Hands Across the Table

Fred MacMurray's line readings here are simply impeccable--on par with, oh, say, Cary Grant in His Girl Friday. Another not wholly sympathetic leading role in a comedy. Unfortunately, the movie ends up being kind of muddle-headed toward the end. Still, the chemistry between the two stars is fully evident, and I like that the movie doesn't crassly gloss over the Bellamy character's hurt and resentment. It gives the movie body. The domestic scenes between Lombard and MacMurray are particular good--sort of a warm-up, too, for what Liesen does with Jean Arthur and Ray Milland in their glorious cohabitation scenes at the Hotel Louie in Liesen's Easy Living. Liesen is an unfairly forgotten director of romantic comedies. Besides this one, and Easy Living, check out also Remember the Night and Midnight.

Hands Across the Table is the first of four films that Paramount teamed Fred MacMurray and Carole Lombard in. It's one of MacMurray's earliest film and he's playing what he would perennially be typecast as, a light leading man. That is until Double Indemnity showed just how dramatic he could be.

The hands across the table refer to those hands that a manicurist deals with and Lombard is a manicurist. This is the middle of the Great Depression and Lombard working in a hotel figures she can snag a millionaire. She actually does in the person of Ralph Bellamy.

But figuring to trade higher she meets Fred MacMurray who has the nice WASPy rich sounding name of Theodore Drew III. Problem is as he says to Lombard, the family fortune crashed in 1929. He's set his sights on a rich heiress, Astrid Allwyn, who will be able to support him in the style he was previously accustomed to.

Director Mitchell Leisen keeps the proceedings light and airy and its obvious that MacMurray and Lombard are suited for each other on the screen. No accident that they made three successive films, all of them money makers.

Funniest scene in the film how MacMurray scares away William Demarest as a prospective suitor for Lombard. Worth the price of the VHS tape alone.

On top of being a huge fan of classic film for goodness knows how long, my main reason for seeing 'Hands Across the Table' was Carole Lombard. A lovely and always well worth watching actress who died tragically, in one of the worst and most tragic ways to die, far too young with so much more to give. It is always interesting too to see older films with a mix of comedy and romance.

'Hands Across the Table' is another one of Lombard's four (too few as they worked so well together) teamings with Fred MacMurray, in fact it was actually their first. The others being 'The Princess Comes Across', 'True Confession' and 'Swing High, Swing Low'. Of the four, 'Hands Across the Table' gets my vote as the best of them. Although the other three had much to enjoy without being flawless of course, this, while not perfect, was on the most part an utter delight. It may not be quite one of the greatest screwball comedies, but it certainly shows why witty and sophisticated comedy appeals to me so much and does it with class and charm.

Maybe it does get a little over-serious towards the end and it slows down slightly at this point, but there is very little at all to criticise with 'Hands Across the Table'.

The good things are a great many, and in terms of quantity they are absolutely great. 'Hands Across the Table' is a great looking film, it's sumptuously shot with beautiful costumes and the camera clearly loves Lombard. The music fits amiably and doesn't sound stock or at odds with the film. Mitchell Leisen directs with a very light and sure-footed touch that stops 'Hands Across the Table' from getting too heavy.

Absolutely loved the script, which sparkles in its wit and the sophistication is elegance personified, nothing distasteful or vulgar here. The story is a slight one with not many surprises perhaps, but it is adroitly paced and never less than charming and sweet without being cloying. The ending is really quite beautiful and packs a punch.

Lombard expectedly is wonderful, exuding glamour and enjoying herself to the hilt, her trademark zaniness and delicacy perfectly captured. MacMurray is in an early role here and for me he did have good comic timing and avoided playing the role too heavily or overly-seriously, even if became more comfortable and even more assured in his later films and in his later outings with Lombard. Their romantic chemistry works a charm and is more than believable throughout. The supporting cast are just as strong, Ralph Bellamy and Ruth Donnelly marvellous.

In conclusion, a lovely, delightful film and treats for admirers of Lombard. 8/10

CAROLE LOMBARD and FRED MacMURRAY have chemistry in this warm romantic comedy about two people who are actually yearning to marry into wealth, but find that love conquers all. RALPH BELLAMY as "the other man" makes it a certainty that Lombard will fall in love with MacMurray for the final reel, so there's no guessing as to how it all turns out.

But Mitchell Leisen keeps the pace brisk for the running time of an hour and twenty minutes, the script that Norman Krasna and others penned is bright and funny, and everyone is seen to advantage. Lombard has probably seldom had such beguiling close-ups and she was a true, classic beauty with a flair for this brand of romantic comedy. MacMurray too has a deft touch with light material and is a good match for her as a playboy who'd rather fall in love with a rich woman but changes his mind when he meets Lombard.

Director Leisen can be proud of his career, which included gems like this and serious dramas like "Hold Back the Dawn" and "To Each His Own." He's probably one of Hollywood's most underrated directors and is in good form here.

The supporting cast gets a lift from RUTH DONNELLY and WILLIAM DEMAREST.

Summing up: Enjoyable nonsense, it's formula fluff given substance by a clever script and fine direction.

Once again Ralph Bellamy plays the sad sack role, and here he has the added burden of not being able to walk. Robert Osborne called this role a "Ralph Bellamy" role and who more perfect for the ignored/dumped love interest than he? He is infatuated with hotel manicurist Lombard (sparkling as always) and is rich into the bargain. However, she falls for playboy MacMurray, whose family has lost its money, and who is looking to marry into it so he can continue his aimless yet pampered existence. Lombard wants to marry money, too, but curiously overlooks puppy-eyed Bellamy in this regard. The plot involves MacMurray missing the boat he is taking to Bermuda while his fiancée's family plan the wedding. He misses the boat due to a zany night out with Lombard and ends up needing to board with her for the week so his fiancée thinks he's in Bermuda. The usual falling-in-love-despite-themselves ensues.

This is called a screwball comedy, but I found it more sad than comical, especially with the character Bellamy plays. MacMurray has no sex appeal for me despite workable chemistry with Lombard. I cannot help but picture the pipe-puffing, cardigan-wearing dad, Steve Douglas, on "My Three Sons," and how utterly dopey he looks works against his being taken seriously as a sexy guy. No one has yet mentioned that William Demarest, who later played Uncle Charley on "My Three Sons" with MacMurray, shows up as a suitor to take Lombard out who gets cosmetically chased away by MacMurray in one of the funnier scenes in the film.

Tragic Marie Prevost plays Lombard's manicurist pal Nona. I thought she had a fine comedic presence, and it's a shame she didn't go on to more best-friend, Patsy Kelly type roles.

I don't think this is one of Lombard's best but not a complete waste of time. Not as zany or fantastic as "My Man Godfrey" but watchable nonetheless.