Lovin' the Ladies is a cute light romantic comedy that has to be enjoyed in the context when it was filmed (1930). The script is closely based on the play "I Love You" by William Le Baron who also produced this movie. All the action takes place "on stage" on the property of Mr. Farnsworth and could have been easily recreated on a Broadway Stage.
In a nutshell, the action follows the tribulation of Peter Darby, an electrician (Richard Dix) who becomes the willing participant of a bet between a rich client, Farnsworth (Allen Kearns) and his socialite friend Van Horne (Selmer Jackson). The wager is that under optimal circumstances (environment, full moon, music, poetry ), the mood makes it impossible for any woman to resist falling in love with any man.
Farnsworth makes all the necessary arrangements to set the mood and chooses a stand-offish and upper-lipped Miss Duncan (Renée Macready) as the target of the bet. Darby, nicely dressed and combed, adapts quickly to his new role and performs with presence and class as a socialite. Miss Duncan is not very impressed by his candor but Miss Bently (Lois Wilson), Farnsworth's own fiancée, becomes very sensitive to his charms. I will let the viewer guess the denouement or enjoy the happy ending.
Richard Dix becomes very articulate and distinguished as he ascends the social ladder to the upper class. Lois Wilson remains adorable and charming as the cute innocent fiancée. The setting that Farnsworth has prepared for Darby to work his "seductive magic" is just gorgeous and makes us nostalgic of an era long gone. The high ceilings, the gigantic French doors, the stone balcony overlooking a beautiful misty garden under the romantic reflection of a full moon on the distant waters are just magnificent. Having been raised in the sixties, I miss the romance and the respect that Americans seemed to have for one another "back then".
The dialog is well written, fast paced and holds the viewer relatively captive especially since nearly all the action takes place on the set (Farnsworth's residence, I assume). I enjoyed this movie that I had a chance to view on Turner Classic Movie Channel. Going back to our long forgotten human values is such a relief from the daily gratuitous violence and profanity that Hollywood overwhelms us with.
In a nutshell, the action follows the tribulation of Peter Darby, an electrician (Richard Dix) who becomes the willing participant of a bet between a rich client, Farnsworth (Allen Kearns) and his socialite friend Van Horne (Selmer Jackson). The wager is that under optimal circumstances (environment, full moon, music, poetry ), the mood makes it impossible for any woman to resist falling in love with any man.
Farnsworth makes all the necessary arrangements to set the mood and chooses a stand-offish and upper-lipped Miss Duncan (Renée Macready) as the target of the bet. Darby, nicely dressed and combed, adapts quickly to his new role and performs with presence and class as a socialite. Miss Duncan is not very impressed by his candor but Miss Bently (Lois Wilson), Farnsworth's own fiancée, becomes very sensitive to his charms. I will let the viewer guess the denouement or enjoy the happy ending.
Richard Dix becomes very articulate and distinguished as he ascends the social ladder to the upper class. Lois Wilson remains adorable and charming as the cute innocent fiancée. The setting that Farnsworth has prepared for Darby to work his "seductive magic" is just gorgeous and makes us nostalgic of an era long gone. The high ceilings, the gigantic French doors, the stone balcony overlooking a beautiful misty garden under the romantic reflection of a full moon on the distant waters are just magnificent. Having been raised in the sixties, I miss the romance and the respect that Americans seemed to have for one another "back then".
The dialog is well written, fast paced and holds the viewer relatively captive especially since nearly all the action takes place on the set (Farnsworth's residence, I assume). I enjoyed this movie that I had a chance to view on Turner Classic Movie Channel. Going back to our long forgotten human values is such a relief from the daily gratuitous violence and profanity that Hollywood overwhelms us with.