The cinematic swan song of Marion Davies is mostly run of the mill but contains some sparkling supporting performances and some funny gender- based situations. For one thing, the film makes the visual point, perhaps even stale for 1937, that female unattractiveness is connected to straight or severely styled hair, round-rimmed eyeglasses, lack of lipstick and bulky clothing – the look Davies adopts to get hired by Louise Fazenda's publishing house which prefers homely employees.
Robert Montgomery, as the irresponsible fiction writer to whom Davies is assigned, has a washed-out quality here, as if he had grown weary of playing wealthy party boys. Davies, though too old and too laid back, is inoffensive. The oomph comes from the physically and vocally robust Fazenda and three other players: Frederic Clark as Montgomery's impeccably civil butler; Marcia Ralston (strikingly similar to Joan Crawford and Merle Oberon in looks) as Montgomery's fiery tempered girlfriend; finally, Patsy Kelly as Davies's roommate has a way with a good-natured wisecrack.
Robert Montgomery, as the irresponsible fiction writer to whom Davies is assigned, has a washed-out quality here, as if he had grown weary of playing wealthy party boys. Davies, though too old and too laid back, is inoffensive. The oomph comes from the physically and vocally robust Fazenda and three other players: Frederic Clark as Montgomery's impeccably civil butler; Marcia Ralston (strikingly similar to Joan Crawford and Merle Oberon in looks) as Montgomery's fiery tempered girlfriend; finally, Patsy Kelly as Davies's roommate has a way with a good-natured wisecrack.