Whatever gold is spun from this little mystery/comedy comes from the crackling performances of WILLIAM POWELL and JEAN ARTHUR (prettily photographed through gauze for her movie star close-ups). They do what they can to bolster a weak script that moves in lumbering fashion toward a climax that has all the suspects gathered together to await the revelation of the killer by debonair Powell. But by this time, none of the suspects have established any kind of identity, so the viewer can only yawn when the culprit is revealed to be one of the least visible supporting actors.
As a mystery, it fails to have any real suspense nor does it have a satisfying enough conclusion. The method of killing is so far out that it has to be the most unlikely explanation a scriptwriter ever dreamed up. As a comedy, it falls somewhere between THE THIN MAN stuff and any other screwball comedy of the thirties that featured Powell and Arthur in tailor-made roles.
However, fans of the couple will surely find their light touch with this sort of material refreshing, if not original. But somehow, it never quite jells in its attempt to be an amusing mystery caper. Nor is it original enough to dim the memory of the better scripted Powell/Loy outings.
As a mystery, it fails to have any real suspense nor does it have a satisfying enough conclusion. The method of killing is so far out that it has to be the most unlikely explanation a scriptwriter ever dreamed up. As a comedy, it falls somewhere between THE THIN MAN stuff and any other screwball comedy of the thirties that featured Powell and Arthur in tailor-made roles.
However, fans of the couple will surely find their light touch with this sort of material refreshing, if not original. But somehow, it never quite jells in its attempt to be an amusing mystery caper. Nor is it original enough to dim the memory of the better scripted Powell/Loy outings.