Personal Property (1937)

I was looking forward to watching this film, because I have come to appreciate more Robert Taylor's films, and more recently enjoyed several of Jean Harlow's films. But, at least to me, the situation or "set up" for this film was way too contrived to be believable. I just don't believe that even the basic situation -- that a man would be required to live in a woman's house under these circumstances -- is just beyond belief.I have no complaint about the performances. Taylor was good in light comedy. I did think -- as another reviewer mentioned -- that Harlow was a bit heavy handed here. However, the chemistry works, even if (at least for me) the plot didn't. Throw in some old reliables -- Reginald Owen, the delightful Una O'Connor, and Cora Witherspoon, and you have the ingredients for a good comedy...except it didn't pan out.I don't recommend this film. Both leads have far better fare you can select from.

I was amazed at how few reviewers knew that this film was a remake of the far superior, 'Man In Possession', made in 1931 with Robert Montgomery and Irene Purcell. Reginald Owen returns as the obnoxious brother, Claude Dabney and Forrester Harvey returns as the Bailiff. The original cast has a huge edge over this sad grouping. Robert Montgomery is way out in front of Robert Taylor in the key role of Raymond Dabney. Likewise, Irene Purcell delivers an incredibly, sexy, charming, classy and witty performance that is completely beyond anything Harlow is capable of. C Aubrey Smith is superb as the father in the original while E.E. Clive is clueless here. There's no end to it as Charlotte Greenwood mops of the floor with Una O' Connor as the maid, 'Clara'. Jean Harlow is listless and pedestrian as Crystal Wetherby, a woman who is in danger of losing her home and possessions to the bailiff. Once the precode era was over, Harlow 'bulled' her way through many a performance, especially, 'The Girl From Missouri' where she shrieks with self righteous indignation from start to finish. Here, she's too distracted and puffy for a full fledged rampage, but gets off plenty of low-brow jabs at Robert Taylor that are weary and tiring after awhile. The situation is so bad that for those who haven't seen, 'Man In Possession', you'll be absolutely amazed how different that film comes off even though both films have the identical plot. The whole tone is different, the pace is lightning fast and Irene Purcell never ever at any time cuts the legs out from under Montgomery the way Harlow does to Taylor. For those of you who actually like this film, I suggest you see, 'Man In Possession' and your eyes will be opened.

I always watch Robert Taylor in memory of my mother; she loved him. This film is a Taylor-Harlow pairing, "Personal Property," a watered-down version of the play, and the first time it was made, it was a precode film, A Man of Possession.Taylor is Raymond Dabney, the black sheep in a successful family, all of whom are British except for him, evidently, as he sports no accent. He's been released early from prison after selling a car he didn't own. His brother Claude (Reginald Owen) and father (E.E. Clive) aren't happy to see him, unlike his mother, so they offer Raymond 300 pounds to go anywhere he wants, preferably out of the country. Raymond chooses London.At a cocktail lounge, Raymond meets Crystal Wetherby (Harlow), a widow. Raymond is interested and follows her to the opera Aida, and then he follows her home. At her home, he meets a bailiff who is going to sit in Crystal's house until she pays what she owes.Crystal is throwing a dinner for her fiancé and future in-laws; Raymond kindly offers to pretend to be her butler. When the future family shows up, a few problems present themselves.Jean Harlow was always very likable, although here, she's a little more low-key. She wears her engagement ring from William Powell throughout the film; it's sad that her life was cut so short. I thought Taylor was just fine. He had a nice sense of comedy. But I have to agree with some others that the role would have been better suited to Franchot Tone or Cary Grant. Taylor was a beautiful man, and he looked great in evening clothes, but he was a farm boy at heart and didn't have quite the sophistication necessary.I found this film slow and not very involving, but I loved the two stars.

If you think this film is funny, you need to see the earlier, 1931 version, Man in Possession, starring Robert Montgomery. Made before the Hays Code, it is full of sexual tension and double entendre.Personal Property, even with its great cast, is a pale imitation. It preserves the characters (and even adds a couple), but most of the innuendo has been written out of the dialog, and a couple of very steamy scenes have been deleted. The earlier version is a spicy, sexy bedroom comedy of errors. This remake, on the other hand, is bland drawing room comedy with slapstick elements.The character, Arthur Trevelyan, transforms Personal Property into a farce - very nearly a "live" cartoon. If even one out of every three words he spoke were intelligible, Trevy might be funny. The fact that not a single word is understandable is bizarre. Even as a caricature of upper-crust British society, he is more puzzling than funny. In the context of the film, surrounded by the other perfectly understandable characters, he seems totally out of place - as if he wandered in from the Merry Melodies cartoon before the feature film!Remaking a 1931 sex comedy in 1937 after the enforcement of the Hays Code results in a completely neutered film. And Trevy is the fire hydrant for this poor dog!