Personal Property (1937)

So much average

best movie i've ever seen.

Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Female Dinner Guest: "What is your line, Mr. Dabney?" Mr. Dabney: "I'm in lady's underwear." Dabney's Father: "...We're both in ladies' underwear." and further discussions about (ahem) BVDs (boys' ventilated drawers).But a few excerpts (no spoilers) of the kind of witticism threading throughout this very delightful film starring Jean Harlow, Robert Taylor, and a fantastic supporting British cast.Harlow plays an American girl who marries an alleged wealthy Englishman and gets stuck with the bill so to speak. Robert Taylor is a prodigal son type that is denounced by his well-to-do family. Taylor and Harlow meet and sparks of wit pour over the silver screen from opening to closing credit.Truly a delightful, fun, completely whimsical, happy encounter with a wide range of comedic actors and star performances by Taylor and Harlow, particularly, in my opinion, Robert Taylor.Enjoy!

PERSONAL PROPERTY (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1937), directed by W.S.Van Dyke, stars Jean Harlow in one of her final screen performances before her untimely death later in the year. In her only comedy, in fact, only movie role opposite then rising leading man, Robert Taylor. It was also a remake of MGM's earlier carnation titled THE MAN OF POSSESSION (1931) starring Robert Montgomery and Irene Purcell in the Taylor and Harlow roles. While each have aired on Turner Classic Movies for comparison, both are forgotten comedies with the latter noteworthy only for the screen presence of Jean Harlow alone. Taylor plays Raymond Dabney, son of an accomplished British family. Having served a jail sentence for selling a car without having paid for it, and now released early for good behavior, Raymond, greeted by his loving mother (Henrietta Crosman), doesn't get the same reception from his serious minded brother, Claude (Reginald Owen), partners with his father (E.E. Clive) in women's underwear. With both men disowning him as part of the family, Raymond is offered 300 pounds to go far away as possible and start life anew, possibly in Canada or Australia, but he would rather remain in London instead. Later, while at a cocktail lounge, Raymond meets Crystal Wetherby (Jean Harlow), an American widow of a big game hunter. Impressed by her beauty, Raymond, after making a bad impression, follows her to the opera and seats himself beside her during a performance of "Aida." If that's not enough, Raymond follows her home after the performance. Through arrangements by Herbert Jenkins (Forrester Harvey), a bailiff working for the sheriff whose wife is in the hospital expecting a baby, Raymond gets his opportunity by taking his place and legally entering as well as staying in Crystal's mansion as a "man in possession," a custodian of her possessions until the debts of her personal property have been paid. Due to her upcoming dinner plans to entertain her fiancé and future in-laws, Raymond agrees to assist her by acting the role of Ferguson, her butler. All goes well until Raymond meets Crystal's guests, who turn out to be more than familiar faces from his questionable past.With the plot being centered more on Robert Taylor's character than Harlow's, both become equally balanced by the midway point. PERSONAL PROPERTY does has some funny scenes. While, Hugh Mills and Ernest Vadja, who scripted this story from the play by H.M. Harwood, make every effort by turning this into an honest effort of hilarious drawing room comedy, the final results are simply average, no more, no less. One truly funny moment occurs with the arrival of mumbling British bore (Barnett Parker) and his confused exchange with Taylor. This great scene was later clipped into a 1964 documentary, MGM'S BIG PARADE OF COMEDY, which indicates others have felt this a highlight as well. Very brief, but good. A pity there weren't enough great scenes like it to make up for some rather weak material. Another problem with PERSONAL PROPERTY is that Taylor acts and looks too American to play the part of a British family. Taylor's butler and Harlow's rich girl gimmick is an obvious attempt to bring forth another MY MAN GODFREY (1936) that served William Powell and Carole Lombard so well, though not on the same level. Cora Witherspoon, who previously enacted opposite Harlow in the hilarious LIBELED LADY (1936) as Mrs. Burns-Norvell, the gabby mother, assumes similar chores here, this time simply as Mrs. Burns, with Marla Shelton as her flirtatious daughter who has her eyes on the young "butler" (Taylor). Interesting to note the supporting players, consisting those of Una O'Connor (in the role as Harlow's maid); Forrester Harvey and E.E. Clive to be those in memorable support in the James Whale science fiction classic, THE INVISIBLE MAN (Universal, 1933). Even more interesting is both Reginald Owen and Forrester Harvey reprise their roles from the 1931 film. Other British character types as Billy Bevan and Lionel Brahm serve their brief parts well. Placed on home video in the 1990s, PERSONAL PROPERTY should make an impression on those curious about the careers of both Harlow and Taylor, or lesser known "screwball comedies" from this era. With better roles ahead for Taylor, especially his reported personal favorite being WATERLOO BRIDGE (1940), Harlow next project would be another comedy, SARATOGA, noteworthy mostly as the one she never lived to complete, though her remaining scenes were performed by a stand-in double. For PERSONAL PROPERTY, it's all Harlow. (**1/2)

Personal Property (1937) ** (out of 4) Robert Taylor gets a job for the sheriff and his first case is babysitting for a rich woman (Jean Harlow) who recently lost her husband. This film is a remake of the 1931 movie The Man in Possession but since I haven't seen that one I can't compare the two. From what I've read this version was watered down due to the Hayes Code and that comes off true watching the film because Harlow's sexuality tries to get displayed but the screenplay keeps it at a distance. Another problem in the screenplay is that it comes off rather lazy and doesn't feature anything very original or funny for that matter. The whole joke in the second half has Taylor acting as the Butler and we get several childish jokes, which just don't work. Harlow sleepwalks through her role but then again she isn't given too much to do. Taylor doesn't come off any better and Una O'Connor is wasted in her role.

This was the first time i ever got a chance to see Jean Harlow or Robert Taylor in a movie. I've seen photographs of them of course but never actually seeing any of their films i simply assumed them to be overrated. Seeing Jean Harlow's still photo i imagined her to be some overrated dumb blonde. I thought she was pretty but never understood why exactly she was so famous. As well as Robert Taylor, i will agree with the last commentator in saying "What A Hottie!", i always though he was incredibly handsome but never understood what the big deal about him was. Well actually i did see a little part of Jean Harlow in the movie "Reckless" and i thought it was terrible. I've always thought she was a tiny bit overrated. However my opinions about both of them changed after i saw this film. They were both so lovable, and animated. I never expected it from them. I particularly love the scene where Taylor's character insists on sleeping in the upstairs guest room and Jean Harlow tries to scare him downstairs by pretending to be her husband by walking up the stairs in a big pair of clunky boots. I unfortunately did not get to finish the entire movie. After the stair-climbing scene it did seem to slow down a little bit but it was just such an enjoyable romantic comedy. I really must say that Harlow and Taylor were both very gifted performers. By the way s it me or does Harlow's hair seem darker than usual? Whenever i saw her she seemed to have bright blonde, hair and in this movie it seems to look a little different at first. As for the movie itself it is not necessarily on the same level as say "It Happened One Night", but for those of you who have never seen a picture with Jean Harlow or Robert Taylor i recommend this one so these two gifted performers can share there gifts with you.