kindtxgal
Female Dinner Guest: "What is your line, Mr. Dabney?" Mr. Dabney: "I'm in lady's underwear." Dabney's Father: "...We're both in ladies' underwear." and further discussions about (ahem) BVDs (boys' ventilated drawers).But a few excerpts (no spoilers) of the kind of witticism threading throughout this very delightful film starring Jean Harlow, Robert Taylor, and a fantastic supporting British cast.Harlow plays an American girl who marries an alleged wealthy Englishman and gets stuck with the bill so to speak. Robert Taylor is a prodigal son type that is denounced by his well-to-do family. Taylor and Harlow meet and sparks of wit pour over the silver screen from opening to closing credit.Truly a delightful, fun, completely whimsical, happy encounter with a wide range of comedic actors and star performances by Taylor and Harlow, particularly, in my opinion, Robert Taylor.Enjoy!
cnb
Too bad the Hays Code prevented this remake of "The Man in Possession" (1931) from being as saucy as the original, especially because there is some nice sexual tension between Jean Harlow and Robert Taylor here. Then, too, this version seems a bit padded, as if the writers or director decided that the film required more characters, more elaborate sets, more dialogue (sometimes funny, sometimes rather unnecessary) and a slightly more convoluted plot. Somehow it just doesn't gel.Interestingly, two actors who appeared in MGM's 1931 version play their roles again here: Reginald Owen as the gold-digging prospective bridegroom and brother Claude, and Forrester Harvey as the bailiff. I definitely enjoyed the sexiness of the Robert Montgomery-Irene Purcell version much more, however--see that one, if you can.
krdement
If you think this film is funny, you need to see the earlier, 1931 version, Man in Possession, starring Robert Montgomery. Made before the Hays Code, it is full of sexual tension and double entendre.Personal Property, even with its great cast, is a pale imitation. It preserves the characters (and even adds a couple), but most of the innuendo has been written out of the dialog, and a couple of very steamy scenes have been deleted. The earlier version is a spicy, sexy bedroom comedy of errors. This remake, on the other hand, is bland drawing room comedy with slapstick elements.The character, Arthur Trevelyan, transforms Personal Property into a farce - very nearly a "live" cartoon. If even one out of every three words he spoke were intelligible, Trevy might be funny. The fact that not a single word is understandable is bizarre. Even as a caricature of upper-crust British society, he is more puzzling than funny. In the context of the film, surrounded by the other perfectly understandable characters, he seems totally out of place - as if he wandered in from the Merry Melodies cartoon before the feature film!Remaking a 1931 sex comedy in 1937 after the enforcement of the Hays Code results in a completely neutered film. And Trevy is the fire hydrant for this poor dog!
Marc
Jean Harlow and Robert Taylor in this wonderful, sparkling and enjoyable comedy makes for great entertainment. After reading two other users reviews, I had to add my own review.Watch, rent or own this film and it is worthy of adding to your collection. Harlow and Taylor make an excellent comedy team and the only disappointing thing I can say about this experience is that they didn't get to work together again. From the opening scene to the final denouement, the story is charming, and the wit bumps along at a great pace, no sluggish direction here, charming characters and stunning costumes make this a wonderful experience. If only they had made more comedies like this one.If there is one let down in the production, it is the fact that it is a little hemmed in with the sets which while glamorous and smart, are a little claustrophobic and limiting. The picnic scene could have added a welcome breath of fresh air if filmed on location, and a welcome break from the interior shots.I have enjoyed this film immensely and have given it a worthy 10 from 10. Harlow and handsome Taylor are a great looking couple, so glad to see them together at the end. Harlow sparkles as always in comedy and she is right in her element in this one.
AD
