Tonight's Movie: It's Love I'm After (1937) - A Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

IT'S LOVE I'M AFTER (1937) is one of several romantic comedies recently released on Blu-ray by the Warner Archive Collection. They've been perfect lighthearted viewing for this season of the year.

IT'S LOVE I'M AFTER was a new film for me, and while it took a little bit for it to get rolling and for me to get into the rhythm, I ultimately found it an enjoyable watch.

Leslie Howard plays Basil Underwood, a somewhat hammy Shakespearean actor who has a combative romantic relationship with his actress girlfriend, Joyce Arden (Bette Davis).

Into the picture comes Marcia West (Olivia de Havilland), a wealthy young theater fan who's more than a bit obsessed with Basil, to the dismay of her handsome fiancee Henry (Patrick Knowles).

Henry's father once saved Basil from financial calamity, so Basil owes Henry a favor, and he agrees to pay a visit to Marcia's home and act like a total cad so that she'll get over her infatuation.

Things don't work out quite as planned...and meanwhile Joyce is fuming that Basil has put off their wedding once again in order to take part in Henry's scheme.

The movie starts off a bit slowly, with Basil and Joyce battling amidst enacting a scene from ROMEO AND JULIET, followed by a juvenile-acting de Havilland being a bit tiresome as she fawns over Basil in his dressing room.

Gradually the movie picks up steam as the viewer is sucked into its giddy style. The movie has a number of plus factors, with a hilarious performance by Eric Blore, who leads a top-notch supporting cast.  There's also a witty script with a few laugh-out-loud funny lines.

The screenplay was written by Casey Robinson, based on a story by Maurice Hanline. The film could have stood to be slightly shorter than its 90 minutes but on the whole it was fun, particularly when Blore is onscreen.

I enjoyed watching a cast who had worked or would work together on other, better-known projects. This was a reunion for Howard and Davis following OF HUMAN BONDAGE (1934) and THE PETRIFIED FOREST (1936), while de Havilland would of course work with Howard in GONE WITH THE WIND (1939) a couple of years later.

de Havilland would also soon work again with her leading man, Patric Knowles, who played Will Scarlett to her Maid Marian in THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD (1938). They also appeared together in FOUR'S A CROWD (1938).

It's hard not to enjoy a comedy with Spring Byington and Bonita Granville heading the supporting players. Also in the cast are George Barbier, E.E. Clive, Veda Ann Borg, and Irving Bacon.

Archie L. Mayo directed, with black and white photography by James Van Trees and uncredited Tony Gaudio. The mansion seen in the film is the Jewett estate in Pasadena.

As an aside, there's a subtle holiday background which makes this film especially timely to watch right now.  It begins on New Year's Eve, and de Havilland's family home is decorated with wreaths and a Christmas tree. 

The Blu-ray is a typically outstanding Warner Archive Blu-ray, free of scratches and other issues. Sound quality isn't quite perfect but is solid.

The minimal extras on this release consist of the trailer and two Porky the Pig cartoons from the same year this film was released, PORKY'S BUILDING (1937) and PORKY'S BADTIME STORY (1937).

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. Warner Archive Blu-rays may be ordered from Movie Zyng, Amazon, and other online retailers.

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