Tonight's Movie: Girl Trouble (1942)
Ameche and Bennett had costarred the previous year in a much different movie, the London Blitz film CONFIRM OR DENY (1941).
In the light-hearted GIRL TROUBLE, Bennett plays June Delaney, who finds herself short of funds as all her investments are frozen in England due to the war.
June rents out her NYC apartment to visiting Venezuelan businessman Pedro Sullivan (Don Ameche), who mistakes her for the maid. The broke June decides to stay on in her apartment living in the maid's quarters and (ineptly) serving Mr. Sullivan. This leads to confusion when Pedro later thinks he spots his "maid" at a swanky high-society nightclub!Pedro also is led to believe at one point that June is a competitor out to sabotage his attempts to get an important loan for a South American rubber plantation. This aspect is historically interesting inasmuch as, amidst the levity, the plotline reflects wartime concerns over both rubber and South American relations.
No one will be surprised that after 81 minutes all is satisfactorily resolved!This isn't necessarily an especially good movie, but I have to say I nonetheless had a good time watching it. Some of the humor is on the juvenile side but there were also a couple laugh-out-loud funny moments, such as June sneaking back into the apartment carrying Pedro's entire wardrobe (it's a long story) and a hilarious line about Victor Mature.
The lead actors are pleasing, and Joan Bennett gives Hedy Lamarr a run for her money as the movies' most beautiful actress; she's exquisitely gorgeous in this.
The sets are great to look at and there's a fun supporting cast including Billie Burke (even dimmer than usual), Alan Dinehart, Frank Craven, Fortunio Bonanova, Robert Greig, and Helene Reynolds.
Look closely at June's "war committee" friends and you'll spot Dale Evans, Janis Carter, and Vivian Blaine. Trudy Marshall, the mother of actress Deborah Raffin, plays a secretary. GIRL TROUBLE was directed by Harold D. Schuster and filmed in black and white by Edward Cronjager.
GIRL TROUBLE is available in a gorgeous print on DVD-R from Fox Cinema Archives.
The movie can be rented from ClassicFlix.
Jamie S. Rich also gives GIRL TROUBLE a thumbs up at DVD Talk. Fans of the lead actors should find it pleasant company.
posted by Laura @ 4:11 PM
2 Comments:
I was surprised to see this one at my local library, along with another MOD title, EAST OF THE RIVER with John Garfield. Looking forward to both of them. I was surprised at the number of MODs some of the libraries carry. This is a nice alternative to satisfy one's curiosity without paying for the disc, as MODs can be pretty expensive if there are no sales.
Interesting to hear that, Kevin. I've never checked the library for movies and wouldn't have expected them to carry MODs. Perhaps some of my readers will want to check out their local libraries in that regard.
Best wishes,
Laura
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