The Keyhole (1933) User Reviews

Kay Francis potboiler from the early '30s

[blanche-2 · 6/10 · 21 August 2012]

"The Key Hole" is one of those "If you've seen one, you've seen them all" type films, though it's certainly not bad. Francis plays Ann Brooks, married to a wealthy man (Henry Kolker). She was married before, to Maurice (Monroe Owsley) who never got the divorce he promised her and is now blackmailing her because of it. She works out a scheme with her sister-in-law Portia (Helen Ware) to lure him out of the country, and then Portia would use her influence to have his visa taken away.

As part of the plan, Ann heads for Havana by ship, with Maurice following. Her suspicious husband has hired a detective, Neil Davis (George Brent) to try and seduce her, and along with Brent comes his spy, Hank Wales (Allen Jenkins). Wales meets Dot (Glenda Farrell), and these two provide the film's humor.

Well, you can guess what happens.

Kay Francis wears many fabulous gowns. I used to think the kind of lifestyle her character lived was just in the movies until I saw a 1930s Vogue magazine. What a formal time that was, with people dressing to the nines for lunch and to do any kind of traveling. Almost all the ads in Vogue were for trips on ocean liners. We've come a long way, and I'm not sure that's a good thing.

Anyway, the film is predictable, but Francis is good, as are Jenkins and Farrell. Brent is very smooth and charming.

Kay Francis made these films by the truckload, and I have to admit I watch them when they appear on TCM. She really epitomizes that early '30s era for me - an era that has not one vestige of it visible today.

fast-paced and entertaining

[mukava991 · 7/10 · 25 October 2006]

THE KEYHOLE has a clear plot hook, strong characters (you love 'em or hate 'em), non-static cinematography and colorful details that keep you entertained from the first frame. A number of Kay Francis movies had a similar plot structure: wealthy, beautiful, fashionable, sophisticated woman with man problems, usually triangular, but in this case quadrangular. Michael Curtiz keeps this one moving at a fast clip. In this particular plot, Francis's nasty ex-husband (Monroe Owsley) is blackmailing her while her jealous, aging current husband (Walter Kolker) hires a dapper private eye (George Brent) to follow her to make sure she's not seeing another man and of course Brent and Francis fall in love. Allen Jenkins (as Brent's dopey sidekick) and Glenda Farrell (as a crooked golddigger) are on hand as comic counterpoint to the lead players. Francis is charming as usual, exhibiting her trademark "look" - the raven hair swept back to show off her natural widow's peak, the unique eyebrow penciling that curves around her melancholy eyes, and the statuesque grace; and of course her character goes through about 15 costume changes in the 69-minutes of running time (a different drop-dead outfit for every segment of the day). The public inevitably tired of her, which is why she is forgotten today; she was more interested in her salary than in the quality of her roles, as she freely admitted. But when she was in her prime, wow, what a prime. Moving with feline grace in backless satin gowns, she is phantasmal and ravishing, yet still earthy, accessible and even vulnerable. You can't look away. So what if she couldn't pronounce her r's?

There are keyholes and snoops wherever you go.

[mark.waltz · 5/10 · 21 September 2017]

Married to a much older man, former dancer Kay Francis finds herself being blackmailed by her amorous former partner and heads off to Havana for a little R&R. She finds herself spending time with the handsome George Brent whom she is unaware is a private detective hired by her husband! The nights of champagne, caviar and dancing make her giddy, but it's obvious that the revelation won't fall well with Francis when she finds out!

Amusing pre-code melodrama is more about the clothes, sets and dialog than the plot of which there is very little. Francis and Brent are a perfect pair, and providing comic relief are Allen Jenkins as a detective posing as Brent's valet and Glenda Farrell as an obvious gold digger. Henry Kolker's foolish older tycoon husband is up there with Edward Arnold and Otto Kruger as late middle aged men who got younger women to marry them, remaining pretty much sexless. This is fun for the glitz, but really has little else to offer other than the four leads and the fantasy that only pre-code Hollywood could give.

Very good but marred by a lousy ending

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 24 December 2006]

I happened to see this and three other Kay Francis films recently when they were shown on TCM. And, surprisingly, all four films were about adultery and three of them had Kay playing a horrid skank! So, when I saw her appear on the screen, I just KNEW the film was about adultery and you knew the characters would be rich folks!!! Now there at least was a twist to the whole adultery aspect of the film that makes this film a little different. While she is suspected of being an adultress, she is in fact an innocent woman! This sort of type-casting with so many similar plots must have been what killed Ms. Francis' career--that and the more restrictive and less sleazy style of films that were mandated by the new Production Code in 1934.

As mentioned above, Kay is THOUGHT to be having an affair, so her rich husband hires a suave private investigator (George Brent) to try to prove her unfaithfulness. Brent is a bit sleazy because he is apparently willing, if all else fails, to create an incriminating situation even if it is untrue--just so the husband will have something he can use against his wife in court. Brent, as always, is great in this film--very believable and suave. Unfortunately, he is inexplicably saddled with a pointless and distracting sidekick (Allan Jenkins). While I usually like Jenkins in films, he was just inappropriate here, as the film was a romance and his stupid act just detracted from the plot. In a lighter film (such as those of Cagney), he would have been fine.

Aside from Jenkins, the rest of the film was excellent up until the end. It was just wonderful seeing Brent trying to win Francis' heart--the scenes were just magical. Unfortunately, the final resolution of this dilemma just came out of nowhere and made absolutely no sense. It's a shame, because with a better ending and no Jenkins, the film would have merited an 8.

Fidelity through the keyhole

[TheLittleSongbird · 6/10 · 13 March 2020]

Kay Francis was always watchable. George Brent for me was more variable, but in the right role he could be good. Need to see more of Glenda Farrell's work, but in the not enough already seen she came off well. Haven't seen enough of Allen Jenkins either, but from what has been seen when his material was good and gelled well with everything else he was fine. Always have considered Michael Curtiz a fine director, am not going to say what films of his are favourites of mine as it will sound too much of a broken record.

While 'The Keyhole' is watchable and Francis (not unexpectedly) and Brent (was not quite as certain) come off well, it didn't strike me as a particularly great film. In my mind it's lesser Curtiz too, as it was not material to properly engage in and not enough of his style comes through, this had a still settling feel instead. Some good things here and they are actually quite great, but 'The Keyhole' also has some serious drawbacks that in my mind are even more obvious.

Francis is glamorous and sophisticated and never plays her role too heavily. Brent is very charming, giving one of his most suave performances, and has a strong presence. Their chemistry is witty, endearing and elegant as one expects typically from golden age romance, so the romantic angle of the story convinces very much. Monroe Owsley is suitably oily and Farrell is amusingly brassy. Most of the cast come off fine.

'The Keyhole' also looks lovely, especially Francis' gowns which she looks quite a sight in. The music fits well with the tone of the film without sounding stock. There is some nice wit in the chemistry between Francis and Brent and the story tends to go at a lively pace.

Despite that, the story is predictable and can be nonsensical. Capped off by a suddenly introduced and that's it ending that makes one go what. Curtiz's direction usually has a lot more spark and style than here.

Script is uneven, often sparkling with Francis and Brent but flat too much everywhere else. Also agree with not seeing the point of Jenkins' character and Jenkins feels too out of place.

A just above average film but not great. 6/10

I spy

[nickenchuggets · 7/10 · 22 November 2021]

The Keyhole is one of those movies that hardly anyone knows about today, which is mostly understandable considering how its plot is not terribly interesting. However, it is a pre code movie, which are few in number because they could only have been made between 1929 and 1934. After that year, the industry started to get serious about enforcing the code, and lots of violent or shocking content that was viewable previously was censored. This film is about a girl named Anne (Kay Francis), who has divorced a man named Maurice. Anne is now married to another man named Schuyler, but her former husband isn't done with her yet. Early in the film, Maurice plans to kill himself because he failed to tell Anne that their divorce was never officially considered legal. She then decides to travel to Cuba in order to bait Maurice into following her, knowing he will not be let back into america because he was originally a foreigner. Meanwhile, Anne's current husband Schuyler enlists the help of a spy in order to determine if his wife is being disloyal to him. Neil (George Brent) is the spy in question, and even though his job is to report on Anne's daily activities, he ends up falling for her himself. The secret later comes out when Anne and Neil reveal their motives to each other. Neil tells Anne he was sent to spy on her, and Anne tells Neil she is in Cuba because her former husband is blackmailing her. Eventually, Schuyler shows up to where Anne has been staying and opens the door to her room only to find her kissing Neil, which she timed on purpose in order to completely ruin her relationship with Schuyler. Maurice then jumps off a balcony to his death, and Anne is now allowed to continue her romance with Neil blackmail-free. This is a weird movie. The plot is pretty simple, but after seeing it, I can totally understand why something like this could never have been released after the enforcement of hayes code. For one thing, when Anne visits Maurice in the beginning, she tells him to let her know the next time he tries to kill himself so she can provide the rope. The scene at the end that has him fall off the balcony would also probably have been removed entirely, even though they don't actually show it happening in the film. For me, there are certain actors and actresses that make movies worthwhile just due to their presence in them, and Kay Francis is one such actress. Without her (or George Brent), this movie would have most likely been quickly forgotten. Due to its age, it's mostly overlooked already, but the era of pre code was such a brief time in film history that it makes sense I would be interested in something like this. Despite the fact that it's just average, The Keyhole is still a fascinating story located deep within the depths of the world's movie archive.

Kay's pretty but the movie is average

[lpeterson2 · 6/10 · 20 September 2008]

OK... I've been more or less watching Kay Francis films and am I the only one who noticed George Brent always ends up being the boyfriend?? Well the basic plot of this thing is Kay's first husband is blackmailing her.Her current husband thinks she's cheating or something. And the P.I. falls in love with her. I'm an old movie fan but people fall in love as easy as I can scramble an egg This formula of the long suffering Kay wears on me thin. Yeah she's pretty but I'm being to understand why no one remembers her. Youknow at first I liked her movies. But after what feels like I'm watching the same movie it gets on my nerves. And I used to like George Brent, but the more I see him the duller he gets. I did like the side story with the "vallet" and the con artist but besides that it was OK. What I didn't get why didn't Kay just tell her husband the truth instead of this dumb plot .I guess if she did she wouldn't have a chance to fall for George Brent I gave it 6 for the clothes and that it moved fast.

George Brent Romances Kay Francis In Old Havana

[Ron Oliver · 10/10 · 28 August 2001]

Peeping through THE KEYHOLE we find an unhappy wife who sails to Cuba to shake off a blackmailing former lover, not knowing that her millionaire husband has sent a handsome detective to compromise her...

This elaborately plotted little picture is a very fine example of the kind of film Warner Bros. produced so effortlessly in the 1930's. Frothy, a bit silly & fun, it boasts entertaining performances and good production values. Depression audiences sat through scores of movies just like this, generally well made, but with interchangeable plots & stars.

Kay Francis & George Brent handle the romantic situations very nicely. Sophisticated & charming, they keep their stock characters from ever becoming dull. The humor is supplied by brassy blonde Glenda Farrell as a gold digging shill & dumb-as-dirt detective Allen Jenkins.

Henry Kolker as the suspicious husband, Helen Ware as his elderly, sympathetic sister, and Monroe Owsley as the oily Lothario, all add to the fun in their supporting roles. Especially enjoyable is little Ferdinand Gottschalk, appearing in only one scene as a comically flirtatious old banker.

Movie mavens will recognize sour-faced Clarence Wilson as the head of the detective agency.

It turns out that a scheming home-wrecker is most likely . . .

[tadpole-596-918256 · 6/10 · 7 November 2021]

. . . to wreck her own home, THE KEYHOLE documents. Anne is the sort of devious wicked wench who insists on having her cake, and eating the whole thing in one gluttonous sitting. After initially wedding to enjoy some cheap thrills with Maurice the dashing dancer, Anne soon dumps him for a millionaire's greener pastures. Soon the mercenary mate is plotting to fleece his woolly wealth. Then Anne finishes this chapter of her Career in Crime by bamboozling a private detective to become entangled in her web of deceit. At this juncture Maurice already has been pushed to a grisly death, and viewers sense that the too-trusting moneybags Brooks will be next on Anne's hit list. All the more reason for Detective Davis to watch his back very carefully.

Another lifeless sudser for Kay Francis fans...

[Doylenf · 5/10 · 19 September 2008]

There are so many elements of the storyline for THE KEYHOLE that were obviously re-worked years later for 1948's "Romance on the High Seas," Doris Day's first starring vehicle directed by Michael Curtiz, who is the director here.

This one too is about a suspicious husband who hires a private detective to follow his wife when she sails off to Cuba. Only big difference is that she's escaping the clutches of a former lover who wants to blackmail her. Naturally, it's the perfect set-up for KAY FRANCIS to wear fancy gowns and to carry on an affair with GEORGE BRENT, who is the man her husband hires to keep an eye on her.

It's predictable stuff, very formula and with the usual weak comedy support from GLENDA FARRELL and ALLEN JENKINS in an attempt to put some much needed life into the script. It doesn't work.

There are very few Curtiz touches in the direction but the photography is fluid and the sets are fairly interesting. Still, it's a minor item when you view it as a typical Kay Francis vehicle in the early '30s.

Francis and Brent SIZZLE!!!

[kidboots · 8/10 · 4 November 2007]

Apparently women went to a Kay Francis film to view her dresses and with 20 changes of costume in "The Keyhole" she doesn't disappoint. One of the most beautiful stars of the 1930s, she is completely complimented by George Brent (one of the most handsome of leading men.)

This film was loosely remade by Warners in the late 40s as a Doris Day vehicle - "Romance on the High Seas" - Janis Page had the Kay Francis role. This film being a pre-coder, had a few more unlikeable types in it.

Kay plays Ann, who is married to wealthy businessman, Schuyler Brooks (Henry Kolker). He is very suspicious of her and already has her chauffeur giving details of her movements. Suddenly she announces her plans to holiday in Cuba for a couple of weeks so Brooks employs private investigator Neil (George Brent) to shadow her and try to make her fall in love with him.

Ann has a secret - she was originally a dancer and married to her partner (Monroe Owsley in another oily performance). She thought she was divorced but he has come back into her life and is blackmailing her on the threat of exposure. She wants to holiday in Cuba to finally be rid of him.

Allen Jenkins plays Neil's "valet" who becomes entangled with a mercenary gold-digger played with gusto by Glenda Farrell - "the only way he will get rid of me is to jump overboard". This plot was left up in the air with Jenkins happily going off to marry Farrell, still thinking she is an heiress.

When they arrive in Cuba. Neil finds he is really falling in love with her - and Ann trying her hardest to resist.

I really liked the film if only to see Francis and Brent together, and can heartily recommend it.

Not a Bad Pre-Code Flick

[arfdawg-1 · 6/10 · 21 December 2023]

Woman gets blackmailed by her old dancing partner-hubby, whom she married when she was young but broke up after which she gave him ten grand for a quickie divorce.

Then she marries a much older millionaire only to have the dude return to reveal he didn't obtain the divorce after all. Now he wants fifty grand to keep quiet.

A scheme is cooked up to get him out of the country so his visa can be revoked. Private dectectives hired to spy on the wife, whose sugar daddy is suspicious she's doing something naughty.. All kind of shenanaganz ensue.

It's not a bad pre-code. Not as racy as some pre-code, but there is some adult-ish material. Especially for the day.

Yes, it's a bit slow, but a preety decent flick.

the keyhole

[mossgrymk · 5/10 · 22 February 2021]

Reviewer Ipeterson's headline below, "Kay's pretty but the movie is average", could read as the professional epitaph for Ms. Francis who was in more mediocre films than any other good actress I can think of. This is a representative sampling.

Another Kay Francis Gem

[elpep49 · 9/10 · 22 July 2001]

Kay Francis plays a woman being blackmailed by a former partner (Monroe Owsley). She discovers that he never got the divorce he promised and her new marriage is illegal. Hatching a scheme with her sister-in-law (Helen Ware), she flees to Havana, hoping the cad will follow. He does but so does the detective (George Brent) her husband hires to spy on her. Wild storyline becomes more believable as the film goes on because of the chemistry between Francis and Brent. Good support from Glenda Farrell, Allen Jenkins, and Clarence Wilson. This ranks as one of Kay Francis' best women's pictures of the early 30s--with One Way Passage and Confession.

It Stars Kay Francis, That's All I Need to Know

[view_and_review · 3/10 · 17 November 2023]

"The Keyhole" starred Kay Francis which tells me just about all I need to know. She's either going to be the mistress to some married guy or she'll be married with a lover.

It began with her surreptitiously meeting a man named Maurice Le Brun (Monroe Owsley). Right away I figured she was married and stepping out on her husband with Maurice. Then it was revealed that Maurice was blackmailing Anne Vallee (pronounced val-lay) Brooks (Kay Francis), but why? Most likely because she'd been caught with another man, but I'd have to wait to find out.

It turns out that she used to be married to Maurice and he never granted her a divorce, yet she was now married to Schuyler (pronounced "skyler") Brooks (Henry Kolker). If she didn't give Maurice $50,000 he'd spill her secret.

After seeing Schuyler I knew that Ann was bound to leave him. He was an older, unattractive man. His only asset was his wealth and that doesn't mean a whole heckuva lot in a romance. So, who would Ann cheat on Schuyler with?

Ann wanted to go to Cuba to get her marriage with Maurice annulled thereby breaking his hold over her, but she couldn't tell Schuyler. She asked Schuyler for permission to go to Cuba alone and he granted it to her, but he also sent a private detective along to spy on her. He didn't know why she wanted to go to Cuba, but he was highly suspicious of her.

Once I saw the private dick I had all the data I needed. The private eye was a young, handsome man named Neil Davis (George Brent) and he had "love maker" written all over his face. The rest of the movie was just a matter of how and when they were going to hook up, not a matter of if.

"The Keyhole," even with the blackmail twist, was still another Kay Francis, society romance piece which is old hat. It's still stuffy people in suits and gowns drinking copiously and spending their time entertaining or being entertained.

Free on Odnoklassniki.

THOSE OLD KAY FRANCIS MOVIES WE LOVE TO WATCH

[tcchelsey · 10/10 · 9 February 2021]

I've been watching Kay Francis for decades and this is one classy lady. Her career can best be compared to Greta Garbo as they both experienced enormous success in the 1930s and a decade later left Hollywood, retired, never to be seen again. Fortunately, their films are still with us. THE KEYHOLE is pure escapism that only Francis can get herself into. And let's face it, this would not be a genuine Kay Francis movie without a dynamic wardrobe to match! Bottom line, whether you're going to dinner or going to jail, you must be dressed to impress. This is it! Also, a few years before his pairing with Bette Davis, good old George Brent was Francis' leading man, and in fine form here playing a detective trailing her who, quite naturally, falls for this beautiful lady in distress. Kind of a corny plot, but it all comes smoothly together, because it's a Kay Francis movie. You know what I mean? Best of the best at Warner Brothers are the supporting players and who else but wise-cracking Glenda Farrell and Allen Jenkins are added to the cast to work their magic, and they do. The great director, Michael Curtez, handled this one, but considering the talent, the wisest thing he probably did was not to get in their way and just let it flow. A real treat to watch from beginning to end. These 30s movies truly are like old friends who never wear out their welcome. You have been warned. Class dismissed!

Kay and George in Their Element!

[JLRMovieReviews · 8/10 · 26 September 2016]

Get ready for some Kay Francis melodramatic fun! Kay is married to Henry Kolker, but a past suitor shows up to blackmail her with the fact they're still married. She goes to her much older sister-in-law for her advice. She says that, if Kay can get him out of the country, she can make it so that he can't get back into America. Their plan is that Kay asks for a vacation away from her husband for this purpose, but hubbie is jealous and suspicious. He hires an investigator to follow her and report her movements to him. Similar to Doris Day's "Romance on the High Seas," investigator George Brent then tails Kay and in the process falls for her and she him. Provocatively titled "The Keyhole," this film delivers melodrama with humor and Kay and George have always had great screen chemistry. They made many a film together because of it. Their scenes together are seductive and glamorous fun! Glenda Farrell and Allen Jenkins are part of the dependable supporting cast, and Henry Kolker has a great scene near the end of the film. "The Keyhole" is a great example Pre-Code storytelling! Turn the key and come in - and, lock the door!