Counsel's Opinion: A bit dusty, but mostly harmless

Is this worth your time?

Honestly, only if you have a massive soft spot for early British talkies where everyone speaks like they’ve got a plum in their mouth. If you hate theatrical, stage-bound setups where the camera barely moves, skip it. But, if you like watching people try to act their way out of a lie they dug themselves into, it’s… fine. Perfectly fine.

The whole thing hangs on Everard Logan being an absolute donut. He thinks he’s clever because he’s a lawyer, but he spends half the movie tripping over his own shoelaces. It’s the kind of mild farce that feels like it belongs in a library rather than a cinema. 🙄

The vibe

There’s this weird, stiff energy to the whole production. It’s very stage-y. You can almost hear the floorboards creaking under the actors' feet while they deliver their lines. It lacks the punchy, fast-moving energy of better comedies from that era. Compared to something like The Green Goddess, which at least has some grand scale to it, this feels like watching a play through a keyhole.

The hotel room scenes are where the movie starts to lose its grip. The door opens, the door closes, someone hides behind a curtain. It’s all very predictable. I found myself looking at the wallpaper patterns more than the actual plot at one point. It’s just very contained, maybe a little too much.

• The dialogue is sharp, if you like that sort of thing.
• Binnie Barnes is doing a lot of heavy lifting here.
• Some of the reaction shots are so long you’ll have time to make a cup of tea.
• The lighting is basically 'turn the lamps on and hope for the best.'

I wouldn't say I hated it. It just feels like it was filmed in a vacuum. There’s a complete lack of urgency that makes the 'divorce lawyer' stakes feel like they matter about as much as a lukewarm sandwich. It’s a relic, really. A polite, slightly dull relic. ☕️

Still, if you’re a completionist for these old black-and-white comedies, you’ll probably find something to chuckle at. Just don't expect it to change your life. It barely changes the room it's set in.