Thursday, May 29, 2008

Tonight's Movie: In Person (1935)

Carol Corliss (Ginger Rogers) is a movie star who's suffered a nervous breakdown, and for reasons much too complicated to explain here, she ends up on vacation in a mountain cabin with an ornithologist, Emory Muir (George Brent). Will true love follow? You probably don't have to think very hard about the answer, given that this is a 1935 romantic comedy.

The first 20 minutes or so of the film, during which Ginger wears a couple of unattractive disguises, are on the strange side. After that, the movie settles down into being a somewhat silly but entertaining comedy. They could have invested a little more time developing the romance between Rogers and Brent, while devoting less screen time to Alan Mowbray as Ginger's onscreen partner, a part similar to the one Mowbray played two years later in HOLLYWOOD HOTEL. On the whole, however, the film is pleasant company. Ginger even has a couple solo dance routines to Oscar Levant-Dorothy Fields songs, choreographed by Hermes Pan.

A definite plus is some pretty location filming at Big Bear Lake, California.

This was one of five Rogers films released in 1935, which included TOP HAT. Brent was in seven releases the same year.

The supporting cast includes Grant Mitchell and Samuel S. Hinds. This black and white movie runs 87 minutes and was directed by William A. Seiter.

IN PERSON is not available on VHS or DVD. It can be seen on TCM.

Update: This film is now available on DVD from the Warner Archive.  My review can be found here.

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