There's good news and bad news for Kenneth MacKenna. The good news is that his first novel is finally published and at the bookstores (remember bookstores?). The bad news -- for the new author, at any rate -- is that it's Armistice Day, so no one is buying books. Except that when he goes on the street, he finds Mary Astor with his book. So they get married. Things are tough at first, but by 1931, he's established and prosperous and buys a house in Westchester County. He's up there by himself, because Miss Astor is in Baltimore working on a collection of folk songs and his son is at camp. So there's only the welcome wagon, headed by Lilyan Tashman, who wants to make herself very welcome.
It's from a stage play co-written by George Abbott, with F. Hugh Herbert doing the screenplay. The direction is by Robert Florey, and I expect that's why this movie is not as good as it might have been. Visually it's fine. With Mary Astor, how could it not be? Florey directs the visuals very well, with Arthur Edeson doing his usual fine job running the camera, but the line readings are a bit mechanical. Everyone is very emphatic, turning every line into a speech. Maybe it's the sound system at Tiffany Studios, where this was filmed.
Whatever the reason for the failures, it's a fine story, nevertheless. Miss Astor, of course, would become a fine actress, and Mr. McKenna would be no slouch as a supporting actor.
It's from a stage play co-written by George Abbott, with F. Hugh Herbert doing the screenplay. The direction is by Robert Florey, and I expect that's why this movie is not as good as it might have been. Visually it's fine. With Mary Astor, how could it not be? Florey directs the visuals very well, with Arthur Edeson doing his usual fine job running the camera, but the line readings are a bit mechanical. Everyone is very emphatic, turning every line into a speech. Maybe it's the sound system at Tiffany Studios, where this was filmed.
Whatever the reason for the failures, it's a fine story, nevertheless. Miss Astor, of course, would become a fine actress, and Mr. McKenna would be no slouch as a supporting actor.