Desirable

What a pleasant little movie this is, and I mean that in the best possible way. This older man, younger woman romance moves swiftly, has gorgeous sets and attractive costumes. I now see why George Brent was one of the more popular stars of his day. He has the unusual ability to be stoic and sensitive at the same time. You can feel his uneasiness and his pain as he realizes he is falling in love a woman he should not be. Jean Muir, as the object of his affection, is cute, perky, and marvelous. Verree Teasdale is cast perfectly as the mother.

This film is about a hidden daughter. It seems that a very vain and rather awful stage actress has kept her daughter hidden from the world for many years. We aren't sure why, but assume it's because the awful mother doesn't want anyone to see how old she actually is OR because she didn't want to be bothered with a child (or both). The mother simply has no interest in the kid--and now that she's grown, she STILL wants to keep her a secret.

When nice-guy George Brent accidentally meets this secret 19 year-old, he's taken by her innocence and how unlike her mother she is. In fact, while he takes on the role of a 'Dutch uncle' (like an unofficial guardian or protector), it's obvious he's falling in love with her. Amazingly, the daughter (Jean Muir) seems to have no inkling that this has occurred and sees him as a good friend...and that's all. While this isn't exactly a 'May-December romance', Brent's being in his 30s and she not quite 20 is a bit problematic. So he keeps this hidden desire to himself. What will become of this? Will the love continue unrequited? Will this sweet girl continue to allow her mother to treat her like an unwanted carbuncle? Tune in and see.

I liked the plot of this film. It is unique and interesting. My only serious reservation is that Muir's performance in the beginning is a bit too 'aw, shucks' naive for my taste. She seems like an 8 year-old who's just come to the big city and her wide-eyed innocence seems to have been put on a bit thick. However, I did like her character later as she matured a bit. This persona did change a bit and she gained a lot of strength as the film progressed. I liked this--but just wished they'd toned down her initial characterization. Still, it's a nice little movie that packs a nice, though somewhat predictable, punch.

The Warner movies of the early thirties with a more female sensibility are forgotten. Here this traces back to the script by Mary McCall who also did IT'S TOUGH TO BE FAMOUS.

They pussyfoot round the scandalous issue of Brent sparking both actress Teasedale and daughter Muir and that stops this from being the strong melodrama it might have been but the team are still at the peak of the form that made the studio excel in the first years of sound and this one plays well and is full of imaginative minor touches of the kind that would fade from director Mayo's later work - Teasdale's success shown in a view of the audience the curtain shadow falls across, her passing the key seen silent through a window or an unseen doorman dismissing a taxi.

There's even a night life montage with champagne glasses.

The cast are in their element and, with a less rushed ending, this could have been a notable item.

Jean Muir, George Brent, and Verree Teasdale star in this oldie from Warner Brothers. Big, movie star Helen (Muir) gives her key to her boyfriend Stuart (Brent). when Stuart arrives, he meets the daughter Lois (Teasdale). similar plot theme, where Mom's boyfriend seems to be spending a lot of time with her daughter, in Mildred Pierce, or maybe Imitation of Life, with Claudette Colbert. Directed by the feisty Archie Mayo. he was probably best known for directing bogart in petrified forest. Screenplay by Mary C. McCall, who had written a couple novels, and did a whole lot of writing for hollywood, including a bunch of the Maisie films. It's quite good. snuck in just BEFORE the film code was being so strictly enforced, so the fact that Helen gave her apartment key to a man would be just shocking a couple years later. it's insinuated (implied ?) that Helen gave mac the key for a reason... hint. hint. it's pretty good.