Personal Property Review: A Harlow Gem Worth Revisiting

Okay, so Personal Property… if you're into those classic screwball comedies, the ones from the 30s where folks fall in love under totally bonkers circumstances, then yeah, give this a shot. It's got Jean Harlow, after all! If you're hoping for some deep, modern romance, or you get bored by quick-fire dialogue and misunderstandings, you might wanna skip it. It's a specific flavor, you know?

The setup is pretty neat: Raymond Dabney, played by Robert Taylor looking all handsome and a bit roguish, is fresh out of some legal trouble. He talks the local sheriff into letting him be a sort of live-in caretaker for a fancy house. The catch? It belongs to Crystal Wetherby, a widow who's also, unknowingly to Raymond, engaged to his brother. Talk about awkward dinner parties! 😬

Harlow, as Crystal, just _shines_. She’s got this incredible way of delivering lines, even the simpler ones, with so much spark. There's a scene early on where she's just trying to figure out who this random guy is hanging around her furniture, and her expressions are priceless. Not over-the-top, just perfectly exasperated.

Robert Taylor, for his part, plays the charming rogue quite well. He's got that easy confidence. He isn't trying too hard, which makes his character, Raymond, feel more natural even when he's being a bit of a scamp. There's a great little bit where he's pretending to dust, but really he's just kinda… moving things around. Like he's trying to look busy but has no clue.

The movie really leans into the whole "maid and butler" mistaken identity thing. Crystal thinks Raymond is the new help, and he just rolls with it. You can almost feel the mischief brewing in his eyes. He's not exactly _trying_ to fool her, but he's not correcting her either. That's where a lot of the charm comes from, honestly.

And Una O'Connor pops up as this cook, Mrs. Dabney, who's just a hoot. She's always got some worried look or a quick, cutting remark. I remember her in so many films, always a standout even in small parts. Her reactions to Raymond's antics, especially when he's trying to sneak food, are gold. She’s got that specific kind of exasperated loyalty.

The brother character, George, is… well, he's the oblivious type. He's played by Reginald Owen, who's usually great, but here he's just kind of a plot device. He's the obstacle, the stuffy one. He doesn't really get to do much beyond being the reason for all the misunderstanding. You can almost feel the movie trying to make him less interesting so we root for Raymond, you know?

Some of the dialogue just zips. It's not His Girl Friday fast, but it’s definitely got that quick back-and-forth rhythm that was so popular then. You gotta pay attention, or you'll miss a jab or a double entendre. There's this exchange about a "broken engagement" that almost sails right past you, but it’s actually pretty clever.

The film has this gentle, almost breezy feel to it. It doesn't try to be too profound. It's about two people meeting and falling for each other despite, or because of, all the silly hoops they have to jump through. It’s a bit of a stage play feel sometimes, with scenes centered around a few rooms.

There's a scene where Raymond is trying to fix something in the house, and he just makes it worse. It's a small moment, but it tells you so much about his character – good intentions, maybe not the best execution. And Crystal just sighs, but you can see she’s softening. It's those little things.

It's interesting how they handle the "trouble with the law" bit for Raymond. It’s never really explained, just kinda hinted at. Like, "he was in a spot of bother." It adds a touch of mystery, I guess, but also makes you wonder what exactly he did! 🤔 Probably something charmingly minor, knowing these types of movies.

One thing that sticks out is how much _stuff_ is in Crystal’s house. Like, every surface has a