This one is a vehicle for the very charming and attractive Jean Muir, who displays a resolute, likable, independent personality on the screen. Obviously, I am not the only one smitten by her charms. She is very attractively dressed here by René Hubert and stunningly photographed by Merritt B. Gerstad. Admittedly, the movie is a somewhat lesser vehicle for the other players. John Boles tries hard to appear at ease, but is still inclined to be rather stiff – and as a children's entertainer here, he is most unconvincing. Charles Butterworth is his usual comic self, but despite all his efforts to clown around, the screenplay doesn't give him anything very funny to do or say. Sidney Toler is also not well served by the script, forcing him to overcome this problem by way overplaying the effusiveness of the character to the point where he becomes quite unconvincing – and why he becomes such a good Samaritan to our heroine is not even hinted at. Also struggling with thin material is Arthur Lake who has a lengthy Dagwood-like role. Harvey Stephens, however, is quite equal to the task of mystery man. Spring Byington has a more dramatic role than usual, and acquits herself well. Also doing well here is director William A. Seiter. Not only is he brisk and capable, but he indulges a flair for pace and movement that is quite unusual, e.g. the zooming camera in the opening sequence. As noted above, René Hubert has designed some eye-catching costumes. In fact, production values are first rate, top-of-the- scale and one wonders why this movie with so many pluses and so few minuses is not much better known.
Review of Orchids to You
