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| Edward G. Robinson and Mary Astor |
"The second act is still a fine piece of Limburger."
Actor Damon Welles (Edward G. Robinson)is appalled to learn that his brother-in-law Stanley Vance (Louis Calhern), isn't dead after all, but has come back into his sister Jessica's (Mary Astor) life and is exerting a seriously unhealthy influence over her. So he cooks up a scheme to disguise himself and ... This dull and predictable movie, based on a minor stage play, wastes the talents of its excellent cast, who give it more than it deserves. Ricardo Cortez plays a theatrical producer and John Eldredge is a playwright. Robinson has such a distinctive face, figure and aura that, fine actor that he is, it's difficult for him to successfully disguise himself. Crisp, well-composed photography is another bonus but nothing can overcome that creaky plot.
Verdict: Robinson is always worth watching. **.
2 comments:
This is one I'll have to find and watch, any early Robinson is usually worth it.
Never a huge fan of Mary Astor, for some reason she always had a look that made her seem to old to be the romantic foil.
I always thought the same of Irene Dunne. That's just me.
Astor's casting is about my only criticism of "Maltese Falcon", that and for some reason the screenwriters killed off Jerome Cowan in the first reel! LOL
Mary Astor was a bit of a hot tamale in her private life but I guess that didn't always translate to the screen, LOL. She and Dunne were certain types, attractive, but not necessarily "sexy." I did like her as an actress, though, even as she got much older (Hush, Hush; Return to Peyton Place etc.).
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