The Crystal Ball

Ray Milland and Paulette Goddard star in "The Crystal Ball," a 1943 comedy. Goddard plays Toni Gerard, a Texas beauty contestant who comes to New York with no money and consults Madame Zenobia (Gladys George) about her future. Madame Zenobia is a big fake who relies on maids and social registers for her info. She doesn't know Toni's future, but since Toni's a crack shot, she sends her to her friend who runs a shooting gallery (Cecil Kellaway) who can use Toni's shooting to attract customers. She also offers Toni a room to stay in.

Toni spots attorney Brad Cavenaugh (Ray Milland) when he escorts Jo Ainsley (Virgina Field), his client, to Madame Zenobia to ask for help finding her ring (which the maid put down the drain and then tipped off Zenobia). Toni is instantly attracted to him and pursues him in her own way. Meanwhile, the widow Ainsley is doing the same thing.

This is a silly, somewhat convoluted comedy bolstered by some delightful performances from Milland, the beautiful and effervescent Goddard, William Bendix as Cavanaugh's chauffeur, Gladys George, Cecil Kellaway, and Sig Arno, who is plagued everywhere he works by problems, thanks to Toni.

See it for the performances and for Goddard's beautiful gown toward the end of the film. What a wonderful screen presence she had.

Paulette Goddard and Ray Milland did several films during the Forties enough they should qualify as a screen team. The Crystal Ball has them as a former beauty contest winner who is down to 38 cents to her name as she arrives in New York. She's befriended by Gladys George who is a fortune teller and also by Cecil Kellaway who runs a shooting gallery and she works for both at times.

Enter Ray Milland lawyer whose main client is Virginia Field, oil heiress and believer in the occult and various folks who make their living off the same. Goddard takes one look at Milland and decides he's the one.

Getting him away from Field will be a problem though. So in a series of Lucy like stunts she does everything she can to win Milland including accidentally giving him some inside information concerning his client's estate. And Field who has her hooks into Milland ain't giving up without a fight.

Always amusing and around is William Bendix playing Milland's chauffeur, butler, and general all around factotum. There isn't a movie or television show that he was in that something special wasn't added.

I think The Crystal Ball might have been a classic if someone like Mitchell Leisen or George Marshall had directed it. It's amusing enough, but lacks that classic spark.

Shapely Paulette Goddard (dressed to the nines, but with only thirty-eight cents to her name) takes a job as decoy in a shooting gallery, but when the phony fortune teller she's bunking with throws her back out, Goddard subs for her at a fancy affair. Flimsy romantic fluff from Paramount studios (but acquired and released by United Artists). Though set mainly in 'ritzy' surroundings--with gowns by both Edith Head AND Adrian!--the picture appears to be a second-biller, though one given a pinch of star-power from Goddard and Ray Milland (even if the colorful supporting players tend to upstage them both). Elliott Nugent's direction has little feeling for slapstick pratfalls and comedic misunderstandings; coupled with the silly script, it isn't any wonder why the film builds no momentum. Two quirky highlights: the eccentric singing ladies on the tandem bicycle; also, Milland's sports car (a Crosley) that rocks back and forth like a toy auto. ** from ****

Zany wartime madcap from Paramount. Seems Texas girl Toni (Goddard) has designs on handsome city attorney Brad (Milland) but has to out-compete sophisticated rival Jo (Field) for his affections. But don't worry, she's a dead-shot with a rifle and can fake a good crystal ball when she has to. Plenty of chuckles and mild innuendo, throughout, along with nifty scene-ending touches that work as comedic embroidery. Okay, the storyline would flunk a logic course, but who cares, since it's the humor that counts. All in all, the flick's a Goddard showcase that includes snappy support from a Johnny-on-the-spot Bill Bendix, a brassy Iris Adrian, and a fumbling Sig Arno who won't be table-waiting the President anytime soon. Then too, note that the ladies goody gowns are from Hollywood's premier fashion designers Edith Head and Adrian- I wonder if they did the gown that gets ripped off poor Toni.

Trouble is chuckles tail off toward the end when things serious up a bit. Also, Milland's fine for Brad's serious side, but adds little to Brad's lighter side. Nonetheless, it's an entertaining 80-minutes that gives Mussolini I good kick in the butt. So catch up with it despite the obscurity.

Toni (Paulette Goddard) and Jo (Virginia Field) are both keen to pursue Brad (Ray Milland). While Brad and Jo are already acquainted, Toni sees her opportunity for an introduction with Brad by impersonating a fortune-teller Madame Zenobia (Gladys George) and telling him his fortune lies with someone else who he is about to meet who has red hair and is eating an apple (ie, herself out of her disguise). At the same time, she gives readings to Jo, encouraging her to go away! Its very funny in parts and the film follows Toni's attempts to wrestle Brad away from Jo. There is a good supporting cast including Pops (Cecil Kellaway) and Biff (William Bendix) as Brad's chauffeur. Its a comedy in which the women, in particular, are very funny.

My particular copy is taped from the TV and is too bright - I'm not sure if this is just how the film looks these days or if its something to do with the individual that I purchased it from. However, the quality of the film is a minor negative point. Its enjoyable, the cast are all likable and I'll be watching it again at a future date.