We all have our on-screen pairings that make our heart soar whenever we witness them together. From Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone to Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, iconic performers coming together have been a mainstay of creating audience-friendly pictures. A personal weak spot in this regard is the utterly lovable pairing of William Powell and Myrna Loy. I have spoken at length about the fact that their depiction of Nick and Nora Charles in the Thin Man series is one of the greatest marriages of performer and material that I have ever seen. The fact that their collaborations extended beyond this series is a great gift to film lovers. The same year that the two would reunite in Another Thin Man in 1936, they would also find themselves opposite of one another in the screwball comedy classic Libeled Lady. A mere year after directing A Tale of Two Cities to a Best Picture nomination at the Academy Awards, director Jack Conway would once again earn a place among the Best Picture nominees with this feature. With these two plus the inclusion of Spencer Tracy (San Francisco) and Jean Harlow (Dinner At Eight), it is hard to imagine a different outcome.
To say that Libeled Lady is a fairly outlandish story would be a fair assessment of the screwball comedy genre at large. Warren Haggerty (Spencer Tracy) is the managing editor of the New York Evening Star newspaper and today is his wedding day. His long-suffering fiancée, Gladys Benton (Jean Harlow), is thrilled this day has finally come, seeing as Warren always seems to use work as an excuse to delay the nuptials. This also happens to be the day when his newspaper has inadvertently published a false story about the extremely wealthy Connie Allenbury (Myrna Loy) which sullies her reputation with accusations of breaking up a marriage – and she intends to sue for big money. Warren must delay his wedding once again to devise a plan to make the allegations against Connie true, which leads him to enlisting the help of former reporter and all-around ladies’ man Bill Chandler (William Powell). Much to her reticence, Gladys agrees to a fake marriage to Bill in order for him to go undercover and seduce Connie, which would in turn “break up the marriage.”
Sound convoluted? It surely is, but the film often finds itself having fun with the outlandish situation and the plot mechanics are a mere gateway to witty exchanges and burgeoning romances that one often comes for in a classic Hollywood picture. The dynamic between Powell and Loy is very different than in the Thin Man films since the lovebirds are not already completely smitten with one another. There is a bit of bite underneath the initial exchanges, an untrusting gaze grounded in reasonable doubt. The initial defenses are part of what makes the eventual crumbling of walls in the latter part of the film so satisfying. When ruse becomes love and the plan goes right out the window. The same can be said about the dynamic between Gladys and Bill. Gladys is a woman who has been taken for granted for so long that what starts out as loathing for Bill turns on a dime once he shows a little human decency. In all honesty, this movie did keep me guessing as to who would end up with whom; I was only fairly sure that Warren was not in the best position to come out with a win.
These four incredible performers do an outstanding job of bringing their individual characters to life. The dialogue is quick and witty, and they all seem to be built to deliver it with gusto. As noted, the plot is more than a bit silly, but it works when the small character moments help enrich the dynamics. The men in this picture especially have to confront their own foibles, and they often come close to not deserving the woman in any capacity. This is all a heightened reality, though, and you accept these relationships on the terms the film sets forth. Libeled Lady zips through its plot at a pretty good clip and never overstays its welcome in one particular location. The madcap energy sustains well through the runtime while also being amenable to quieter romantic moments. This type of film is one that would be too broad for today’s sensibilities, but serves as a worthwhile time capsule to Hollywood of yesteryear.
Video Quality
Libeled Lady makes its Blu-Ray debut thanks to Warner Archive with a brand new 1080p master from a 4K scan of the best surviving preservation elements. This Best Picture-nominated film has been granted a truly marvelous presentation. The new transfer shows off a great amount of depth and enhanced detail within the film’s varied production design. The setting of the film shifts from the busy locations of the newspaper and the boat to more sparse locales such as the cabin where romance ensues. There is a fantastic amount of detail present with nice textures on the clothing, especially in the various stunning outfits sported by Connie and the wedding dress of Gladys. The stunning black-and-white photography shot by Norbert Brodine sparkles in high definition with natural grain intact. Black levels are very deep with no trace of black crush or compression artifacts. The contrast is well defined, and there is virtually no print damage to be found. Warner Archive continues its hot streak of restorations with another brilliant effort.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with a lovely DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that serves this movie perfectly well. The warmth and vitality of the William Axt score sounds as lovely as ever here. Despite the strength of the music, nothing ever overpowers the dialogue or other important information. Dialogue and background noises are represented in perfect harmony with all competing elements. This track shows little discernible age related wear and tear outside of a small amount of hissing and few instances of distortion that likely dates back to the source elements. There are also optional English (SDH) subtitles included for the feature film. Warner Archive has delivered a rock solid effort here.
Special Features
- Warner Bros. Short – Keystone Hotel (1935): A 15-minute short in gorgeous high definition starring Ford Sterling, Ben Turpin, and Chester Conklin. The story concerns a cross-eyed Count Drewa Blanc who arrives at the hotel to judge a fashion contest. This is pretty amusing.
- MGM Short – New Shoes (1936): A 10-minute short about a love affair that blossoms when a couple buys a new pair of shoes. There is some whimsy here involving lively shoes that is fun.
- MGM Cartoon – Little Cheeser: A 9-minute Happy Harmonies cartoon from 1936 about a little mouse who gets into trouble when he acts more grown up than he actually is. This is precious.
- Leo Is On The Air – Libeled Lady Radio Promo: A nearly 14-minute radio piece that promotes the film through clips and narration.
- Theatrical Trailer: A three-minute trailer that plays up the star power of the feature.
Final Thoughts
Libeled Lady is a delightful screwball comedy that has little interest in believability, but will win the hearts of those willing to go along for the ride. This film features four outstanding performances from some of Hollywood’s best, but it is the undeniable pairing of William Powell and Myrna Loy that makes this film what it is. Warner Archive has released a stellar Blu-Ray with a gorgeous A/V presentation and some entertaining special features. If you find yourself enamored with the great screwball comedies of yore, this is a film that will bring you a great deal of joy. Highly Recommended
Libeled Lady can be purchased directly through the Warner Archive Amazon Store or various other online retailers.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
