Friday, September 20, 2013

TCM Catch-Up: Snowed Under

This movie was part of Glenda Farrell Day. I half-watched the film then and re-watched it today. This has the potential to be a very good screwball comedy.

Alan Tanner's new play is set to open in a week, but Alan (George Brent) can't finish the third act. His producer (Porter Hall) is starting to panic and enlists Alan's ex-wife Alice (Genevieve Tobin) to help. Alice visits Alan in the cabin where he has retreated to finish the play.

Meanwhile, Pat the next door neighbor (Patricia Ellis) is putting the moves on Alan. Ex-wife Number Two Daisy (Glenda Farrell) arrives with her lawyer (John Eldridge) and the deputy (Frank McHugh) to arrest Alan for falling behind on alimony payments. The whole gang is "snowed under" for the evening, but by the next morning are coupled up, and the third act has been completed.

Snowed Under is a pale imitation of the classic 1930's screwball comedy such as Bringing Up Baby. But it's fast-moving, fun and the epitome of a Warner Brothers B-movie comedy.

I enjoyed watching Genevieve Tobin. Her Alice is smart, caring, charming and sophisticated. I had only seen her before in The Petrified Forest; she was excellent as the bitter Mrs. Chisholm. It was nice to see her in another film.

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