bkoganbing
Loretta Young was borrowed from 20th Century Fox to appear opposite Franchot Tone in this British based drama about a rising young and titled attorney played by Tone who is expecting an appointment from the Crown as a new attorney general. Of course that will happen upon conclusion of the case he is prosecuting now of Dudley Digges accused of murdering his wife.In the meantime Tone's wife gets an intrusive visit at a dinner party by Henry Daniell. It seems as though he's in possession of some letters that Tone wrote to his wife indicating a nasty affair. But in the tradition of the old badger game Daniell at his sneering best is willing to take a payoff.What happens is that the wife of Daniell winds up dead and it's Tone looking good for it because he can't come up with an alibi. This strangely parallels the situation Tone has in court with Digges who cannot confirm his own alibi when his own wife is killed.The blend of British and American players seem to work well here as people like Tone and Lewis Stone who plays the Scotland Yard Inspector with their classical training fit well with the players of Hollywood's British colony. This could have been a lot better though. The Unguarded Hour seems poised to jump into comedy especially when Roland Young is on the screen. But it never quite makes it. Still Young gets a few droll lines in as everybody's favorite house guest.Fans of the stars and some of the most well known character players from Hollywood's golden age should approve.
misctidsandbits
Just watched this one, though I've had it a while. Was surprised and pleased. It's interesting to see Ms. Young with this group of contract players, on loan from her home studio. Makes we wonder what MGM would have done with her had she been contracted there. As it is, she is her soft and sincere persona here, doing well enough with Tone. As for the plot line, I'm glad by reading other reviews to find that I'm not the only one left scratching my head at the rather abrupt wrap-up. The quick introduction of a trap at the 11th hour brought maybe a too swift resolution to this rather complex embroilment. As soon as milady misidentified the picture, I got lost and basically stayed that way. One viewer clue came when hubby requested to talk with his wife alone after his official confrontation, but one had to think back to that later trying to map out the circuitous route. Just too much came too fast and too pat. But, even Dame Agatha threw you a loop now and again; but not to the extent of this one. However, as it goes along, there's a prime treat in Roland Young, playing the impish, pleasingly inappropriate friend of the lead couple. He was so much fun.
blanche-2
Loretta Young, Franchot Tone, Lewis Stone, Roland Young, and Henry Daniell are all involved in "The Unguarded Hour," a 1936 film directed by Sam Wood.Young plays Lady Dearden, a newlywed whose husband's (Tone) promising career as a prosecutor is threatened by letters he wrote to another woman before he was married. The blackmailer (Daniell) gives Lady Dearden some complicated instructions by which to deliver the money to him. She follows his instructions but in doing so, she becomes the only witness in a case her husband is trying. Though a man's life is at stake, she doesn't want her husband to know of the incident.Pretty good if talky film, with the 23-year-old Young stealing every scene in which she appears with her glorious looks and gentle quality. There are still beautiful actresses, but Young truly had a special look and a gentility we probably won't see again. Franchot does a good job as her handsome husband, and Roland Young is delightful as a family friend. Henry Daniell, who played slimeballs so well, plays a slimeball here.Enjoyable.
Neil Doyle
Director Sam Wood can't get much cinematic life into this courtroom drama about a mild-mannered man (Dudley Digges) accused of pushing his wife off the Dover cliffs. Barrister Franchot Tone is the prosecutor who discovers that a woman witness can prove the man innocent--and little does he suspect that that woman is his wife (Loretta Young).Trouble is there are far too many interior scenes with lots of expository talk so the film, despite a brief running time, moves at a sluggish pace without ratcheting up much suspense.But Loretta Young is very beautiful (at 23), poised and completely charming as the wife who knows too much. She, Franchot Tone and Roland Young carry much of the film, but there's good support from Jessie Ralph, Lewis Stone and Henry Daniell (who figures prominently in the film's conclusion).For a story that involves blackmail and murder, it's much too stage bound for comfort, but worth watching to see Loretta Young at her loveliest giving a very capable performance.
AD
