). The plot is just a throwaway--it seems written around the wisecracks--however Aherne and Bennett have good chemistry (he leans heavily on his slick charm, while her blithe performance helps disguise the fact her character never makes much sense). There's no narrative flow at work, and the scenes are designed as set-pieces--each with its own sight-gag. It's certainly fast-paced...and it slides right out of the memory just as quickly. ** from ****
Review of Merrily We Live
