User reviews

Don't be put off by the frisky title: I Love Trouble isn't one of those dismal crime-cum-comedy hybrids so inexplicably popular in the '40s (true, a bantering element tries to creep in from time to time but it's held mercifully at bay; one routine, however, starring a hash-slinger named Miss Phipps, deserves to be bronzed).

It's a pretty hard-boiled private-eye yarn, very much in the Raymond Chandler tradition - maybe a bit too much. More specifically, I Love Trouble follows the footsteps tramped out by Murder, My Sweet and The Lady in the Lake, and follows them doggedly. And its subsidiary roles are filled with actors who make up a Who's Who of film noir: Janice Carter, Adele Jergens, John Ireland, Raymond Burr (barely visible, alas), Tom Powers, Eduardo Ciannelli, Steven Geray, Sid Tomack. Parts even smaller (it's a big cast) are filled to the brim with apt characterization.

The principal role of the gumshoe, however, goes to Franchot Tone, who plays it very much in the Powell-and-Mongomery-as-Marlowe style. He's hired by a tough businessman (Powers) to keep tabs on his elusive wife (Lynn Merrick). Tone traces the obligatory route from low dives to high places in his quest, from back alleys in Portland and fish dumps near the oil derricks of Santa Monica (Chandler's corrupt `Bay City') to gated mansions where swimming pools sparkle amid manicured lawns. All Tone knows is that, back in '46 (or was it '41?), Merrick came down from Oregon, where he learns that she was a bubble dancer in a mobbed-up nightclub, who absconded to Southern California with a cheesy comic (Tomack).

Or did she? When another woman claiming to be Merrick's sister (Janet Blair) fails to recognize her picture, Tone finds himself with a lot of pieces none of which seem to fit together. And the heavies from up north are joined by powerful folks in Los Angeles who firmly discourage him from looking any further (when he's not being eyed fetchingly by expensive wives and mistresses, he's conked on the head or drugged up at every turn). Getting warmer, he tries to coax more information from Tomack, only to find the funny fishmonger dead and himself a suspect. But when Merrick's body washes up under a pier, her death opens more questions than it answers....

The director, S. Sylvan Simon, shows considerable promise which was not to be redeemed (he died, at age 41, three years after making this movie). But most of the credit, however derivative, should probably accrue to its writer, and author of the novel on which it's based, Roy Huggins; he also penned Too Late For Tears, Woman in Hiding and Pushover, and, moving to television, would create 77 Sunset Strip, The Fugitive, and The Rockford Files. It goes to show how cracking the books at the school of Raymond Chandler can pay off in the future. So what if I Love Trouble is knockoff Chandler, a cocktail shaken up from two films made from his novels? Chandler neat is a potent shot - even watered down it holds its deep, smoky flavor.

Roy Huggins who later wrote and produced and gained a big reputation on the small screen for quality, wrote the mystery novel on which this film is based. I Love Trouble clearly shows the influence of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler in both plot and characters.

Franchot Tone is our protagonist private eye Stu Bailey, a character name that would recur again on the big and small screen. Tom Powers hires him to find his missing wife. On the trail he's aided and abetted by his loyal girl Friday Glenda Farrell who is the most memorable character in the film in a movie chock full of good character performances.

A lot of people are interested in this woman including millionaire wife Janis Carter, her 'sister' Janet Blair, sleazy nightclub owner Steven Geray and his henchmen who include John Ireland and Raymond Burr. They're a memorable bunch, but almost as memorable as Farrell are spoiled wife Adele Jergens who makes a big play for Tone and nightclub comic Sid Tomack who is not above a little information peddling on the side that costs him dear.

I'm surprised Tone did not do more roles like this. He certainly displayed the proper and expected laconic behavior for a private detective. It was that typecasting he could never get away from. The studio brass wanted him in formal evening wear dispensing bon mots and generally losing the girl in A films to the likes of Clark Gable at his first studio MGM.

I Love Trouble is not anything like the Julia Roberts/Nick Nolte film of more recent vintage. Instead it's a nifty noir mystery from Columbia. In fact it's really two mysteries that sort of get jumbled together in Tone's investigation. Hopefully that whets your appetite to see it.

I was interested in seeing this after just reading and reviewing the novel on Amazon. A pretty good adaptation, containing scenes and dialogue lifted directly from Huggins' novel. The story has been speeded up and abbreviated, and some of the names have been changed, but if you liked the novel you'll like the movie. Probably one of a million in 1948, but well worth watching for now because of Franchot Tone, the smarty pants Glenda Farrell (The Mystery Of The Wax Museum, Torchy Blaine), and early roles by Raymond Burr (Perry Mason), John Ireland (any number of John Wayne movies).and the prolific character actor Arthur Space. This convoluted movie and the novel were written by the great Roy Huggins (The Fugitive, Rockford Files, and 77 Sunset Strip, which was based on this movie and his novel), and directed by S. Sylvan Simon who died at age forty-two soon after this was released. For those who want to look up the novel, the ending is identical. Enjoy, enjoy.

I could not figure out who was who in this impossibly complex story. Until the very end I thought the various babes were all the same person. I have no idea who did what to whom, who was married to whom, who died, who was good, who was bad, nothing, a total mystery. Still it was pretty enjoyable.

I read the other reviews so I had to add my two cents. I liked Franchot Tone as the Private Eye. It would be easy to underestimate his toughness. The story is well written and well played by the actors. Glenda Farrell's part was especially entertaining. Unlike a couple of other reviewers I didn't find it slow or dull at all. I liked the pace of the story and the dialogue. My only complaint was the very poor quality of the print. One reviewer mentioned seeing it at a festival. I'd love to see a better copy. It's a shame that the PD version out there is so awful. Still, it kept me entertained despite the terrible, almost unwatchable print. Fans of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett are bound to love the character Roy Huggins created for this film.

Ok film noir that has a plot similar to that of dozens of other noir and B detective pictures: private eye is hired to find a dame and twists ensue. There's nothing inherently wrong with this movie. It's actually pretty solid. But it's very familiar territory and the script isn't as snappy as I would like. Franchot Tone is also a bit flat. I doubt it would be a blip on anyone's radar if not for it apparently being considered lost for decades. Amusingly this was written by Roy Huggins, the creator of TV shows like Maverick and The Fugitive. He would use the character played by Tone to greater success later in 77 Sunset Strip.

A new print of "I Love Trouble" was just screened last night (1/31/07) at Noir City 5, San Francisco's noted film noir festival. (http://noircity.com)

In short, it was amazing. Roy Huggins was very heavily influenced by Dashiell Hammett, but let me tell you he could go toe to toe with the best Hammett had to offer. Every scene was filled with killer lines, right up to the last line of the film (Girl who wants to kiss the protagonist: "I didn't know there'd be a line." Girl who's kissing him: "Honey, this is the end of the line.") Franchot Tone is perfect as the suave but funny private dick who always has a wisecrack, thinks on his feet, and one heck of a set of...nerves.

This is a must-see for any film noir aficionado. Alas, it's not yet on DVD and was never on VHS; if you see it coming on cable, Tivo it, tape it, miss work, skip your vacation, stand up your date, do what it takes as long as you DON'T MISS THIS GEM.

JL

A detective is hired to investigate the real identity of client's wife, leading him into a tangled thicket of leads.

So where is Janie Joy. Detective Bailey's having a heckuva time finding out, what with all those luscious ladies parading in and out—not that I'm complaining. But the sorting process does get difficult at times. This is a detective story, and not classic noir, more like Philo Vance than Phillip Marlowe. LA-area locations are emphasized rather than light and shadow. But it is a good look at post-war LA, including the photogenic Buster Buffin's Buffett.

As the detective, the slender Tone brings a different kind of appeal. Wisely, the screenplay emphasizes his verbal skills rather than tough-guy brawn. In fact, he almost gets shoved around enough to embarrass fall-guy Elisha Cook Jr. Still, Tone does have a ready smile and easy charm. But that's also a problem for the movie. In short, characters and events lack the kind of grit needed to generate needed menace. Sure, there is a guessing game as to where Janie Joy is, but it's more like a brain-teaser than a fear factor. Plus, screenwriter Huggins clearly knows his way around wisecracks and clever banter. Yet the story's architecture remains murky and plodding. All in all, this is a movie of individual scenes rather than memorable whole.

Nonetheless, it's a good chance to ogle the ladies and their 40's fashions, along with Detroit's four-wheel designs, post-war, that is.

The Big Sleep (1946) starring Humphrey Bogart created a template for what we'd now call detective noir, and the somewhat less charismatic Franchot Tone in this film assumes the role of the tough, wise-cracking but incorruptible private eye.

Some of these films' plots held together better than others. Those in the latter group, like this one, tried to make up for it by moving too fast for you to keep track.

This one touches all the bases: the seemingly routine case that leads the hero into a confused web of intrigue; the client whose motives are obscure; the detective getting beat within an inch of his life but somehow escaping and no worse for wear the next day; the guy with the gun being surprised by the guy standing behind him with a gun; and women who instantly throw themselves at the detective the moment they see him.

The film's chief distinction is the number of women in that last category. Since they all look remarkably similar and most of them seem to have at least two identities, anyone who tells you they followed the plot is either a genius or lying.

In fact, after after the plot is explained, sort of, at the end, you may feel none the wiser. I didn't, and thinking about it afterwards and reading a summary online didn't help.

So if you like the noir look and snappy dialogue, go for it. Unfortunately the only print available online has occasional sound track distortion and brief video gaps, and is definitely not HD. A clean print might be worth another star or two.

Frankly, I had never heard of director S. Sylvan Simon, I knew little about Franchot Tone (still do) and even less about Janet Blair, and I watched a truly decrepit copy of this flick ... still, I'm glad I did, because this is one of the most fun noir thrillers I have ever watched.

Tone delivers the closest thing to a perfect unassuming performance. His portrait of PI Stuart Bailey resonates with candor, notably when he admits that he leaves physical fighting to others. Blair is equally fun, heading a gallery of beauties like Janis Carter, Adele Jergens and Glenda Farrell.

Great action sequences, difficult to comment on quality of photography because of the poor copy, but I'm really glad that I stuck it out.

Greatly recommended!

The seriously low reviews and seriously high reviews are unwarranted, in my opinion. Of course, all art is subjective, so I write with due respect that this film is really good.

The plot, albeit convoluted, is actually quite neat, in olden terms. It sums itself up at the end of the film, which is standard; yet it didn't disappoint, at least not to me. Therein comes the subjectivity.

I agree with the reviewer who expressed disdain for the film score, but I disagree that it drags the film down to a failure. The musical themes are overused. I can't help but wonder if the director, or perhaps the producers/studio, felt the film needed dramatic enforcement and thereby overworked the score.

Tone's casting is dubious at best, but he did a great job. The reviewer who commented on the vivacious performance of his secretary was spot on. I also concede that it dragged about halfway through.

I'm making a wish that the Film Noir Foundation restores this one.

I have trouble following complicated plots under the best of circumstances. I always have to watch things with my wife so she can explain them to me. So I didn't have a prayer with this ridiculously complicated movie. I have never seen so many characters in such a short film.

But convoluted plots are a common feature of noirs, and I've learned not to try too hard with them, since the plots rarely matter and us die-hard noir fans come for the atmosphere and the terse one-liners. "I Love Trouble" has a good share of both. Franchot Tone may not be my favorite noir anti-hero, but he'll do in a pinch. And Janet Blair is super fetching in the "is she or isn't she?" role of a woman who may be genuine or may be playing our protagonist for everything he's worth. Raymond Burr has a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo, because of course he does. What noir would be complete without an appearance by Raymond Burr?

It's unfortunate that the print I saw of this on TCM was so poor. Some scenes, like those set outside at night, are so dark that you literally can't see what's happening. But it's also a very rare, obscure film, so I guess I should be happy that I was able to see it at all.

Grade: B.

For one thing, I didn't find Franchot Tone convincing as a tough private investigator.

As the film progressed, I didn't feel that I was gaining any insight into what was going on inside the characters heads. They remained ciphers.

The plot, which is more confusing than engrossing, crawls along and never gains any momentum.

I found the background music irritating and distracting. If a film is good, why does it need lush music to induce the right mood in the viewer?

A wealthy man hires a detective to investigate his wife's past. The detective (Franchot Tone) discovers that the wife had been a dancer and left her home town with an actor. The latter is killed before he can talk, but, with the help of a showgirl, the detective learns that the wife had used stolen papers from a girl friend to enter college after she had stolen $40,000 from the night club where she worked. The detective eventually learns that the husband had killed his wife when he discovered her past in order to avoid a scandal, and had hired the detective to try and frame him for the killing.

To me the measure of a good film is one that engages you from frame one.

This one not so much. It's slow and plodding. OK if you have nothing else to do, but you might find your mind wandering.

This is quite a complex tale of murder, blackmail and impersonation. Wealthy Tom Powers ("Johnston") hires private investigator Franchot Tone ("Bailey") to investigate his wife. The digging reveals she had rather an unsavoury past as a dancer who hooked up with an actor and had pinched $40k from her old employers. She turns up dead under Malibu pier and Tone is soon prime suspect for Robert Barrat's "Lt. Quint". It moves along efficiently, with plenty of twists and turns and the support from the two ladies Janet Blair and Janis Carter as well as from John Ireland and a very brief appearance by Raymond Burr keep this drama running well - except, that is, for Tone. He is dreadful - a good looking man with all the charisma of a cheese plant; and virtually no natural abilities with the camera at all. It is also far too long - could have lost 20 minutes without detracting from the plot in any meaningful way. Worth a watch, though.

The dialog in this flick makes it an instant classic. There's a lot of twist, turns and femme fatales. If you come across it, it's definitely worth the watch.

Franchot Tone and Janet Blair star in I Love Trouble from 1948.

Tone plays a detective hired to find information on his wife of one year.

He finds out she went by another name and people don't want to talk about her, and they certainly don't want him looking for her.

Maybe it was because it was late at night, but that is as much of the plot as I got. I became very confused.

First of all, I thought all the actresses (with the exception of one blond) looked alike. I couldn't keep track of who was married to whom.

The cast was quite good, including John Ireland, Janis Carter, Adele Jergens, Raymond Burr, and Glenda Farrell, who was marvelous.

I like Franchot Tone. I just wish I could have kept up with the story. I am still not sure who Janet Blair was in the film - I remember her from several years later.

This is a perfect example of how a loud, overbearing, and sappy soundtrack can ruin an otherwise decent detective noir yarn. This blasting soundtrack tries waaay too hard to be the star of the film - creating whimsy and romance when none is necessary. So corny, and directionless, the soundtrack sounds more fitting for a two reel theater serial than for a complex and dark gumshoe adventure. This makes the film unwatchable, for me.

I don't see (or feel) Franchot Tone is right for a 40s noir detective. Shemp Howard could have done a more convincing job of it! All the sweeping fedoras and dangling cigarettes in the world can't make Tone fit into this role.

The ladies do a competent job here, but the involved (convoluted) writing and roles make the film a little hard to follow beyond the surface antics. But seeing beyond the awful, turn-on-a-dime soundtrack blasting in your face is near impossible, and brings this film down to a sad, subpar failure that can't make its mind up on what it wants to be - and ends up being a sappy, confused mess.

I loved it . I always love Franchot Tone movies. I was surprised at how good this movie actually was.

I Love Trouble is a lighthearted but convoluted film noire. It was adapted by Roy Huggins from his own novel.

Huggins was best known for his television shows like the Fugitive, the Rockford Files and 77 Sunset Strip.

The character of private detective Stuart Bailey played in this movie by Franchot Tone. Is later played by Efrem Zimbalist in 77 Sunset Strip.

Bailey is called in by prominent politician Ralph Johnston to find out the background of his wife. He has been to married to for about a year.

Apparently Jane Breeger might had a shady past in her hometown in Oregon where she was a dancer. She arrived in Los Angeles with a man called Buster Buffin and later enrolled at college under the name of Janie Joy.

Later another woman shows up claiming to be Janie Joy's sister but could not recognise her sister's photo.

In fact there are no end of people who want to find Janie Joy who has now gone missing.

Bailey ends up in heaps of trouble. He is threatened and beaten up. Buffin shows up dead. Eventually Bailey is framed for Janie Joy's disappearance.

It certainly is a convoluted plot but I managed to follow it. I could not buy Tone as a hard nosed detective and a babe magnet.

The film was rather flaky here and there. It was enjoyable though.

Stu Bailey without Jeff Spencer. Or Kookie. Or snappy writing that its scenarist would not learn about until he created "Maverick".