The Devil to Pay!

Ronald Colman plays a prodigal son. While he is NOT a bad guy, he is a bit flighty and hasn't done a lot with his life other than travel the world and have a jolly good time. Now that his latest venture in Africa has failed, he's on his way home to England. His rich upper class father plans on tossing him out on his ear, though thanks to Ronald's winning style, he is reluctantly welcomed back with open arms.

At this point, there are two women in his life--showgirl Myrna Loy and rich girl Loretta Young (who is already engaged). How will all this work out and will Ronald wise up and act like a responsible adult--these are the main themes of this pleasant little film.

This isn't a great movie and certainly won't change your life, but it certainly is very entertaining and fun. Most of this is due to the always genial acting of Ronald Colman. Heck, in the heyday of his career in the 1930s, he could have played in REEFER MADNESS or some other dreck and still made it entertaining and likable due to his charming persona. His seemingly effortless style in this movie make it very easy to like him and it's easy to see why both Loretta Young and Myrna Loy are in love with him in the film! Plus, the writing is very witty and make this a nice romantic-comedy.

How can you miss with a cast like Ronald Colman, Loretta Young, and Myrna Loy? The answer is you can't miss. Although Young is a bit cloying in the early part of the film, she is radiant to watch, and a worthy target of the neer do well, Colman. Loy is perfect as the wise-cracking girlfriend who is doomed to second place in the Colman stakes. Colman was perfect for these roles, and would repeat them several times over the course of his career,. Oddly enough, he was at his best in dramatic roles, such as Lost Horizon. Young would go on to date Clark Gable instead of Colman. Loy would gain fame with William Powell in the popular Thin Man series of films. Add a star if you are a soap lover.

Ne'er-do-well bon-vivant Willie Hale (Ronald Colman) returns to England in the hope of procuring his 11th 'start-in-life' hand-out from Lord Leland (Frederick Kerr), his wealthy but cantankerous father. Rebuffed but granted 100 quid, he promptly charms family friend Dorothy Hope (a youthful Loretta Young), who becomes enamoured with his casual, fun-loving approach to life. The comedy is an appealing pre-code romance with a few subtle but sly adult jokes and some very sexy outfits. Coleman is great as the irresistible prodigal son as are his three lovely co-stars, Young, Myrna Loy, and Florence Britton. Paul Cavanagh is also quite good as Grand Duke Paul, a stiff, supercilious, humorless toff who is Willie's self-assured but perhaps mercenary rival for Dorothy's affections. For lightweight rom-com fluff, the story, albeit a bit dated and predictable, is good and the film is generally charming.

Light and airy early comedy with Colman laying it on thick in his quasi-philosophical turn as the prodigal son. It's all very British and very there you know, with touches of sentiment to complement the humor. Only after it was over did I realize some of the characters - especially the pampered females - actually got on my nerves.

The title notwithstanding, this is a cute little romantic comedy from 1930, and features a lot of star power in Ronald Colman, Myrna Loy, and a very young Loretta Young. Colman is the devil-may-care son of a rich old man who has squandered various opportunities, and is returning home from his most recent in British East Africa. He's so charming and smooth, and you can't help but like the lightness with which he approaches life. He's got a girlfriend in theater star Myrna Loy, but soon falls for the engaged daughter of a friend of the family, Loretta Young. It's interesting to consider the ages of these actors: Young, fresh-faced and just 17(!), Loy, 25, and Colman, 39, but somehow he pulls it off. Young is a bit too girlish in the early scenes in the film, but settles in eventually, and is also quite endearing. Watch it for the two of them.