"Lucky Partners" has a very good, very funny ending that alone makes this film worth watching. It's not the best courtroom comedy scene, but it's a very good one. And, it brings in the last supporting actor, whose presence helps lift this comedy a notch. That's Harry Davenport as the Judge.
A couple of reviewers commented that there is no chemistry here between the leads, Ronald Colman as David Grant, and Ginger Rogers as Jean Newton. Rather, they seem to me to be stand-offish which is part of the plot and roles they are playing. David is a quirky character, after all, with a very strange idea. And Jean is very naturally suspicious of this guy. In any real-life setting of such a situation that brings these two together for the whole movie, I can't imagine that any respectable woman wouldn't be the same way. So, Ginger plays that part very well.
The supporting cast in this film are all very good. Spring Byington has a small part as Aunt Lucy. Two brothers who own a neighborhood bistro as Nick #1 and Nick #2, are Leon Belasco and Eddie Conrad. A small part by Fern Emmett as the hotel chambermaid is very funny in the courtroom. She is testifying about the strange practice of Jean. The maid says she would go to one room after another in the hotel to turn down the beds and, on opening the door she would find Jean sitting in a chair, facing the door and "waiting to POUNCE on me."
But the best supporting role overall is played by Jack Carson. Some people may not like Carson for his part, but he was a consummate actor who played whatever part he got very well. Here, his Freddie is something of a blowhard and long-time boyfriend of Jean's. That they've only been engaged five years says something about their relationship in the movie. Take Carson's part out and the movie loses the basis for a significant amount of the humor.
Perhaps the one thing that sets this film back slightly is the persona of Colman's David Grant. It's not that he doesn't play it very well. Indeed, Colman was known for a specific persona in many of his films where his delivery was rather matter-of-fact and sometimes bitingly clever or huge understatement. But, with Jean's more lively, sprightly persona, I think the film would have been lifted a notch if David had been a little more down to earth and ordinary - as someone who is obviously attracted to Jean early on. Instead he does come across as somewhat snooty. But, to me, that's not "chemistry," where otherwise the two show keen interest in the other person at the right times.
Here are some favorite lines from this film. The Quotes section under this IMDb Web page on the movie has loads of funny lines, mostly from the court scenes.
Jean Newton, "Oh, Aunt Lucy, will you never grow up? People could walk in here and take your entire stock and you'd never know the difference."
Jean Newton, "And, the passion you've acquired for French novels, shame on you." Aunt Lucy, "Yes, darling, I know they're not entirely moral. But the French always seem to make everything so logical."
Freddie, "He's harmless. Look at him."
Freddie, "Very strange duck." Jean Newton, "Just what kind of a duck does that make you?"
Bride in elevator, "Did you just get here, honey?" Jean, "Yes." Woman, "We've been here a week." David, "How are the falls?" Groom in elevator, "Uh, we're seeing them tomorrow."
Freddie, "If you think you can take my girl and... " Jean, "And, what?" Freddie, "That, I don't know."
Freddie, "I used to think he was just crazy. Now I don't trust him." Jean, "That means you don't trust me either."
Hotel maid, "I tell you, your honor, it got me so nervous, I've been ascared (sic) to open a door ever since, for fear I'd find her sitting there, waiting to POUNCE on me."
Judge, "I've never heard that celebrities are any more to be trusted in their relations with women than anyone else."
Jean Newton, "Oh, it wasn't that kind of an experiment. I was to be a guinea pig."
Judge, "I see. He made love to you, he kissed you, and then he drove away in your automobile without a word. Is that right?"
Jean, "Your honor, this isn't fair. You said you were gonna protect me. He's only trying to make me talk to him now because I wouldn't talk to him outside."
Judge, "And now, Mr. Somerset." To the bailiff aside, " I have a lot of questions to ask this Casanova."
Judge, "Now that we've heard the witnesses in this case, it seems to me that we're in even deeper confusion than we were before."
