TRUE CONFESSION (Paramount, 1937), produced and directed by Wesley Ruggles, marks the fourth and final screen teaming of Carole Lombard and Fred MacMurray Although its title may indicate a courtroom drama in the "Perry Mason" tradition, it does, instead, acquire similar situations and verdicts in comedic fashion in the best "screwball" comedy tradition of the period.
Set in New York City, the story introduces Helen Bartlett (Carole Lombard), a writer, happily married to Kenneth (Fred MacMurray), a serious-minded but struggling attorney who would rather stand by his principles than lie in order to win a case. As much as Ken detests liars, his wife is a habitual one who constantly rolls her tongue visibly seen from her right cheek before telling her latest fib. Although she promises Ken not to seek employment to help with finances and unpaid bills, she does so anyway by applying for a job as a private secretary for Otto Krayler (John T. Murray) in his luxurious apartment. She soon discovers he'd rather play than work. Before quitting her three hours a day/$50 at five days a week job, Helen breaks from Krayler's clutches by punching him in the stomach before making a grand exit. Because she forgot her personal belongings, Helen returns, taking her best friend, Daisy McClure (Una Merkel) with her. Police soon arrive at the apartment to investigate Mr. Krayler's murder, with Helen becoming the prime suspect by Detective Darsey (Edgar Kennedy). Finding this to be a great opportunity to have Ken's law firm business prosper with new clients, Helen admits to killing Krayler and uses Ken to act as her lawyer before the judge (Richard Carle) and jury speaking on her behalf of self-defense. Among those in the courtroom are Daisy, the prosecutor (Porter Hall), and Charles Jaspar (John Barrymore), a debonair drunken derelict who not only becomes interested in the trial, but one who later comes face to face with Helen with attempt to expose her perjury charges if she doesn't provide him $30,000 of blackmail money. How will Helen lie herself out of this one without getting Ken involved in all his and more? Also in the supporting cast are Lynne Overman (George, the Bartender); Fritz Feld (Krayler's Butler); Toby Wing (SuzannHe Baggart, Krayler's other personal secretary); Hattie McDaniel (Ella), Irving Bacon and Tom Dugan, among others.
For Lombard's final film for her home studio base of Paramount, she does what she does best, comedy. Its premise comes as a sort of forerunner in the best Lucille Ball tradition based on episodes from some of her television situation comedies from the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Yet, by 1937, Ball was simply just another contract player for RKO Radio studios developing her acting style before her talent for comedy would be fully realized many years later. As much as Lombard was just as good in serious roles as well as comedic ones, for many, she'll always be noted as a comedienne with this, MY MAN GODFREY (Universal, 1936) and NOTHING SACRED (United Artists, 1937) being prime examples of her work. TRUE CONFESSION offers Fred MacMurray a very rare opportunity sporting a mustache on screen, along with one of many secondary best gal pal roles performed by Una Merkel. Aside from that, TRUE CONFESSION reunites Lombard with John Barrymore, having worked so well in great comedic fashion as feuding opposites in the now classic comedy of TWENTIETH CENTURY (Columbia, (1934). This time, the aging Barrymore, appearing 39 minutes into the start of the film, doing one of his oddball character types with screen presence often equipped by comedic underscoring in a similar mode to bumbling character actor, Hugh Herbert, in his time-filling "B" comedies produced at Warner Brothers.
Unlike their previous Paramount efforts of HANDS ACROSS THE TABLE (1935) and THE PRINCESS COMES ACROSS (1936), SWING HIGH, SWING LOW (1937) and TRUE CONFESSION (1937) were at one point in time the two other Lombard-MacMurray collaborations never distributed to television. TRUE CONFESSION, especially, along with its Betty Hutton and Sonny Tufts re titled remake of CROSS MY HEART (Paramount, 1946), being unavailable for viewing due to legal complications. It wasn't until the early 1980s in New York City did TRUE CONFESSION get its long overdue distribution, first in revival movie houses, then on public television's WNET, Channel 13 (1981-1983) before fading away to obscurity and resurfacing decades later with availability on DVD and cable television broadcasts on Turner Classic Movies (TCM premiere: August 10, 2014) as part of its "Summer Under the Stars" 24-hour tribute to Carole Lombard. Though to some this may not be the greatest of thirties comedies, at least its present availability should give a whole new generation an opportunity in rediscovering Carole Lombard and witnessing her going through lies about her true confessions. (***)
Set in New York City, the story introduces Helen Bartlett (Carole Lombard), a writer, happily married to Kenneth (Fred MacMurray), a serious-minded but struggling attorney who would rather stand by his principles than lie in order to win a case. As much as Ken detests liars, his wife is a habitual one who constantly rolls her tongue visibly seen from her right cheek before telling her latest fib. Although she promises Ken not to seek employment to help with finances and unpaid bills, she does so anyway by applying for a job as a private secretary for Otto Krayler (John T. Murray) in his luxurious apartment. She soon discovers he'd rather play than work. Before quitting her three hours a day/$50 at five days a week job, Helen breaks from Krayler's clutches by punching him in the stomach before making a grand exit. Because she forgot her personal belongings, Helen returns, taking her best friend, Daisy McClure (Una Merkel) with her. Police soon arrive at the apartment to investigate Mr. Krayler's murder, with Helen becoming the prime suspect by Detective Darsey (Edgar Kennedy). Finding this to be a great opportunity to have Ken's law firm business prosper with new clients, Helen admits to killing Krayler and uses Ken to act as her lawyer before the judge (Richard Carle) and jury speaking on her behalf of self-defense. Among those in the courtroom are Daisy, the prosecutor (Porter Hall), and Charles Jaspar (John Barrymore), a debonair drunken derelict who not only becomes interested in the trial, but one who later comes face to face with Helen with attempt to expose her perjury charges if she doesn't provide him $30,000 of blackmail money. How will Helen lie herself out of this one without getting Ken involved in all his and more? Also in the supporting cast are Lynne Overman (George, the Bartender); Fritz Feld (Krayler's Butler); Toby Wing (SuzannHe Baggart, Krayler's other personal secretary); Hattie McDaniel (Ella), Irving Bacon and Tom Dugan, among others.
For Lombard's final film for her home studio base of Paramount, she does what she does best, comedy. Its premise comes as a sort of forerunner in the best Lucille Ball tradition based on episodes from some of her television situation comedies from the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Yet, by 1937, Ball was simply just another contract player for RKO Radio studios developing her acting style before her talent for comedy would be fully realized many years later. As much as Lombard was just as good in serious roles as well as comedic ones, for many, she'll always be noted as a comedienne with this, MY MAN GODFREY (Universal, 1936) and NOTHING SACRED (United Artists, 1937) being prime examples of her work. TRUE CONFESSION offers Fred MacMurray a very rare opportunity sporting a mustache on screen, along with one of many secondary best gal pal roles performed by Una Merkel. Aside from that, TRUE CONFESSION reunites Lombard with John Barrymore, having worked so well in great comedic fashion as feuding opposites in the now classic comedy of TWENTIETH CENTURY (Columbia, (1934). This time, the aging Barrymore, appearing 39 minutes into the start of the film, doing one of his oddball character types with screen presence often equipped by comedic underscoring in a similar mode to bumbling character actor, Hugh Herbert, in his time-filling "B" comedies produced at Warner Brothers.
Unlike their previous Paramount efforts of HANDS ACROSS THE TABLE (1935) and THE PRINCESS COMES ACROSS (1936), SWING HIGH, SWING LOW (1937) and TRUE CONFESSION (1937) were at one point in time the two other Lombard-MacMurray collaborations never distributed to television. TRUE CONFESSION, especially, along with its Betty Hutton and Sonny Tufts re titled remake of CROSS MY HEART (Paramount, 1946), being unavailable for viewing due to legal complications. It wasn't until the early 1980s in New York City did TRUE CONFESSION get its long overdue distribution, first in revival movie houses, then on public television's WNET, Channel 13 (1981-1983) before fading away to obscurity and resurfacing decades later with availability on DVD and cable television broadcasts on Turner Classic Movies (TCM premiere: August 10, 2014) as part of its "Summer Under the Stars" 24-hour tribute to Carole Lombard. Though to some this may not be the greatest of thirties comedies, at least its present availability should give a whole new generation an opportunity in rediscovering Carole Lombard and witnessing her going through lies about her true confessions. (***)