SHE COULDN'T SAY NO (1940)

SHE COULDN'T SAY NO (1940). Director: William Clemens.

Alice Hinsdale (Eve Arden) is the fiancee of a lawyer, Wally Turnbull (Roger Pryor), who doesn't have much business. When an opportunity for a case with an important pay-off comes in when Wally is out of town, Alice poses as the non-existent partner (the one who "handles" all the bills) and travels to a small town to defend an elderly man, Eli Potter (Clem Bevans) against a breach of promise suit. Unfortunately, it turns out that Wally has already decided to represent the woman, Pansy Hawkins (Vera Lewis) who is suing Eli, making for an uncomfortable situation, to say the least. This is a very cute picture with amusing performances and many funny lines (although some might find it a bit much that Alice gets rid of Pansy's tippling lawyer by exposing him to alcohol.) Other stand-out cast members include Zeffie Tilbury as Pansy's mother; Cliff Edwards as Turnbull's associate Banjo Page; Chester Clute as Ezra Pine; and Irving Bacon (Ethel's father on I Love Lucy) as Abner Prestler. One senses that smart and sassy Alice can do a lot better than Turnbull. Funniest moment: Pansy says she's 26!

Verdict: Lots of fun. ***.

NANCY DREW AND THE HIDDEN STAIRCASE

NANCY DREW AND THE HIDDEN STAIRCASE (1939). Director: William Clemens. 

Loosely based on The Hidden Staircase, this uses many of the elements of the novel but is basically a new story. Two elderly sisters live in a mansion and have had to abide for twenty years with their late father's ridiculous will, which says they will inherit the place if they live in the house that entire time and if at least one of the sisters is present in the mansion every night. There's two weeks to go, after which the women intend to give the home to a charitable medical facility. When their chauffeur is murdered, the women panic and Nancy Drew (Bonita Granville) does her best to convince everyone that his death was actually a suicide. She investigates when the old ladies claim items have been stolen from their home even though all the doors and windows were locked. As usual she inveigles the hapless "Ted" Nickerson (Frankie Thomas) into helping her with her schemes. In the books Nancy was brave and occasionally foolhardy but in this she's irresponsible and stupid -- and even screams in fright at a frog! The idiot police chief lets Ted handle the murder weapon. The climax isn't bad, however, and there are some amusing sequences. John Litel is again cast as Carson Drew. 

Verdict: The last of Nancy on the big screen [at that time] -- and not a moment too soon! **.

NANCY DREW -- DETECTIVE

NANCY DREW -- DETECTIVE (1938). Director: William Clemens.

Although the "original" screenplay is attributed to Kenneth Gamet, this was clearly based on one of the original Nancy Drew novels, "Password to Larkspur Lane." A wealthy woman who is on the verge of donating a large sum of money to Nancy's school suddenly disappears, and Nancy (Bonita Granville) tries to find her. In this she is aided or hindered, depending on the situation, by her father Carson (John Litel), her friend Ted Nickerson (it was "Ned" in the books), and the police. Ted is played by Frankie Thomas, and he's basically been turned into comedy relief, even improbably dressing in drag at one point. Hannah Gruen, the housekeeper and mother substitute in the books, has been replaced by the dizzy maid Effie (the oddly-named Renie Riano) in the movie. Granville makes a spirited (perhaps too spirited) Nancy Drew, and the film is decidedly minor but admittedly charming at times.

Verdict: You could do worse. **1/2.