La cena trágica

I haven't actually done any research on this, but I get a sneaky feeling that Strange Affair was an attempt by another studio (Columbia in this case) to cash-in on the success of The Thin Man series. You can't help but notice the similarities - a fairly wealthy, thoroughly urban couple with modern (for its time) sensibilities gets mixed-up in solving a murder. Even the couple's banter and playful jealousy is straight out of the Nick and Nora playbook. Allyn Joslyn and Evelyn Keyes are fine as the would-be sleuths, but William Powell and Myrna Loy they aren't. Joslyn and Keys just don't have the same chemistry that Powell and Loy had.

As for the rest of the film, the murder is okay, but nothing spectacular. It's pretty much impossible to play along with other than the old adage about the least suspicious person being the killer. The comedy can be hit or miss, with the scenes involving Joslyn acting as the doorman being among my favorite. The movie looks great, but most Columbia pictures from the 40s do. The supporting cast is fine. I always love seeing Shemp Howard pop-up in the most unlikely of places. He does a great bit involving counting shirts for the laundry.

As much as I'd like to rate Strange Affair higher, it's really only about average as far as entertainment value goes. Joslyn and Keyes give it their all, but are let down by a fairly routine script.

5/10