I caught this forgotten flick by accident the other night. Far from being just a 'B' throwaway, it's actually a lot better than you might expect.
Its biggest asset is the surprising charisma of the two leads. I'd always thought of Richard Dix as just another silent-screen hunk. And it's true, a lot of shots linger on his impressive profile. But he rings true as a character who never thinks things through, and projects a self-deprecating charm that really won me over.
Elizabeth Allan is an actress I'd never heard of at all, but this film makes me wonder why she wasn't a much bigger name. She seems able to be effortlessly both witty and vulnerable. I would have loved to see her and Dix together in another dozen films; they make a perfect team.
The script, apparently based on a stage play, is also sharper than you'd expect. The dialog is slick, and the story takes some interesting turns. It's not exactly Shakespeare, but it's way better than the average 1930s potboiler.
My advice: give No Marriage Ties a shot, if you have the chance. I'll certainly watch it again, if I can.
Its biggest asset is the surprising charisma of the two leads. I'd always thought of Richard Dix as just another silent-screen hunk. And it's true, a lot of shots linger on his impressive profile. But he rings true as a character who never thinks things through, and projects a self-deprecating charm that really won me over.
Elizabeth Allan is an actress I'd never heard of at all, but this film makes me wonder why she wasn't a much bigger name. She seems able to be effortlessly both witty and vulnerable. I would have loved to see her and Dix together in another dozen films; they make a perfect team.
The script, apparently based on a stage play, is also sharper than you'd expect. The dialog is slick, and the story takes some interesting turns. It's not exactly Shakespeare, but it's way better than the average 1930s potboiler.
My advice: give No Marriage Ties a shot, if you have the chance. I'll certainly watch it again, if I can.