Too much of everything

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

The story-telling is good with flashbacks.The film is both funny and heartbreaking. You smile in a scene and get a soulcrushing revelation in the next.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

This is quite an enjoyable film. The cast is first rate. The comedic skills of the supporting players, Robert Montgomery's charm, Robert Powell's sophistication, and Joan Crawford's glamour really sparkle with the help of the polished MGM production, costumes, and 1930s elegance. The plot is tight, the dialog and social interactions are nuanced and consistently amusing. The themes of the story regarding social class and disillusion were relevant during the depression and still today. Crawford is especially effective in a role that allows her to be calculating, disillusioned, and ultimately sympathetic. Crawford was always strong when playing characters with an intense drive, but she also does surprisingly well in scenes that require her to demonstrate charm and wit, which up against pros of the genre like William Powell and Robert Montgomery is no small feat.

Last of Mrs. Cheyney, The (1937) *** (out of 4) Spit, polish and gloss has been added to this MGM remake of their 1929 Norma Shearer-Basil Rathbone drama. This time out John Crawford plays Mrs. Cheyney, an American woman her works her way into British society and gets several men to fall in love with her including Lord Dilling (Robert Montgomery). What these rich folks don't realize is that Mrs. Cheyney is actually a thief planning on stealing from them with the help of her partner (William Powell). As with the original film, this remake is a fairly flawed tale but there's no question that the studio treated us to a rather amazing cast and they alone make it worth sitting through. Crawford at times seems out of place but on the whole I think she does a pretty good job with the role. She's got a certain toughness that jumps off the screen so she's easily believable as the mind behind this group of thieves and the actress also does good in the softer moments when her character starts to want to break free from crime. Montgomery is charming as always and Powell makes for an interesting supporting player. Powell doesn't get too much to do but when he's on screen he's certainly entertaining. The supporting cast includes some very well- known faces including Nigel Bruce, Frank Morgan, Colleen Clare, Ralph Forbes, Melville Cooper and Sara Haden. The first hour of the film is a major improvement over the original because the writers cleared out some of the boring dialogue (that just dragged on in the original) and replaced it with some humor that certainly helps the material move. Another good thing is the added gloss because there are various images that are quite pleasant on the eyes and this again is a major step-up from the original. Where the film really goes off the charts is during the final thirty-minutes when it becomes clear that the writers didn't know how they wanted to end the film. The movie should have been almost over right after the sixty-minute mark but things really start to drag because it seems the writers didn't know what they wanted to do with the Crawford character. Some of this might be due to the fact that original director Richard Boleslawski suddenly died during production only to be replaced by George Fitzmaurice who was also replaced by Dorothy Arzner.

I've seen it twice and enjoyed it thoroughly each time. Still, not being an experienced movie critic, I'm grateful to Krorie for pointing out some valid deficiencies. For me, the scene in the beginning with Crawford in the wrong cabin (and bed) hooked me. Bruce's bumbling reaction was so natural, believable and funny I already decided I was going to like the rest. From then on, though, it does seem like the cast is just reciting lines. I found the constantly twisting plot at the end hard to keep up with. If anyone knows the name of the song Crawford plays on the piano, please let me know. Was it original or popular at that time?

I was surprised to read some of these unfavorable reviews. The '30s was my favorite era in film history, and this is one of my favorites. It's not "My Man Godfrey" or "It Happened One Night," but it's very enjoyable. I love the scene when her "servants" reveal themselves. I thought Montgomery was charming and adorable as usual, Powell was as awesome as ever, and Crawford was perfectly cast. She has the edge that makes her believable as a con artist. I'm curious to see the original pre-code version, if only TCM would show it! I doubt it's better, though. Norma Shearer was so weepy-eyed and hokey, and I wouldn't buy her as a con artist.