Calm Yourself ** (1935, Robert Young, Madge Evans, Betty Furness, Ralph Morgan, Nat Pendleton, Hardie Albright) – Classic Movie Review 11,305

Director George B Seitz’s 1936 black and white film Calm Yourself stars Robert Young as a sacked advertising wiz called Preston ‘Pat’ Patton who starts the agency Confidential Services Inc and tries to find out who is behind a kidnapping in this rather dull, low-charisma, production-line comedy thriller that looks all too speedily churned-out. It is no Thin Man, but still it is given life by the actors.

When Pat is hired to keep beautiful Rosalind Rockwell (Madge Evans) away from her father Kenneth (Ralph Morgan)’s new young wife, he hires Rosalind as his secretary and fellow crime-solver.

Despite the usual MGM care in the production and the useful cast of studio stalwarts, it is a filler in every way, with its lame and predictable, poorly concocted story. However the welcome Young and Evans are likeable in the lead roles, sharing good chemistry, while Nat Pendleton, Claude Gillingwater and Betty Furness are amusing in support.

Arthur Kober adapts the book by Edward Hope [Edward Hope Coffey].

Also in the cast are Madge Evans, Betty Furness, Ralph Morgan, Nat Pendleton, Hardie Albright, Claude Gillingwater, Shirley Ross, Raymond Hatton, Herman Bing, Ward Bond, Clyde Cook, Hale Hamilton, Isabelle Keith [Claudelle Kaye], Richard Tucker, Charles Trowbridge, Tempe Pigott, Paul Hurst, Ivan Miller, and Shirley Chambers.

Running time: 70 minutes.

It is the last of four films with Robert Young and Madge Evans together.

The TCM print is missing the end credits, with cast members and the character names.

It was released on June 28, 1935.

George Brackett Seitz (January 3, 1888 – July 8, 1944) directed more than 100 films, wrote over 30 screenplays, and acted in seven films. At MGM he directed 11 films in the Andy Hardy series of the 1930s and 1940s.

Arthur Kober (August 25, 1900 – June 12, 1975) was married to the dramatist Lillian Hellman.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,305

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