Theodora Goes Wild (1936) :
Brief Review -
Irene Dunne goes wild and bonkers in her first outright comedy. A riotous rom-com with two angles when only one was enough to make a film. I don't know about Hollywood (because I haven't come across any as of yet), but in Bollywood, I know of some films inspired by this. There were two-three rom-coms that took the idea from this film, but Khoobsurat (1999), starring Sanjay Dutt and Urmila Matondkar looks like a better fit. The film had a different twist on gangsterism, though. And if you notice, it took just half the story from Theodora. That's what I said, even half of it was enough to make a film. The film tells the story of the author of a controversially racy best-selling book who tries to hide her celebrity status from her provincial small-town neighbors, who'd be scandalised if they knew. She meets a brazen, charming fella who sets her free and there begins a love affair. Well, this is just the first half of the story and I won't disclose the second half because I think that would spoil your fun. Or, maybe I have already spoiled it with the tagline of this review. So overall, it's a fun script with the right dose of romance and humour. Irene Dunne was only offered dramatic films before this, and she did well. This was her first comedy, and she showed what she could do with it. I don't need to tell you what she did in the comedy films made after this. But this one remains special and will always remain her most memorable performance in the comedy genre. A caged girl goes wild and free like it was the last day of her life, and then in the second half, she sizzles like never before. Everything about her character is top-notch: the dialogues, looks, glamour, that feminine agenda, and carefree attitude. "I want publicity. These things (furr coat) are too expensive, you know," she says, in style! A little over the top, but I guess that was reasonable for a screwball in the 30s. Melvyn Douglas plays the same charming guy he has played in so many films, and he does it so well. Overall, a superb Rom-Com!
RATING - 7/10*
By - #samthebestest.
Irene Dunne goes wild and bonkers in her first outright comedy. A riotous rom-com with two angles when only one was enough to make a film. I don't know about Hollywood (because I haven't come across any as of yet), but in Bollywood, I know of some films inspired by this. There were two-three rom-coms that took the idea from this film, but Khoobsurat (1999), starring Sanjay Dutt and Urmila Matondkar looks like a better fit. The film had a different twist on gangsterism, though. And if you notice, it took just half the story from Theodora. That's what I said, even half of it was enough to make a film. The film tells the story of the author of a controversially racy best-selling book who tries to hide her celebrity status from her provincial small-town neighbors, who'd be scandalised if they knew. She meets a brazen, charming fella who sets her free and there begins a love affair. Well, this is just the first half of the story and I won't disclose the second half because I think that would spoil your fun. Or, maybe I have already spoiled it with the tagline of this review. So overall, it's a fun script with the right dose of romance and humour. Irene Dunne was only offered dramatic films before this, and she did well. This was her first comedy, and she showed what she could do with it. I don't need to tell you what she did in the comedy films made after this. But this one remains special and will always remain her most memorable performance in the comedy genre. A caged girl goes wild and free like it was the last day of her life, and then in the second half, she sizzles like never before. Everything about her character is top-notch: the dialogues, looks, glamour, that feminine agenda, and carefree attitude. "I want publicity. These things (furr coat) are too expensive, you know," she says, in style! A little over the top, but I guess that was reasonable for a screwball in the 30s. Melvyn Douglas plays the same charming guy he has played in so many films, and he does it so well. Overall, a superb Rom-Com!
RATING - 7/10*
By - #samthebestest.