Lively, entertaining reviews of, and essays on, old and newer films and everything relating to them, written by professional author William Schoell.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

KIND LADY (1935)


KIND LADY (1935). Director: George B. Seitz.

Mary Herries (Aline MacMahon) gives a cup of tea to an impoverished stranger, Henry Abbott (Basil Rathbone, pictured), and before long he's moving in to her townhouse with his wife, baby, and several friends and relatives. It's no secret that it's all part of a plot to separate the woman from her money and from everyone who cares about her. Eily Malyon and Barbara Shields are vivid as Mrs. Edwards and her idiot daughter Aggie, and Nola Luxford is effective as Mrs. Herries' worried maid, Rose. While the acting is good, the problem with the film is the lack of suspense and tension and an easy, too-quick resolution. Despite all its promise, this never really amounts to much.

Verdict: Disappointing but Basil's diction is always a delight. **.

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