Come late! Yes, you'll enjoy this movie much more if you come in around 15 minutes late. The opening expositions are not only slow, flat- footed and extremely dull, but they feature a ridiculously miscast Tyrone Power. Admittedly, Mr. Power is nattily attired and emits a breezy personality. But he doesn't fool us, even though director Walter Lang has seen to it that Loretta Young gets the pick of the camera angles. I don't know about you, but I was never a great fan of Loretta. She always struck me as being too businesslike, too self-centered, too untruthful and too mannish – although not afraid to use any amount of feminine whims to accomplish her purposes: Selfish and self-centered as they always were, she always needed a man like Clark Gable (which she got in Key to the City) to stand up to her.
Claire Trevor has a small, inconsequential part, although we like her costumes and coiffure – which are not too over-shadowed by Miss Young's even though Milady Young gets the pick of the camera angles.
Marjorie Weaver, although she has a part larger than Trevor's, is the one that suffers in the costumes designed for and photography stakes. Some of her close-ups, for example, leave a whole lot to be desired. Unfortunately, this is virtually what happened to Marjorie throughout her entire career. She came mighty close to major stardom, but never ever crossed the dividing line! "Sally, Irene and Mary" is a typical Weaver entry. Although she plays Mary, her credit on the poster is so small, it makes little impression.
On the other hand, although hidden way down Second Honeymoon's cast list, Lyle Talbot has a large part as Miss Young's present husband. Needless to say, both script and direction constantly remind us that Talbot is a comic figure who elicits little audience sympathy, although I myself found him far more likable than the preposterous Ty Power character. I also enjoyed Paul Hurst, who does a wonderful turn here as the inebriated Huggins.
All told, however, Walter Lang's direction of this 84-minutes slice of escapist entertainment is the acme of polish, although it puts as little strain on the facial muscles as it does on our brains. Even so, just be sure you come late and don't examine it too closely!
Claire Trevor has a small, inconsequential part, although we like her costumes and coiffure – which are not too over-shadowed by Miss Young's even though Milady Young gets the pick of the camera angles.
Marjorie Weaver, although she has a part larger than Trevor's, is the one that suffers in the costumes designed for and photography stakes. Some of her close-ups, for example, leave a whole lot to be desired. Unfortunately, this is virtually what happened to Marjorie throughout her entire career. She came mighty close to major stardom, but never ever crossed the dividing line! "Sally, Irene and Mary" is a typical Weaver entry. Although she plays Mary, her credit on the poster is so small, it makes little impression.
On the other hand, although hidden way down Second Honeymoon's cast list, Lyle Talbot has a large part as Miss Young's present husband. Needless to say, both script and direction constantly remind us that Talbot is a comic figure who elicits little audience sympathy, although I myself found him far more likable than the preposterous Ty Power character. I also enjoyed Paul Hurst, who does a wonderful turn here as the inebriated Huggins.
All told, however, Walter Lang's direction of this 84-minutes slice of escapist entertainment is the acme of polish, although it puts as little strain on the facial muscles as it does on our brains. Even so, just be sure you come late and don't examine it too closely!