LADY LUCK
US, 1936, 62 minutes, Black and white.
Patricia Farr, William Bakewell, Duncan Renaldo, Iris Adrian, Lulu Mc Connell, Jameson Thomas, Vivian Oakland, Claude Alister, Arthur Hoyt, Lew Kelly, John Kelly.
Directed by Charles Lamont.
Lady Luck is a light romantic comedy, Mamie Murphy, a manicurist (Patricia Farr) with ambitions to make something of her life and to marry into money, and the inevitable newspaperman to whom she is attracted but with whom she clashes, William Bakewell.
The title refers to a horse that Mamie has drawn in a sweep, receiving some thousands of dollars just by being in the draw – and with prospects of a big win as well as a great number of offers to participate in publicity, becoming an actress… And, with everybody watching, her horse wins.
However, she manicures the nails of some big-time spenders, one of whom sets up a plot with his girlfriend to rob her of her ticket – and the “financial sculptor� (referred to as “a chiseller�) who is after her for her money and she infatuated with him, steps into the plan and is murdered.
Lew Kelly is the nonchalant detective. There is a married woman who becomes involved with the chiseller and he is threatened by her jealous husband – and they become suspects for the murder. The journalist has been shooting his mouth off and he is also under suspicion.
There is an choric relief provided by John Kelly is one of the toughs who is ordered to have his nails manicured, is transformed by the experience and really upset when one of the nails is broken!
The pleasant complication is that Patricia Farr is the wrong Mamie and veteran actress (only five screen appearances and this her last) Lulu Mc Connell is the true Mamie Murphy who wins, a genial elderly dowager. The two women make an agreement, sharing a display apartment together, the older woman keeping the money, the young woman benefiting by the all the offers. They are drugged while the villains steal the tickets – and the gun is left in the young woman’s hand.
While there is a gathering of suspects and non-suspects at the end, the solution is given in flashback where everything is acted out.
Slight but enjoyable.
