Runtime: 87 minutes
Directed by: Richard Thorpe
Starring: William Powell, Myrna Loy, Florence Rice, John Beal, Jessie Ralph
From: MGM
It was time to view something from the 30's again; it's been especially a long time since tackling anything from Myrna Loy. As any Powell-Loy collaboration is typically a safe bet, I hit the DVR and finally checked out something recorded off of TCM early August of this year.
The plot is to the point: Powell is a Bohemian who is pals with Florence Rice and her milquetoast fiance John Beal, w/ the incredible name WALDO BEAVER. In contrast is Loy, a serious businesswoman who is the sister of Rice and controls her life to the point that she selected Beal for her sister to marry. Conflicts happen and of course the two leads fall in love despite their polar opposite beliefs. There's a reason why the title is Double Wedding...
The death of Jean Harlow had a negative impact on the production; she wasn't in the film but not only was she Loy's close friend, the fact that she was Powell's fiance—I can only imagine how he felt about working on a film involving marriage. It's not the best you'll see from either, although that doesn't mean the movie is bad. They're still charming and the movie is aided by several colorful supporting characters, from other Bohemians and a cop turned Myrna's butler to an uncredited actor (I won't name them either, except they were in more than one John Ford picture) as a judge.
As there's some slapstick and a madcap conclusion, Double Wedding is still a picture I was entertained by, flaws duly noted.
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