User Reviews

"The Man in Possession" is a wonderful comedy, adapted from a stage play of the same title by H.M. Harwood. Set in England in the 1930s, it's one of a small sub-genre of comedies in which the male lead has to assume the role of a butler for some reason. Raymond Dabney is the younger son in a wealthy family whose business is making and selling women's underwear. But he has just been released from prison for having sold a car he had not paid for. His dad and brother want him out of the country. But he loves London and soon lands a job as a Sheriff's officer for a bailiff who serves a writ on a woman, Crystal Wetherby.

Raymond must stay the night as the "Man in Possession" to be sure that none of the property walks off until or unless the writ is paid. Crystal's having guests for dinner - her fiancé and his parents. So, Raymond follows the mandate of the bailiff to be helpful and agrees to be her butler. Much comedy ensues when the fiancé and family turn out to be the Dabney's.

The film has a wonderful cast. Robert Montgomery and Irene Purcell are excellent as Raymond and Crystal. And a major role and billing is provided for Charlotte Greenwood as Clara - a leading comedienne of the period. Reginald Owen plays Claude Dabney and C. Aubrey Smith plays Mr. Dabney.

MGM remade this movie just six years later, naming the 1937 film, "Personal Property." Both films were made during the Great Depression. Both were box office successes. Both received very good reviews. This film finished 47th in box office for a year that was mostly mediocre for quality films. The 1937 film finished 34th in a year that had somewhat more very good films. The big difference, and why it was remade so soon, was that this film was made during the so-called "pre-code" period (e.g., 1930-34, before Hollywood began to really enforce its own Hays Code). And, on the heals of the success of this film, MGM made the 1937 version to comply with the code restrictions.

The result was an even better film, much funnier than this one. Comparing this movie with the 1937 remake provides an excellent example of what Mae West referred to after the movie industry began enforcing its Hays Code in 1934. It forced Hollywood to write and produce better comedies. Before the Hays Code, aspects of some films could be quite explicit with nudity, adultery, infidelity, lasciviousness, abusive behavior, cruelty, etc. "Man in Possession" is mild compared to some films, but it does have a couple of "pre-code" aspects that would be removed by the code.

The first is Raymond and Crystal's scene drinking the martinis he just mixed. They get close and kiss. The camera moves away from them in the room, Crystal says something and the lights are turned off. The next morning, when Clara comes to awaken her, Crystal is lying in bed with a love-stricken look on her face, and the audience knows that they had slept together that night.

The second instance is the telephone calls and scenes with Sir Charles Cartwright. They have been lovers in the past. He wants to get back with Crystal, even to the point of marriage toward the end. Crystal's maid, Clara, is all for her going for the man with lots of money. Ultimately, Crystal decides for real love instead. Again, there was no nudity or explicit scenes of sex. But, it was implied. It is a very good comedy without it, but nowhere do any of the "pre-code" aspects add any humor or comedy to this film. Granted, the film apparently stayed close to the stage play from which it was adapted. But, it could just as easily - maybe even better, have been made without those elements.

And that's precisely what MGM did with the remake, "Personal Property," in 1937. All of the main story and elements are there. The cast is headed by an even bigger lead combination. Jean Harlow and Robert Taylor have the two major roles, with Reginald Owen again as Claude. While the attraction soon develops between Harlow and Taylor's characters, there's no sex or innuendo of such. The role of Sir Charles is completely eliminated, and Crystal is changed from an English woman to an American woman. In place of Sir Charles is a larger dinner party, with some other guests who provide lots of comedy, where Sir Charles provided none.

All the rest of the 1937 screenplay is written with much more comedy and humor. The remake has nearly three times the funny and witty lines, and the mix of more dinner guests and greater involvement of Reginald Owen's part and that of the Bailiff create more very funny scenes. So, while the 1931 film is very good and very funny, the 1937 film is superb and hilariously funny. Both are worth keeping in a good comedy film library.

Here are some favorite lines from this film.

Mrs. Dabney, "Raymond is your son." Mr. Dabney, "Raymond is a jail bird."

Crystal Wetherby, "Clara, never pay cash. How do you expect to establish credit?"

Crystal, "Raymond! Here -- do something with these." Raymond Dabney, "Uh, shall I pay them?" Crystal, "Could you?" Raymond, "I could if I had the money." Crystal, "Burn them."

Claude Dabney, "I shall be back... early tomorrow morning." Crystal, "I shan't be up until eleven. Good night!"

Raymond, "Didn't you pretend to be rich?" Claude, "She was marrying me for my money?" Raymond, "Well, what do you think she was marrying you for?"

Raymond, "It's a new jackpot. And it's opened on a pair of knaves."

Bailiff, "No complaints, I hope?" Crystal, "No." Bailiff, "Good. I always like my men to give satisfaction. As I say, always behave like a gentleman."

The film is based on a Broadway production, and it stars MGM contract player Robert Montgomery as the title character. He appears opposite Irene Purcell, a leading lady who preferred stage work and didn't make many motion pictures. MGM later remade this story just six years later with Robert Taylor and Jean Harlow, called PERSONAL PROPERTY (1937).

While I think the remake benefits from slightly better production values than this talkie version, I feel Robert Montgomery gives one of his best performances here, and for that reason, the picture is certainly worth seeing. He exudes the perfect combination of glibness and charm, both infuriating and endearing. I guess you might say he's a posh trickster.

The main conflict involves Montgomery's recent release from prison, which caused considerable embarrassment to his well-off parents (C. Aubrey Smith & Beryl Mercer). Montgomery was sent to Cambridge when he was younger, given all the finest advantages in life, but made some bad choices that led to his temporary incarceration. Now that he's out, father and brother (Reginald Owen) want to send him away, far away, so there will be no more scandal. Mother and housekeeper (Maude Eburne) want him to stay, but there's too much arguing.

Montgomery ultimately leaves the nest and gets a job as a sheriff's assistant. He shows up with a head bailiff (Forrester Harvey) at the opulent home of Purcell. She's a woman over-extended on credit, about to lose all her most valuable possessions including the house.

Montgomery's boss has him spend the night to watch over the property and its contents, which Montgomery takes to mean watching over the lady of the manor as well. Ironically, she turns out to be the fiancee of Montgomery's brother (Owen).

There's an uproarious sequence where Montgomery's family comes to dinner, and they help keep Montgomery's real identity a secret. At the same time Montgomery doesn't let his relatives know the brother's fiancee is broke.

A few additional characters are seen. Charlotte Greenwood, who gets second billing over Purcell, plays a maid who tries her best to help Purcell keep up appearances. And Alan Mowbray plays one of his typically smarmy roles as a millionaire who's fond of Purcell and may bail her out financially.

Of course Montgomery and Purcell fall in love after a night of premarital precode sex that involves the ripping of undergarments. The physical consummation of their affections is confirmed when he makes breakfast the next morning and arranges slices of bacon on the plate to spell out "love."

These developments spell trouble for Purcell. Her engagement to Owen is called off, and she must refuse any advances from Mowbray since she knows the one truly in possession of her heart is Montgomery. It all somehow works out in the end, and the two lovebirds get a chance to start a life together.