8/10
Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and silent superstar Laura La Plante make a sparkling comedy team
25 September 2007
From 1923 to 1930 Laura LaPlante was the Queen of Universal Studios. She was a delightful comedienne and a fine dramatic actress. She was outstanding in the part-talkie epic "Showboat"(1929) though the film itself in its current form is mediocre at best. She left Universal in 1930 after two musical flops but found considerable success in England starring in half a dozen comedies for Warner Brothers-Teddington Studios. "The Man of the Moment"(Warner Bros, 1935) made its U.S. debut last night and proved once and for all that LaPlante should have had a great talkie career in the kind of films she excelled in the silent twenties. SHe makes a delightful pairing with the handsome young Douglas Fairbanks Jr.. The film is given a glossy Hollywood-style sheen, the script and direction is excellent, but it is these 2 stars at their charismatic best that makes this constant fun. Why Warner Brothers did not re-team these two is a mystery....The film never got a U.S. release though Fairbanks was a major star at the time. LaPlante's career was going into eclipse but she was still widely known by the public.
21 out of 22 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Recently Viewed