Two Smart People *** (1946, Lucille Ball, John Hodiak, Lloyd Nolan, Hugo Haas) – Classic Movie Review 5515

Director Jules Dassin’s 1946 thriller is a somewhat down-bill, down-at-heel mix of film noir, crime caper, romance and humorous chase drama starring Lucille Ball and Lloyd Nolan as confidence trickster Ricki Woodner and sheriff Bob Simms who are on the case of crook Ace Connors (John Hodiak) to find his swag, the $500,000 worth of bonds he has stolen, now hidden in a cook book.

Though it had hostile reviews – mostly for the film writing – and disappointing box office, it has worn surprisingly well, indeed well enough even for some people to call it a ‘little gem’.

The premise is neat and the film is overloaded with talented actors, but they are only given half a chance here with the routinely developed plot and some dreary and unfunny lines and sluggish handling. However, Ball and Hodiak remain lively and likeable, and the movie is rescued by moody cinematography from the legendary Karl Freund, its fun New Orleans Mardi Gras scenes, and the performances of Nolan as the dogged cop and Cook Jr as the bitter Fly.

Ball was unhappy to be in the film as she knew it was her last with MGM, who dumped her from their roster of contract players. The smart star went on to buy a film studio (RKO, where she started as a contract player) and become one of the world’s richest and most famous women.

Leslie Charteris (The Saint) co-writes the screenplay with Ethel Hill, from a story by Allan Kenward and Ralph Wheelwright, so smart people will look here for something to watch.

Also in the cast are Hugo Haas, Lenore Ulric, Elisha Cook Jnr, Lloyd Corrigan, Vladimir Sokoloff, David Cota, Clarence Muse, George Magrill, Maria Dodd, Shelley Winters, William Tannen, William Riley, Bess Flowers and Harry Depp.

The film cost $1 million, but earned only $871,000 in the US and Canada and $328,000 elsewhere, and caused MGM a loss of $252,000, so they must have felt smugly justified in dumping Ball. But she had the last laugh, and loyally employed Freund on around 150 of her I Love Lucy TV episodes.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5515

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