True Confession (1937) User Reviews

Not the Best Screwball Comedy, but Makes Laugh

[claudio_carvalho · 6/10 · 23 December 2013]

The aspirant writer Helen Bartlett (Carole Lombard) and her husband, the lawyer Kenneth "Ken" Bartlett (Fred MacMurray) are facing financial difficulties, since Helen is a mediocre writer and compulsive liar and Ken is an ethical and honest lawyer and can not find clients. Ken does not want that Helen works, but she secretly accepts the job of secretary to work with her father's friend Otto Krayler (John T. Murray) having a high salary for a few working hours a day. However, she is lured by Krayler that harasses her and she leaves his apartment. Helen summons her best friend Daisy McClure (Una Merkel) to go with her to retrieve her coat and purse from the apartment. But Krayler is found dead and Helen becomes the prime suspect of the police. Ken believes that his wife killed Krayler to defend her honor in self-defense and he defends her in court. After the trial, Helen is blackmailed by the weird Charles "Charley" Jasper (John Barrymore).

"True Confession" is not the best screwball comedy, but makes laugh. The story is dated and Helen Bartlett is not a bright character, with silly and stupid attitudes that are funny, but not intelligent jokes. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Confissão de Mulher" ("Confession of Woman")

TRUE CONFESSION (Wesley Ruggles, 1937) ***

[Bunuel1976 · 7/10 · 21 November 2007]

It's not often that Leonard Maltin puts down a vintage Hollywood 'classic' with top stars (calling it "alarmingly unfunny") – to find that same film, then, praised by an even more conservative critic as the late Leslie Halliwell seems even less likely (while conceding it has "longueurs and a lack of cinematic inventiveness", he considers it an "archetypal crazy comedy with many fine moments")…and, yet, that's just the case with this film! What's more, opinions about it continue to be mixed – as DVD Savant's unenthusing review ("truly a mess…really unsatisfying…this dog {of a comedy}" can attest!! So, I really didn't know what to expect here.

I actually enjoyed TRUE CONFESSION a lot and feel it's one of Carole Lombard's better vehicles – though not quite in the same league as her four top films, namely Howard Hawks' TWENTIETH CENTURY (1934), Gregory LaCava's MY MAN GODFREY (1936), William A. Wellman's NOTHING SACRED (1937) and Ernst Lubitsch's TO BE OR NOT OT BE (1942). The film has a wonderful premise: a female writer who's also a pathological liar admits to murder in order to promote the career of her struggling lawyer husband (who only takes a case if the accused is honest!).

As I said, Lombard is somewhere near her best here – especially disarming when adopting a literal tongue-in-cheek attitude as she's hatching a new 'plot'. Male lead Fred MacMurray – in his last of four teamings with her, three of which are included in Universal's Lombard Collection set – plays second fiddle to the star, but his courtroom plea commands attention (his naivete, then, is demonstrated when he and Lombard awkwardly re-enact the 'crime' for the benefit of judge and jury). Savant is especially harsh on John Barrymore (one of the great theatrical performers, he occasionally revealed himself a superb character comedian with an agreeable tendency to ham): I personally found his performance as an opportunist with a philosophical streak and an over-sized ego brilliant. He pesters Lombard's best friend, Una Merkel (herself a delightful comic actress and a reliable presence in many a 1930s film), in the courtroom by first blowing and then taking the air noisily out of balloons; eventually, he catches up with Lombard and MacMurray (the former being guilty of perjury for having confessed to a murder she didn't commit) and proposes a blackmail scheme – which, however, blows up in his face.

The supporting cast is equally well chosen: a typically nasty Porter Hall as the Prosecuting Attorney; Edgar Kennedy (the great Laurel & Hardy foil) is superb – and flustered as ever – in the role of the investigating cop; Tom Dugan, in one hilarious scene towards the beginning – the role is strikingly similar to that played by William Demarest in another Lombard/MacMurray vehicle I've just watched, HANDS ACROSS THE TABLE (1935); and Irving Bacon – again, his appearance is very brief but quite memorable as a befuddled coroner. The film was remade as CROSS MY HEART (1946), with Betty Hutton in Lombard's role – which I wouldn't mind watching if the opportunity ever arose, but don't really expect to be up to the original (even if Maltin actually thinks it's superior!).

Trivia: director Ruggles (incidentally, brother of comic Charles) had a curious connection with Carole Lombard; not only did he direct her and future husband Clark Gable in their only film together – NO MAN OF HER OWN (1932) – but SOMEWHERE I'LL FIND YOU (1942), also starring Gable…and which happened to be shooting at the time of Lombard's untimely and tragic death!!

Great Lombard at Her Best!

[Sylviastel · 8/10 · 17 January 2012]

Carole Lombard plays Helen Bartlett, an aspiring writer, who is married to Ken Bartlett (played by Fred McMurray who was her co-star in other films). Her husband Ken is an aspiring and struggling lawyer. Una Merkel plays her best friend, Daisy. Hattie McDaniel has a small part as Ella towards the end of the film. John Barrymore is Charles Jasper. Anyway, Helen decides to earn extra money as a secretary to wealthy Otto Kraler. Things don't go as planned when she realizes his true motives. Otto is discovered murdered in his home and Helen is the prime suspect. Despite the obvious misunderstandings, Lombard makes you believe in her character despite the craziness of it all. I found the story to be somewhat weak in some parts. I never thought a murder could be turned into comedic terms. Anyway if you love Lombard in her slapstick comedy, you'll love and appreciate her in this film.

A rare gem! One of the first, brilliant screwball/black comedies! One of Carole Lombard's daffiest portrayals!

[caribeno · 21 March 2002]

A witty, original black comedy made at the height of the screwball comedy era of the 1930's. Carole Lombard's role originates the wacky wife that became a staple in films and television. Her efforts to make her husband (Fred MacMurray)a successful lawyer offer a still-relevant critique of what Americans tolerates of people "making it" and "getting ahead" in American society, in addition to sharp, witty comments on the meaning of celebrity in American society. The playing of MacMurray and Lombard as husband and wife is vibrant, sexy, wholly believable. They radiate a sense of joy playing off each other. The teaming of MacMurray, Lombard, and John Barrymore makes for one of the most memorable screen teamings ever. Una Merkel is sharp as Lombard's best friend. Beautiful, sunny, often noirish photography enhances the beauty of the stars and the black aspects of the plot.

"Your honor, I object to the district attorney's unfounded and vicious accusations -- and if he doesn't stop it, I'll knock his teeth out!"

[utgard14 · 7/10 · 12 August 2014]

Aspiring writer and compulsive liar (Carole Lombard) is married to scrupulously honest defense attorney (a mustachioed Fred MacMurray). Because he won't defend anyone who isn't innocent, his law practice is unsuccessful. So his wife must take a job to help them pay bills. When her lecherous boss winds up murdered, Carole's accused of the crime. Despite being innocent, she confesses to the crime and it's up to Fred to represent her in court.

Lombard and MacMurray are both terrific. John Barrymore has a field day as a nutty blackmailer. Una Merkel is fun as Carole's friend. Edgar Kennedy's a hoot as a blusterous detective. Porter Hall funny as the prosecutor. In addition to being the last of four films Lombard did with MacMurray, this reunites her with her Twentieth Century costar, John Barrymore. It's interesting that in just three years Barrymore's career had declined enough that he was playing a supporting role instead of the lead. This is a riotous comedy with great stars in top form. Leonard Maltin's film guide gives it one and a half stars. Clearly he saw a different movie than this.

Fred MacMurray's character is insufferable...

[AlsExGal · 7/10 · 20 August 2023]

... and he's pathologically honest. In fact, Kenneth Bartlett is an attorney who will only take innocent clients. Someone should break it to him that the ethics of his profession - and the production code for that matter - only require that he not break the law himself and not suborn perjury. You're perfectly free to take guilty clients. They need counsel too.

As a result, the Bartletts don't have much money because Kenneth Bartlett can't get any innocent clients. His wife Helen (Carole Lombard) is a novelist, but she wants to get a job to help out with the lack of funds. Ken tells her not to, but she finds one anyways that only requires that she work three hours a day five days a week and pays 50 dollars a week. But when she shows up her employer, Otto Krayler, turns out to be a wolf and attacks her. She hits him with something and runs away. When she later tries to sneak back into the house to get her purse and hat, the police show up at the same time because Krayler has been murdered. She is arrested for the murder, and Ken ends up defending her. Somehow, after talking to Ken, she figures the only way she can get out of this is claim she did kill Krayler, but it was because he was assaulting her.

Helen is acquitted of the killing, and suddenly her fiction is in high demand and Ken starts getting more (innocent?) clients than he knows what to do with. They buy a large home on a lake. But then a monkey wrench gets thrown into all of this when an absurd criminologist (John Barrymore) shows up at the Bartlett home demanding a princely sum for Krayler's wallet - proof that he killed Bartlett. Complications ensue.

Yes, Lombard's character does some wacky things like going through with being a defendant in a murder trial when she had nothing to do with the killing, but Ken told her that to claim anything other than what she did could lead to the death penalty. So Ken gets annoyed at her when she wants a job because they don't have enough money to live due to his pickiness with clients, he tells her to plead not guilty would lead to her execution so she lies and pleads self defense, and then he gets annoyed at her later because she seems to be enjoying their prosperity even though it came at the expense of Krayler's life - she knows it did not.

I still rate this one pretty highly because the idea is a unique one and well executed, even if one major character is an unlikable drip.

Wildly Underrated Black Comedy with Lombard at Her Best

[HarlowMGM · 10/10 · 10 December 2008]

TRUE CONFESSION is one of the unsung gems of the 1930's, a brilliant black comedy that surprisingly is often written off as a misfire. I think it may be because it is so remarkably different than other 1930's comedies which usually feature lovable and endearing characters in a charming situation; in TRUE CONFESSION we get a certified pathological liar in Lombard and a downright menacing villain in Barrymore. Lombard starts as a woman finds herself falsely accused of murder, to help her husband's floundering career as a lawyer she falsely admits to the crime!! This wacky, envelope-pushing comedy is a thorough delight and makes the cynicism in a more famous Lombard picture, NOTHING SACRED, seem downright sugary. Alas, this picture, clearly inspired by the plot of the famous 1920's musical CHICAGO, was obviously too audacious in theme for 1930's audiences as it would be in 1942 when Ginger Rogers filmed the musical as a song-less comedy in ROXIE HART. CHICAGO was never really appreciated until it's 1975 revival and it's later film version with Renee Zellwegger, but critical respect for ROXIE HART came around with time and I believe it's time for TRUE CONFESSION too to get a new reevaluation as a pioneer black comedy.

Lombard is at her best as the novelist who couldn't tell the truth if she wanted to; Barrymore is superb in an over-the-top caricature of as seedy adventurer. Una Merkel is absolutely perfect as Carole's best friend, this has to be one of her greatest roles. Fred MacMurray is a solid presence as Lombard's devoted and idealistic husband and very sexy too, especially in those swimsuit scenes near the end. Famed movie musical chorine Toby Wing is fun in a bit part as the mistress/"secretary" of the deceased and Hattie McDaniel is hilarious in her few scenes and has perhaps the best line in the picture as she quizzes MacMurray about possibly representing her in as of yet uncommitted crime. Beautifully photographed by Ted Tetzlaff and brilliantly directed Wesley Ruggles, TRUE CONFESSION has more potential to become a cult film than any as of yet undiscovered 1930's comedy that I've seen.

Pithy Farce Comedy- True Confession

[arthur_tafero · 6/10 · 25 March 2022]

Carole Lombard was a very versatile actress who could do comedy just as easily as drama. Fred MacMurray also falls into that category. John Barrymore is more of a dramatic actor, but, on occasion can pull off a light role such as this one without too much trouble. Carole has an ethics problem in this one; as she likes to make up stories that benefit her or her husband. One of her yarns gets her husband in a bit of trouble. Interesting dynamic.

Screwball for the soft-hearted

[Igenlode Wordsmith · 9/10 · 19 July 2005]

To my delight I found that this was the first 'screwball comedy' I'd seen -- including the famous 'Bringing Up Baby' -- that I could actually enjoy without reservation; in a genre that gets its kicks out of zany mayhem at the characters' expense, this one rang sweet all the way through. Except, of course, for the unfortunate murder victim, but it's hard to waste any tears over *him*...

There are two reasons above all to watch this film -- no, make that three! Carole Lombard, as Helen, the would-be author who spends her life in a maze of fictions that seem like a good idea at the time; John Barrymore, as the unscrupulous old cadger with a knowing eye and a trademark elephantine skip; plus the script itself. The scene where the heroine attempts to prevent the repossession of her typewriter via a teetering fabrication of improbabilities that finally convinces the firm's representative that her husband is a delusional homicidal lunatic -- whereupon his arrival and a series of innocent misunderstandings terrify the poor man out of his skin -- is a masterpiece of its kind that had the audience choking in mounting incredulous laughter. The plot summary of the film I had been given (compulsive liar confesses to a murder she never committed) sounded incredibly forced: but in fact it works far better than that description had given me to expect.

Helen isn't a sad pathological case. She's just a highly practical girl with a lively imagination which she proceeds to apply to the couple's financial problems in an unorthodox manner... until circumstances and her unwitting husband conspire to make a guilty plea seem the only reasonable way out. In a prefiguring of the musical 'Chicago', this turns out to be the best career move either of them could have made. But this now provides impeccable inverted logic to lay them open to blackmail from the one person with all the reason in the world to know that she couldn't possibly have committed the crime...

In the part of the con-man and self-styled criminologist who cheerfully admits to being quite insane, John Barrymore's scene-stealing performance is awarded its own little theme-tune, a vaudeville flourish that accompanies his exits from the bar where he holds forth; with his lurching swagger and twirling cane, he seems on the verge of a soft-shoe dance. He is perfect as the picture of civilised lunacy, alternately terrorising and infuriating with his ghoulish pronouncements and fondness for philosophical balloons. But when he tries his hand at blackmail, he discovers he has met his match and accepts defeat with apparent grace: 'Goodbye, my house', he proclaims plaintively in the famous Barrymore tones, as he retreats back to his undersized dinghy from the beach house he had hoped to own. It is a gloriously over-the-top performance along the lines of 'Twentieth Century', all pop-eyed obsession and childlike glee; and in his own way, it transpires, he is as great a fantasist as Helen herself, allowing the plot to let him off scot-free at the end.

But it is Carole Lombard who holds the whole film together, richly deserving her title as 'Queen of Comedy' as she conveys Helen's boundless enthusiasm for rushing in time and again where angels fear to tread, and the process by which every fabrication seems to arise inevitably from the last. Helen is quite impossible to live with, and yet Carole makes her endearing enough to explain any degree of forbearance. The character may be funny, but she is also fully human in unhappiness or panic, and we laugh with her rather than at her. In the end, everything is sorted out and everyone gets what they deserve... but Helen, when last seen, appears to be cooking up a new scheme already!

The film was released simultaneously with the more satirical 'Nothing Sacred' -- which I also enjoyed -- and they make an entertaining pair; but for my money this has the sweeter nature and the more outright laughs of the two.

"Each Dawn I Lie"

[lugonian · 7/10 · 30 July 2016]

TRUE CONFESSION (Paramount, 1937), produced and directed by Wesley Ruggles, marks the fourth and final screen teaming of Carole Lombard and Fred MacMurray Although its title may indicate a courtroom drama in the "Perry Mason" tradition, it does, instead, acquire similar situations and verdicts in comedic fashion in the best "screwball" comedy tradition of the period.

Set in New York City, the story introduces Helen Bartlett (Carole Lombard), a writer, happily married to Kenneth (Fred MacMurray), a serious-minded but struggling attorney who would rather stand by his principles than lie in order to win a case. As much as Ken detests liars, his wife is a habitual one who constantly rolls her tongue visibly seen from her right cheek before telling her latest fib. Although she promises Ken not to seek employment to help with finances and unpaid bills, she does so anyway by applying for a job as a private secretary for Otto Krayler (John T. Murray) in his luxurious apartment. She soon discovers he'd rather play than work. Before quitting her three hours a day/$50 at five days a week job, Helen breaks from Krayler's clutches by punching him in the stomach before making a grand exit. Because she forgot her personal belongings, Helen returns, taking her best friend, Daisy McClure (Una Merkel) with her. Police soon arrive at the apartment to investigate Mr. Krayler's murder, with Helen becoming the prime suspect by Detective Darsey (Edgar Kennedy). Finding this to be a great opportunity to have Ken's law firm business prosper with new clients, Helen admits to killing Krayler and uses Ken to act as her lawyer before the judge (Richard Carle) and jury speaking on her behalf of self-defense. Among those in the courtroom are Daisy, the prosecutor (Porter Hall), and Charles Jaspar (John Barrymore), a debonair drunken derelict who not only becomes interested in the trial, but one who later comes face to face with Helen with attempt to expose her perjury charges if she doesn't provide him $30,000 of blackmail money. How will Helen lie herself out of this one without getting Ken involved in all his and more? Also in the supporting cast are Lynne Overman (George, the Bartender); Fritz Feld (Krayler's Butler); Toby Wing (SuzannHe Baggart, Krayler's other personal secretary); Hattie McDaniel (Ella), Irving Bacon and Tom Dugan, among others.

For Lombard's final film for her home studio base of Paramount, she does what she does best, comedy. Its premise comes as a sort of forerunner in the best Lucille Ball tradition based on episodes from some of her television situation comedies from the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Yet, by 1937, Ball was simply just another contract player for RKO Radio studios developing her acting style before her talent for comedy would be fully realized many years later. As much as Lombard was just as good in serious roles as well as comedic ones, for many, she'll always be noted as a comedienne with this, MY MAN GODFREY (Universal, 1936) and NOTHING SACRED (United Artists, 1937) being prime examples of her work. TRUE CONFESSION offers Fred MacMurray a very rare opportunity sporting a mustache on screen, along with one of many secondary best gal pal roles performed by Una Merkel. Aside from that, TRUE CONFESSION reunites Lombard with John Barrymore, having worked so well in great comedic fashion as feuding opposites in the now classic comedy of TWENTIETH CENTURY (Columbia, (1934). This time, the aging Barrymore, appearing 39 minutes into the start of the film, doing one of his oddball character types with screen presence often equipped by comedic underscoring in a similar mode to bumbling character actor, Hugh Herbert, in his time-filling "B" comedies produced at Warner Brothers.

Unlike their previous Paramount efforts of HANDS ACROSS THE TABLE (1935) and THE PRINCESS COMES ACROSS (1936), SWING HIGH, SWING LOW (1937) and TRUE CONFESSION (1937) were at one point in time the two other Lombard-MacMurray collaborations never distributed to television. TRUE CONFESSION, especially, along with its Betty Hutton and Sonny Tufts re titled remake of CROSS MY HEART (Paramount, 1946), being unavailable for viewing due to legal complications. It wasn't until the early 1980s in New York City did TRUE CONFESSION get its long overdue distribution, first in revival movie houses, then on public television's WNET, Channel 13 (1981-1983) before fading away to obscurity and resurfacing decades later with availability on DVD and cable television broadcasts on Turner Classic Movies (TCM premiere: August 10, 2014) as part of its "Summer Under the Stars" 24-hour tribute to Carole Lombard. Though to some this may not be the greatest of thirties comedies, at least its present availability should give a whole new generation an opportunity in rediscovering Carole Lombard and witnessing her going through lies about her true confessions. (***)

Carole's worst starring vehicle

[jjnxn-1 · 5/10 · 10 October 2013]

What a mess this thing is! Both lead characters are fools and irritating in the bargain. Carole's native intelligence shines through which actually weakens the movie since it reminds you that a woman obviously this smart would never do things so stupid. Fred's part is a dullard simp and even he would never believe the ridiculous things his wife comes up with. John Barrymore, or rather what's left of him at this point, is beyond hammy with another character that makes no sense. The only bright spot is Una Merkel who gives a sprightly, cute performance of the only person in the picture who seems like she would actually exist. Aside from her the movie is a dog.

Right Out Of The Lucy Ricardo Playbook

[bkoganbing · 8/10 · 10 March 2011]

I think a whole lot of people don't really get this film from the reviews I'm reading. Carol Lombard who likes to spin tall tales of exaggeration is married to poor, but honest lawyer Fred MacMurray and tries her best to help.

The key scene here in True Confessions is right at the beginning when Lombard fetches MacMurray a client who happens to be guilty. Someone should have told Fred that only Perry Mason can afford to represent innocent clients only. So when he declines to be a lawyer for a man who will pay him out of the stolen hams he swiped from a butcher shop, Carol decides that he needs a name acquittal to gain him clients.

When she goes for a job with lecherous millionaire John Murphy who later winds up dead and circumstantial evidence points to her, she 'confesses' kind of, sort of to exasperated police detective Edgar Kennedy. It's enough to get her arrested and her husband his first real client.

It's all kind of dumb, but Lombard's scheme is right out of the Lucy Ricardo playbook. The trial is one for the books as well with District Attorney Porter Hall letting victory slip through his fingers.

Another character pops in to almost upset the applecart. John Barrymore who was cast in the part at Lombard's request to repay the debt she owed him from Twentieth Century plays a 'criminologist' down on his luck who comes across some key evidence that could upset everyone's plans. Sadly though Barrymore does a great job in the part, he's really not acting at all. The role is a caricature of what Barrymore had become. But it was a payday and I'm sure he was grateful to Lombard somewhat.

Playing Ethel to Lombard's Lucy is Una Merkel, a role she'd done before and would again. Lombard's 'True Confession' scene with Kennedy is a priceless one.

I'm sure Fred MacMurray felt in this last of four films in which they were paired that Carole had a lot of 'Splaining to do'.

Truth or Lies

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 1 January 2019]

Carole Lombard, Fred MacMurray, John Barrymore and Una Merkel are reasons enough to see any film individually, seeing them together in the same film is enough to make anybody excited. Certainly was myself as my main reason for seeing 'True Confession' was the cast. Also really liked the premise of 'True Confession' and have liked to loved a fair share of early screwball comedies, which done right were witty, funny, charming and easy to like.

'True Confession' turned out for me to be good fun with a lot of merits (primarily most of the cast). Merits that are sizeable enough to just about overcome the weaknesses, that deserved to do better than it did at the time. Didn't love 'True Confession' at the same time, a few assets didn't quite work for me (occasional writing weaknesses and one performance) and sadly they weren't exactly minor. Can definitely see why it has not worked for some. It is not hard to see both opinions on this one, but if asked which category my feelings fall into between "love it", "like it", "mixed feelings", "indifferent to", "disliked it" and "hated it", it would fit solidly into the liked it category.

Starting with what didn't quite work, the story sometimes got silly and on the over-complicated side when more started going on. 'True Confession' for me had occasional script weaknesses where things weren't always followed all the way through. The one that stands out being that the film missed an opportunity to give any kind of reason for the pathological lying and why Lombard's character was incapable of telling the truth.

Barrymore, for personal tastes, while clearly having fun overdoes it in his caricature role, coming over at times as a large slice of ham. The chemistry between him and Lombard did get increasingly over-heated in places but had enough wonderfully mad moments to stop it from getting intolerable.

Lombard however is wonderful and the main reason to see 'True Confession', managing to bring charm to a pathological liar and witty comic timing. MacMurray is solid in a less colourful though far from dull role, he's likeable and the idealism of his character is charming. The chemistry between them, in their last of four films together, has wit and vibrancy and they are very believable as a couple. Wesley Ruggles directs assuredly and keeps things flowing nicely. Visually, 'True Confession' looks lovely, sunny in some places and noirish in others.

Much of the script is razor sharp and the madder it gets it gets funnier as well. The best moments, like the prevention of the repoccession of the typewriter attempt, are hilarious. Oh and one mustn't forget the supporting cast, although Edgar Kennedy is a hoot the standout is Merkel, comedy comes so easily to her and she is just adorable. The story is never dull, benefits from the chemistry between the players and thankfully the silliness and improbabilities are infrequent.

On the whole, good if imperfect fun. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Unfocused comedy, but Una Merkel is an utter joy to watch

[gridoon2024 · 5/10 · 10 December 2011]

In its attempt to touch several different subjects, from the rise of the working girl in the 1930s to lecherous male advances and from the paradoxes of law and justice to the benefits and the consequences of lying, "True Confession" ends up feeling unfocused and maybe even a little pointless. In my opinion, John Barrymore's "great criminologist" character is more weird than funny, and gets too much screen time, sometimes in scenes separated from the main story. Carole Lombard and Fred MacMurray are perfectly okay in their roles, but for me the revelation of the movie is Una Merkel, who plays Lombard's level-headed best friend. Her bewildered facial expressions are both adorable and funny, and she makes particularly witty use of her eyes. Having recently watched the "Torchy Blane" film series, she reminded me of Glenda Farrell - she even wears the same type of hat! The "Carole Lombard Glamour Collection" on DVD features a stunningly fresh-looking print of this movie. ** out of 4.

Great Lombard Comedy

[drednm · 16 July 2006]

Brilliant blend of screwball and black comedy with Carole Lombard at her best playing a compulsive liar married to a scrupulously honest lawyer, Fred MacMurray.

She gets duped into accepting a secretarial job that seems to good to be true. It is. She wrestles with the man, punches him in the stomach and leaves. Later that afternoon she goes back to retrieve her hat with pal Una Merkel. But just as they get up their courage to sneak in a get her things, the police show up because the man has been murdered.

In jail she concocts a scheme to say she killed him to defend her honor. MacMurray will defend her, free her, and become famous. All their troubles will be over. But in a bar sits a man, John Barrymore, who has ideas of cashing in on the murder case.

A flop in its day, but a terrific comedy with top performances by all. Lombard is totally wonderful as the liar who dreams up stories in the blink of an eye. MacMurray is solid, but Barrymore is great as the "world's preeminent criminologist." Supporting cast includes Lynne Overman, Porter Hall, Hattie McDaniel, Richard Carle, Fritz Feld, Edgar Kennedy, Tom Dugan, Irving Bacon, and Gary Owen.

Lombard and Barrymore are tops!

**1/2

[edwagreen · 6/10 · 7 January 2016]

As always, Carole Lombard was able to show her comedic genius in this 1937 film.

As a writer with quite an imagination, she is married to struggling lawyer Fred MacMurray. He is struggling probably because he is so ethical.

As the couple is suffering financially, Lombard takes a position with a fiend who wants far more than secretarial skills and when he winds up dead, she becomes the prime suspect. MacMurray, believing she is guilty, represents her and pulls the idea that she was defending herself against the rogue when he came on to her.

John Barrymore steals the film as a drunken rogue who is constantly appearing at the trial. His revelation at the end is hilarious, but the outcome is inane. Kudos to Edgar Kennedy as the flustered detective who accuses Lombard of the crime.

Una Merkel completes the cast as Lombard's friend. They could almost be like Lucy and Ethel.

not the best but still watchable

[petersjoelen · 6/10 · 22 February 2024]

A mediocre movie , this screwball comedy about Lombard who simply cannot resist lying and almost drives her husband MacMurray to despair.

Still, the film does have its funny moments, of course none of it can be taken seriously, but as a couple Lombard and Macmurray are quite a funny couple.

Una Merkel plays Lombard's girlfriend and she is quite nice in her supportive role.

The courtroom part is not well developed and the comedy part goes way off track here.

It is clear that it should not be taken too seriously, but the plot very easily tries to ignore the more serious parts.

Ultimately, it's a nice comedy, but certainly nothing more than that.

The Totally Delightful Carole Lombard in a Screwball Comedy

[robert-temple-1 · 10/10 · 11 October 2008]

Carole Lombard died tragically in a plane crash at the age of only 34. But before that, she made many memorable films, and this is one of the best. Directed excellently by Wesley Ruggles, it is based on a French play entitled 'Mon Crime' ('My Crime') by Georges Berr and Louis Vernueil. Lombard's wildly wacky personality was probably unique in the cinema. As a comedienne of a certain specific type, she was simply tops. This film is perfectly delightful from beginning to end because of her amazing performance. A very young Fred MacMurray, in only the second year of his feature career, and wearing a bizarre thin moustache which does not suit him, gives admirable support as her stuffy husband. In the story, Lombard plays a woman who writes short stories and lives half in her imagination, and is not wholly in touch with reality. She improvises the most amazing lies on the spot, in a compulsive manner, but also as part of her wifely 'wangling', which is so hilarious to watch. Lombard's charm is so total that no fault which she can possibly have can remain unforgiven. She is, after all, not malicious, but merely manically inventive in her slim grasp of the lineaments of the truth. She plays this character with such irresistible and overwhelming appeal that we accept all of this without question, and we apportion no blame. We just watch her all agog as she stumbles from one complicated situation to another, caused by a mixture of chance and her spontaneous lies. She ends up pleading guilty in court to a murder which she did not commit, because she is so carried away by the prospect of her husband, a lawyer, making a dramatic speech in her defence that she forgets that by lying about being guilty she actually risks being sent to the electric chair! There are some dark and hair-raising elements to this story, which suggest that the French play had a more serious purpose. But this is a Lombard vehicle, and the jolly music on the sound tack continually reassures us that nothing bad will really happen to poor old Carole. John Barrymore crashes his way into this film, and hams it up as an impoverished alcoholic who becomes entangled with the story. We could well have done without him. He always went over the top, and this film is no exception. Una Merkel is delightful and witty as Carole's best friend. Carole came from Indiana and Una came from Kentucky, just next door, and they must have had a thing or two to say to each other in private about their part of the world, but of course when you are elevated to the status of deity by entering a Hollywood pantheon, you all become acquainted as denizens of the Sky. It is such a shame that Carole ascended to the Sky for real at such a ridiculously early age. She was a very great loss indeed to the silver screen, but at least we have gems like this to remind us of her unique talents.

Watch it today!

[erinh · 10/10 · 12 June 2010]

As noted in most of the reviews here, Carole Lombard is remarkable in this unique screwball comedy. Although she plays the part of a chronic liar, she brings it off such charm and humor that it's easy to see why her husband, a self-described "stickler for honesty", tolerates her excesses.

I watched this movie without knowing anything about it before-hand (I'd never heard of it, actually), and I'm glad I knew nothing going in. The plot is surprising, with Carole's character spinning her webs and sending events in strange and unexpected directions. So this won't be much of a review: please watch this movie. If you have any fondness for this genre, you'll probably be pleasantly surprised.

Cry she-wolf

[Lejink · 5/10 · 3 March 2022]

The premise, if any self-respecting screwball comedy actually needs one, to this Carole Lombard comedy, is, prima facie, a good one. She's the feckless wife of honest, hard-working-but-struggling criminal lawyer Fred MacMurray and a habitual liar who will spin any yarn to get her way, although she manages to combine it with enough charm and sex-appeal to keep in with hubby and her long-suffering best pal, office-girl Una Merkel.

An aspiring writer who can't get past the first page, she next decides to seek a job, against the wishes of old-fashioned hunter-provider Fred and lands a position, or so she thinks, as secretary to a rich businessman on very generous-seeming terms. Turns out the new employer though is an old lech who only wants her to type the word "yes" to his amorous advances, at which point Lombard runs for the hills, but when she later returns to collect the coat and hat she left in her hurry, the rich guy is dead and the police think she did it.

But between her, MacMurray and Merkel, wires get crossed and it ends up with her admitting the deed under duress and going all the way to trial promoting this lie with MacMurray defending her, hoping that her self-defence plea garners the sympathy of the jury. Then John Barrymore's boozy, weasally blackmailer turns up at court, with inside knowledge of what really happened at the murder-scene, setting up a showdown of sorts with all the major players at the climax.

I am a sometime fan of Lombard's undoubted vivacity and sexiness but after a promising start, the movie flies away with itself as one improbable situation succeeds another and even she can't redeem it. MacMurray sporting a would-be solicitor's 'tache doesn't get a lot to work with while Barrymore over-compensates for his character's similar plight by hamming it up unashamedly. Merkel probably comes off best as her ditzy friend's awakening conscience, until she's required to faint away at the culmination.

All in all, I found the movie to be a bit of a disappointment, an overstretched farce with a rather dubious moral compass at its centre.

And that's the honest truth!

Carole Lombard Leads the Way to a Zany "True Confession"

[glennstenb · 9/10 · 10 September 2019]

This well-crafted, dark but zany comedic film doesn't really need another review here, but I do want to make potential viewers aware how strong and clear the sound is, so much so that I had to take a few breaks through the viewing of the film to let my ears cool off a bit. Carole Lombard in particular delivered her dialog with much high-energy verve and exuberance as well as offering vocal sound effects of various kinds. Gee, she had such screen presence and vitality, which is very well captured here. Una Merkel provides another of her well-offered girlfriend roles, while Fred MacMurray does a noble job of not really having much to do except let Lombard be Lombard. However, he, character actor Tom Dugan, and the girls have a delightful interplay during the typewriter scene that I enjoyed more than once. The film unfolds with a series of segments in varied settings and locales, all vividly capturing the art deco era of the 1930s, including the vernacular costuming. This is a very satisfying and fun comedy with great cast, naturally flowing dialog, and easy-going direction that most folks becoming aware of this film here at IMDb would enjoy.

A lesson on how not to make a screwball comedy...

[planktonrules · 2/10 · 28 April 2010]

I noticed that at least one reviewer loved this film--giving it a 10. This is what makes it a bit strange, as I hated this film and my daughter kept begging me to turn it off! The movie stars Carole Lombard and Fred MacMurray--two very good actors who were given clearly inferior material and didn't have a chance. They are supposed to be a married couple, but have so little in common that you can't believe it. Carole is a pathological liar who just tells one meaningless lie after another. Fred is an astutely truthful person--who happens to be a criminal defense attorney who will only defend honest people--hence, he has no clients! Now why would two people like this marry?! Additionally, Carole is just too kooky to be real--and too kooky to be in a screwball comedy! She's just impossible to believe and impossible to like. Her character is loud, makes up horrible lies that could hurt people and is totally self-absorbed--what's to like about her? And as for Fred, he's a nice guy but like Lombard, one-dimensional--and a bit dull as well.

Carole is almost sexually assaulted by a rich jerk but she manages to escape from his clutches and run from his home. Soon afterwords, he's found dead and the cops assume she did it--and the evidence does point that way. However, here's the stupid part. While she is 100% innocent, she tells her husband/attorney (Fred) that she DID kill the guy. Why would she do this?! In addition, throughout the film, John Barrymore plays perhaps his broadest role ever--even more so than the wacky scientist in "The Invisible Woman"! While he was a wonderful actor, late in his life, he tended to become a parody of himself--playing very colorful people and overacting horribly in the process. Here, he chews scenery right and left and comes off as a kid who THINKS he's god's gift to acting because he just got the lead in the school play! So, what we have in the film are ridiculous characters who do NOTHING that makes any sense. In addition, Lombard and Barrymore take turns seeing who can out-emote and overact the most. Amazingly, Barrymore won--though Lombard was also at her very worst. Despite 1937 being the year Lombard played in one of the greatest screwball comedies of the decade ("My Man Godfrey"), this film is no Godfrey due to its horrible writing, lack of grace and god-awful characters. Avoid this unless you LIKE to be in intense pain!

The Screwiest of the Screwball Comedies

[jayraskin1 · 9/10 · 22 November 2011]

This comes off as a frantic, anarchistic version of Roxie Hart(1941)and Chicago(1929). It is loud and silly and has a plot nearly as mad as the psychopathic alcoholic self-proclaimed world's greatest criminologist played by John Barrymore. It lacks some of the wit, but it does reach the manic, anything goes, level of some of the best Marx Brother's movies. Carole Lombard and Fred MacMurray are a shockingly dysfunctional married couple. He can't tell a lie and she sees no value in telling the truth. They are as unromantic here as any screen couple has ever been, sort of the anti-Nick and Nora Charles.

Of the six movies in the wonderful Carole Lombard Glamour Collection DVD, this was the fastest paced one. "We're Not Dressing" with Bing Crosby is as wacky and irrational, but it has the leisurely pace of the Hope/Crosby road movies. This is more like a Mel Brooks film. Most screwball comedies are romantic comedies at heart, like "Bringing up Baby" or "It happened One Night." The lack of romance here is noteworthy. Lombard's performance is not very funny, but it is offbeat and one of her best.

Carole at her Screwball Best

[karen-g-lawrence2559 · 10/10 · 11 June 2019]

Loved it! 10/10. Great cast. Great plot. Fred, Una, Carole, Toby, the great John Barrymore, Hattie and all the rest. So good. Good plot twist at the end.

Weak characters, weak writing, weak comedy

[sparkytx · 2/10 · 10 June 2021]

Unless you are a megafan of carole lombard and love anything she does, you can skip it. All characters are way to extreme to be funny. And the actors play it too far over the top. Lombard is too all over the place, macmurray is too much of a serious bore. Barrymore is too much of a ham. It feels like all the actors think they are real funny. You are waiting for them to break rhecfourth wall and tell you how funny they are.

, there is one scene that had potential. Lombard, who is a writer and pathetical liar, is being questioned by a policeman. He is trying to getting her to confess by telling her how it happened. She doesn't like is fake story so she suggests one of her own. Naturally the policeman thinks it a confession. Unfortunately the scene is done so poorly, it is not funny.