Personal Property (1937)

Raymond Dabney returns to his family after trouble with the law. He convinces the sheriff to give him a job watching the house and furniture of widow Crystal Wetherby without knowing she is... See full summary »

Director:

W.S. Van Dyke

Writers:

H.M. Harwood (play), Hugh Mills (screenplay),

Stars:

Jean Harlow, Robert Taylor, Reginald Owen

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Jean Harlow	...	Crystal Wetherby
Robert Taylor	...	Raymond Dabney aka Ferguson
Reginald Owen	...	Claude Dabney
Una O'Connor	...	Clara, Crystal's Maid
Henrietta Crosman	...	Mrs. Cosgrove Dabney
E.E. Clive	...	Cosgrove Dabney
Cora Witherspoon	...	Mrs. Burns
Marla Shelton	...	Catherine Burns
Forrester Harvey	...	Herbert Jenkins, Bailiff
Lionel Braham	...	Lord Carstairs
Barnett Parker	...	Arthur 'Trevy' Trevelyan
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Melville Cooper	...	(scenes deleted)

Storyline

Raymond Dabney returns to his family after trouble with the law. He convinces the sheriff to give him a job watching the house and furniture of widow Crystal Wetherby without knowing she is engaged to his brother.

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Plot Keywords:

widow | bailiff | american | british | creditor | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 March 1937 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Man in Possession

Box Office

Budget:

$299,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Throughout the film, Jean wears a star sapphire ring, a sort of engagement ring from her boyfriend William Powell.

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Goofs

After Ferguson serves drinks to the two at the piano, he leaves with three drinks on the tray, but then when he opens the kitchen door and sets the tray down on the table, their are only two drinks on the tray...

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Quotes

Claude Dabney: Miss Briggs, how many years have you been making what for convenience I call my tea?
Miss Briggs: What's wrong with it this time, Mr. Dabney?
Claude Dabney: Why nothing... except that it tastes absolutely filthy.

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Connections

Version of The Man in Possession (1931)

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Soundtracks

"Bridal Chorus (Here Comes the Bride)"
from "Lohengrin"
Written by Richard Wagner (1850)
Played by the orchestra at the wedding

User Reviews

The first movie i have ever seen with Harlow and Taylor

This was the first time i ever got a chance to see Jean Harlow or Robert Taylor in a movie. I've seen photographs of them of course but never actually seeing any of their films i simply assumed them to be overrated. Seeing Jean Harlow's still photo i imagined her to be some overrated dumb blonde. I thought she was pretty but never understood why exactly she was so famous. As well as Robert Taylor, i will agree with the last commentator in saying "What A Hottie!", i always though he was incredibly handsome but never understood what the big deal about him was. Well actually i did see a little part of Jean Harlow in the movie "Reckless" and i thought it was terrible. I've always thought she was a tiny bit overrated. However my opinions about both of them changed after i saw this film. They were both so lovable, and animated. I never expected it from them. I particularly love the scene where Taylor's character insists on sleeping in the upstairs guest room and Jean Harlow tries to scare him downstairs by pretending to be her husband by walking up the stairs in a big pair of clunky boots. I unfortunately did not get to finish the entire movie. After the stair-climbing scene it did seem to slow down a little bit but it was just such an enjoyable romantic comedy. I really must say that Harlow and Taylor were both very gifted performers. By the way s it me or does Harlow's hair seem darker than usual? Whenever i saw her she seemed to have bright blonde, hair and in this movie it seems to look a little different at first. As for the movie itself it is not necessarily on the same level as say "It Happened One Night", but for those of you who have never seen a picture with Jean Harlow or Robert Taylor i recommend this one so these two gifted performers can share there gifts with you.