A comedy of manners – remember them? When I was starting out in the movie business in the 1950s, it was still a popular genre – always had been, even in silent days. But I don't recall ever seeing a poster for a comedy of manners at my local multiplex. Admittedly, it's only been open since 1990. Nevertheless, the comedy of manners seems to have dropped right off the plate so far as contemporary film-makers are concerned. We're indeed fortunate that Alpha, Grapevine and few other DVD companies are keeping the genre alive by re-issuing movies like Cash/For Love/Rich! It's a fine example – even in its cut version. And I wouldn't worry too much about the cuts. What's missing is about six or seven minutes of establishing dialogue from Act One, principally designed to allow late-comers to find their seats without missing anything of the slightest relevance or importance. As it is, we see just enough of crooked-as-a-hound's- tooth Edmund Gwenn to whet the appetite for Robert Donat's entrance. Yes, the screenplay is constructed like a stage play. Aside from a prologue in a train, just about all the action occurs in the one set, namely the London house occupied by down-at-heels confidence man, Edmund Gwenn, and the imposingly slim Wendy Barrie. This is the sort of movie in which the stars carry the film – and you couldn't ask for better bearers than Donat, Gwenn and Barrie! A nice tinted copy is available on a very good Alpha DVD.
Review of For Love or Money
