Accidents Will Happen (1938)

Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Blistering performances.

SYNOPSIS: An honest insurance adjuster (Ronald Reagan) is hounded by his shrewish wife (Sheila Bromley) and a corrupt claims investigator (Anderson Lawler).COMMENT: I didn't expect much from this Ronald Reagan "B" entry. True, it was odd to find our future President saddled with a "B" at this stage of his movie career, although I must admit that it is certainly a lively, extremely well-produced "B" entry.By the humble standards of a second feature, "Accidents Will Happen" does certainly have a really smart script, which abundantly provides Reagan with some really good opportunities to win audience sympathy with the character he portrays here with such likable acumen.Better still, the movie is directed at a really crackling pace, that not only enlivens some of the smartest, slickest acting I've seen in many a day, but wins audience sympathy, hands down! In fact it would be true to say that all the players from the stars themselves down to the tiniest bit-parts, are extraordinarily well cast. Snappy film editing, attractive photography and A-1 sets add to the film's visual appeal. My only complaint (and it's a very, very small one) is that Gloria Blondell (Joan Blondell's sister) has — of necessity — such a small role.

Eric Gregg (Ronald Reagan) is an incredibly smart insurance adjuster. Again and again, he's able to unravel insurance fraud cases and is really a marvel. However, despite this he's blind to a serious problem at home. Gregg's wife longs to live higher on the hog and wants a fancy apartment and more...though they simply cannot afford it. So, she stupidly takes out a loan and defaults on it-- apparently not realizing that the folks giving her the loan were the same people who were behind the insurance fraud cases! Well, appearances are deceiving and it turns out Mrs. Gregg knows EXACTLY who these people are and she plans on making life easy on herself and the fraudsters! In essence, she goes into business with the crooks! When will Eric wake up and see who his wife really is?! And what's next?! Will Eric be able to have the last laugh?!Although there were a lot of crappy B-movies made during this era, "Accidents Will Happen" is of a higher caliber--and much of it was because a big studio like Warner Brothers could make a much more polished B than tiny outfits like Monogram and PRC. The script is quite good as is the acting and the entire production has the nice polish that you'd expect from Warner. Overall, unusually good for a B--and better than many of the 'better', more expensive pictures!

It would seem a given, but if a viewer forgets context, he risks missing an opportunity of enjoyment.It is easy to carp, from the lofty heights of the 21st century, at styles and prices of the Great Depression years; but the intelligent viewer will remember that magic word, "context," and better understand and, thus, enjoy "Accidents Will Happen." Among the actors, Ronald Reagan again showed himself a good-looking and personable guy, and again gave a right-on performance.A reviewer earlier said Gloria Blondell played the nasty wife, but that was wrong: She plays the concession-stand clerk who has a crush on the Reagan character, Eric Gregg, but keeps hands off as long as he is married.Gloria was cute. Not as lushly beautiful as her sister, Joan, she was still attractive and a good actress. Perhaps her looking somewhat like Joan was a detriment to having a more successful career, and it is certainly our loss.Sheila Bromley was Mrs. Gregg, and played it well.Other actors included Dick Purcell, and the great Earl Dwire got to play something besides a villainous cowboy.Again, most of the players never attained the "household-name" status many of them deserved, but they by gosh gave good performances here, in a story that is still current.

An interesting period picec showing us what was amazing in 1938. Gosh, Ma, a fake accident ring suing for $25,000!!! I guess projected into the 21st century it would amount to a lot of money. The acting would amount to pure 21st century ham. Nice to see the president as a hard-working newcomer.