Evening star., 1941-06-20

side an asylum isn't funny any more
either. 1t is unlikely that they Will
need the argument, however, for
Miss Low and Powell are so slick at
the chase one hardly notices where
it leads to.
The premise of Love Crazy is as
familiar as your last mood that
maybe love is a pathetic mistake,
mirthleSs Joke The story opens
with the couple on their fifth ami
versary. She. the old sentimentallst.
wants to repeat the routine OF the
wedding day as they have done on
every other anniversary. That
means dinner. a smile river trip in
which she rows the boat, a long
walk. etc. He. more disposed toward
something new, proposes that at
least they do the whole routine In
reverse-if they must do it at all
That's where the battle begins.
She doubts that he loves her. He
protests the proposal is only because
variety is the spice of life. Fate
steps In then to intensity her doubts
and to give the lie to his every We
hement protest of innocence. An
old love meets him in an elevator,
thev are trapped between floors. ne
is late returning from an errand.
he lies about it, she catches him fiat
footed, and they're off, she to the
divorce court.
Reduced thus to desperation, there
is no hilarious thing Powell won
do. The picture, consequently
begins to live up TO its name
when the agonized man. upon the
advice of counsel. feignS insanity
as the one way of blocking his wife S
divorce action. 1t is funny when
he talks crafty about the adven-
lures his "footsies' have llveo
through. funnier when he crashes
large and sedate society party
and becomes its villain by hoat-
ing all the silk hats Of the guests
in the swimming pool, still funnlel
when his wackv conduct IN dlVorce
court lands him before lunacy
commission which promptly oecioeS
he really IS insane. .-,
Once the poor man is committee
to the private sanitarlum, the story
has a fine time threading that mar
row line-the one that makes YOU
uncomfortable. too-Whlch sepa-
rates the sane and the ones whose
mentality is more consplcuouSiy
dubious. Virtually nothing is treat
ed as sacred in these sequences
least of the science of psychlatry
Don't get the notion that because
the picture is called Love crazy
its comedy is cerebral. In the oes'
tradition of amorouS farce, 1t Il
| ornamented with every trlck o.
slanstick. from the spinal-Hop OF
IN For the laughs that are III II
dignifed ladies slip on rugs. mei
climb trees, fall into swimming pooR
and. as a climax. Powell oecohle,
a female impersonator.
The latter gag is one that every
ono was determined TO make 1unhl
if they had to die IN the atteihpI
The effort. which stopped snort o.
that. is rewarded by something ina
is completely wacky. 1t Is at IL
hest when Powell, pretending 10 OF
his spinster aunt, and woman o.
fierv temper. takes some mascuilneN
socks at the other man; musculal
moron of great appeal who is dolne
everything he can to turtner lii'
wife's divorce proceedings.
|
# is to be expected that Miss Lo!
and Powell would enter the spirit o
tbe story with zest, willing to cas-
dignity and restraint overheard a
the slightest whim of the scrip
writers and Director Jack Conway
In doing so. they set an lrreslStlpl'
example to such others as Can fat
rick as the f1ippant siren: JACK Car
son as the other man who is as aWk
ward in love as he is graceful II
snorts. Donald Mcbride as the Jeai
ous husband to Miss Patrlck's siren
and Sig Ruman as the pSychlatriS
who gives the science such a thor
| ough going-ov that 1t become
comicaIy unrecognizable.
The whole thing just goes to snow
that Miss 10y and Powell nave al
almost irresistible way with love.