Post by rmichaelpyle on Jul 5, 2009 6:10:17 GMT -6
Last night finished watching the last of the five films in the two year's ago set 'Myrna Loy and William Powell Collection'. The prints were all magnificent and the films the definition of classic. Last night I finished with "I Love You Again" (1940), a deliciously funny film with Powell playing an amnesiac who gets hit on the head and becomes the person he really is. We discover that he'd already been hit on the head and developed a nine year period of amnesia. What he didn't remember was that he'd married during the interim. When he finally gets back to where he was living he finds that his wife, Myrna Loy, of course, is filing for divorce. Well, the "new" William Powell gets going in high comic gear to get her back, meanwhile employing his new personality in a small town that only knows his other. The results are simply hilarious. This is both Powell and Loy at their comic best! Others in the fine cast include Frank McHugh in a very well done comic part; Edmund Lowe (of all people) playing the sort-of heavy; Donald Douglas, Nella Walker, Carl 'Alfalfa' Switzer, Pierre Watkin, and a host of others uncredited who were interesting to spot, including silent actress Barbara Bedford and a very, very young Robert Blake. This is so funny. If you have the opportunity, don't turn it down: run to see it. You'll come away a happier person, I promise you! 
Also on the disc were three "extras" and they were all quite good. The first was a 20 minute short called "Jack Pot" (1940) with Edwin Maxwell, Tom Neal, Ann Morriss, and Jean Rouverol, with Joe Downing, Donald 'Red' Barry, Reed Hadley, and many other "heavies" you'd know, also in the film. This is about the evils of slot machines and was very well done. Almost wished it could have been a feature length film. The one scene of Jean Rouverol getting her face burned off with acid was extremely cruel and I was a little surprised the Legion of Decency allowed the scene to stay; however, that was the purpose of the film. Evidently, a large number of places were operating illegal gambling machines in 1940, and this film was a sort of exposé. I was a little surprised that Tom Neal was in film at this early period. I only know him from "Detour" (1945) and later. He always looked the same, no matter what his age was.
Also on the disc was a cartoon called "Tom Turkey and His Harmonica Humdingers" (1940) which was extremely clever and well worth watching, although the harmonica music about drove both my wife and me crazy. With me, there's not much more room to go... I was glad when this was over, but it was fun to watch. I'm not much of a cartoon lover; in fact, I really just don't enjoy them much at all. Never have. I don't know why. Although, I'll say this, most of them from before the 40's, the one's from the 20's and 30's, are incredibly clever and I find them fascinating in that respect. Great originality. Most on this forum would probably have loved this cartoon to the hilt.
After all was said and done, the trailer for "I Love You Again" was shown. Pleasure to watch.
Also on the disc were three "extras" and they were all quite good. The first was a 20 minute short called "Jack Pot" (1940) with Edwin Maxwell, Tom Neal, Ann Morriss, and Jean Rouverol, with Joe Downing, Donald 'Red' Barry, Reed Hadley, and many other "heavies" you'd know, also in the film. This is about the evils of slot machines and was very well done. Almost wished it could have been a feature length film. The one scene of Jean Rouverol getting her face burned off with acid was extremely cruel and I was a little surprised the Legion of Decency allowed the scene to stay; however, that was the purpose of the film. Evidently, a large number of places were operating illegal gambling machines in 1940, and this film was a sort of exposé. I was a little surprised that Tom Neal was in film at this early period. I only know him from "Detour" (1945) and later. He always looked the same, no matter what his age was.
Also on the disc was a cartoon called "Tom Turkey and His Harmonica Humdingers" (1940) which was extremely clever and well worth watching, although the harmonica music about drove both my wife and me crazy. With me, there's not much more room to go... I was glad when this was over, but it was fun to watch. I'm not much of a cartoon lover; in fact, I really just don't enjoy them much at all. Never have. I don't know why. Although, I'll say this, most of them from before the 40's, the one's from the 20's and 30's, are incredibly clever and I find them fascinating in that respect. Great originality. Most on this forum would probably have loved this cartoon to the hilt.
After all was said and done, the trailer for "I Love You Again" was shown. Pleasure to watch.
