'Roughly Speaking' sounded really interesting. Really like to love a vast majority of Michael Curtiz's films and even his lesser output is watchable, with him directing two of my favourite films of all times. Rosalind Russell was always well worth watching, many of her performances full of grace and wit. Usually see Jack Carson in more comedic roles and he was usually in support rather than lead, so a relative change of pace was always welcome. The story on paper intrigued.
As did the film overall. It is not quite perfect, but there is very little wrong and what doesn't quite come off is pretty minor. The good things are many and the best of them are done brilliantly. It's adapted from the personal life of a very eccentric person and it is a very colourful personal life, the person in question being Louise Randall Pierson who also adapts her own autobiography that 'Roughly Speaking' is adapted from. Making for a very good film overall that should be seen more.
Maybe 'Roughly Speaking' is slightly overlong by about 15-20 minutes and tries to include too much. The film never stops being interesting and a lot is covered, all interesting but with Pierson wanting to include as much as she could the "not knowing when to stop" approach was occasionally an undoing when it sometimes felt on the overstuffed side.
So much is great though in 'Roughly Speaking'. Russell is both gritty and charming, a truly great performance and manages to make an eccentric and potentially caricaturish person in the wrong hands likeable and interesting. Carson shows that he is equally at home in dramatic roles and also that he was not out of his depth as a lead like some predominently supporting actors/actresses in lead roles have been before and since. All the performances are fine, apart from dull Robert Hutton.
Curtiz directs with skill, both visually and in how he approaches the material. 'Roughly Speaking' is beautifully shot and is never over-elaborate or static while also being handsomely and evocatively designed. The film balances comedy and drama very, very well. Both are very well handled individually, the comedy having bite and sparkling wit and the drama being genuinely moving without going overboard on the bathos. The balance is just right with one not being favoured over the other and any tonal shifts don't feel jerky, abrupt or random.
The story is always compelling and a lot happens, too much admittedly at times, in a way that's fun, moving and truthful. It is easy to relate to what happens too. Max Steiner's score is quite charming and lush without being excessive. While Pierson is the most colourful of the characters, the characters still feel like real people with real human conflicts and such.
Overall, very, very good. 8/10
