Tonight's Movie: Mr. Lucky (1943) - A Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

Cary Grant stars as MR. LUCKY (1943), just released on Blu-ray by the Warner Archive Collection.

Grant's title character starts out as an antihero: He's a crooked gambler, swindler, and draft dodger named Joe Adams who through a series of circumstances ends up working for a war relief organization headed by wealthy Dorothy Bryant (Laraine Day).

The lovely Dorothy is initially skeptical of Joe, who adopts a phony last name, adding yet another lie to his resume. However, even as Dorothy recognizes Joe's very real flaws, she can't help falling head over heels in love with him. And Joe, partly but not entirely due to Dorothy's influence, takes steps to turn his life around.

I'll leave off any further attempts to explain the fairly involved, complicated plot, which is told in flashback, but suffice it to say that although Grant's character starts out as fairly unlikeable, it's absolutely worthwhile following his journey through to the end. His developing interest in knitting alone is worth watching the movie! But he also finds he has a conscience, and it's a beautiful thing to see unfold.

The film could have maybe shaved a handful of its 100 minutes for a brisker pace, but otherwise this is a very enjoyable film thanks to its two leads and a superb supporting cast.

Day sparkles as the spunky Dorothy, and it's not at all hard to understand why she falls for Joe, despite his "imperfections." Although we perhaps don't tend today to think of Grant as a "mean" type, he did it a surprising number of times; his Joe here fits well coming in between his portrayals of troubled Hitchcock leads in SUSPICION (1941) and NOTORIOUS (1946).

And just look at this list of names rounding out the cast: Charles Bickford, Gladys Cooper, Paul Stewart, Henry Stephenson, Florence Bates, Kay Johnson, Alan Carney, and Walter Kingsford.

Everyone's at the top of their game - has Cooper ever been more charming? - and leaves the viewer wanting more.

The script by Milton Holmes and Adrian Scott was based on a story by Holmes, with a long list of uncredited contributing writers including Charles Brackett and Dudley Nichols.

It was directed by H.C. Potter and filmed in black and white by George Barnes.

The Warner Archive Collection previously released this film on DVD back in 2009. This Blu-ray release looks and sounds terrific.  It was a pleasure to watch this film in every way.

Disc extras consist of the trailer and two radio productions: An hour-long Lux Radio Theater broadcast from October 1943, starring Grant and Day, and a 30-minute Screen Director's Playhouse adaptation which Grant appeared in in January 1950.

A recommended disc.

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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