Solemplex To me, this movie is perfection.

Evengyny Thanks for the memories!

AniInterview Sorry, this movie sucks

Tayyab Torres Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

GManfred Thoroughly enjoyed this one which was even better due to the stellar presence of William Powell. Apart from the fact that he adds immeasurably to any film he's in, this one has an especially good plot with no lulls in the narrative. Here he is part con man, part ladies man and part quick-witted private eye., just the type of part Powell excels in.The film sports an excellent director in Michael Curtiz (10 years before "Casablanca"), who gets a lot of mileage out of a supporting cast of proven Hollywood veterans. The script is first class and the screenplay has enough twists and surprises to satisfy even the most jaded movie-goer. I also added an extra star for William Powell's presence because he never disappoints.8/10 - the website no longer prints my start rating.

SimonJack This movie has an interesting opening that will lead one to wonder how the leading star's character will wind up. William Powell is Donald Free, an American undercover agent in the diplomatic corps. He is on a secret mission in Paris but when he is caught with some stolen secret papers, the American embassy denies any knowledge of him. He claims to represent a newspaper syndicate but won't name it. So, the French revoke his Visa on April 17, 1932, and deport him as an undesirable alien. He is sent back to the U.S. aboard a French cattle boat. That in itself is a little strange. The U.S. was the leading export nation of beef even in the 1930s, but this may have been some breeding stock or cheap beef. Free is the sole passenger and appears to be under some sort of house arrest - maybe even working as part of the ship's crew. When the ship reaches New York harbor, the captain gets a radio message from Paris that Free is wanted for further investigations. So, the captain is to turn him over to the captain of another French ship heading back to France. Well, Free will have none of that. He socks the crew member guarding him in the captain's cabin and then jumps ship and swims ashore. After trying to find work in the field of police, security and investigation, and being turned down, he finds an opportunity with a private eye whom he had tricked right after he jumped ship and came ashore. The rest of this story is an interesting drama and romance with some intrigue. Free exposes crooks, including his detective partner, and saves his sweetheart from a murder conviction. He eventually gets reinstated in the secret service of the diplomatic corps. All the cast give fine performances. Arthur Hohl is particularly good as Dan Hogan, original owner of the Peerless Detective Agency, whom Free attaches himself to. Powell shows the class, wit and charm that made him a leading man for many years in Hollywood. He created the model for comedy mysteries that few have been able to match. My favorite line in the film is from Ruth Donnelly as Amy Moran. She says, "It takes a whole crew to wreck a house, but boy, how one many can wreck a home." For more funny dialog, see the Quotes section under this IMDb Web page of the movie.

dougdoepke Despite the title, this is not a genre movie. There are elements of a whodunit, straight melodrama, and businessman shenanigans, but the results don't easily fall into any category. What appeal the movie does have comes, in my view, from Powell and some good plot twists.So how is Don Free (Powell) going to make a living now that he's been cashiered from the diplomatic service. After all, it is 1933 and jobs of any kind are hard to come by. Some of the movie's best parts manage to convey this sense of an economically depressed time. Anyhow, for Don, there's always a need for private detectives since there's always a need to get the goods on somebody or something. So he fast- talks his way into an agency partnership with an unscrupulous associate, and that's when the trouble begins.Powell's his usual slick self, but without an opportunity for his amusing Thin Man tongue-in- cheek. Shot in just 21 days, the erratic script sometimes shows (follow Janet's path, if you can). Nonetheless, ace studio director Mike Curtiz blends tricky plot elements in smooth fashion so that it's hard to notice. Note, however, the fleeting reference to "snow" (heroin) and "hophead". This is a pre-Code production, while such references to hard drugs would disappear from mainstream movies for several decades. Speaking of hopheads, I'm still wondering if James Bell's Whitey is supposed to be a dash of comic relief or suffering ill effects of his addiction. Either way, it's the movie's only actor's blemish, at least in my opinion. No, the movie's nothing special, except for the compelling Powell who would soon get to show his full range of talents in the delicious Thin Man series.

dbborroughs I have no idea where the number in the title comes from, but it doesn't really matter, this is a rip roaring mystery drama comedy about government agent William Powell who, after being arrested and deported by the French government ends up as a private detective working for another detective of lesser moral standing. Complications arise when Powell 's used to get the goods on a socialite who is owed a great deal of money by a gambler. Powell falls for the girl, but continues to see her until he's found out. As things become even more morally questionable murder occurs and Powell must wade into the matter. Excellent story of intrigue and adventure that has a wickedly funny edge to it. Its easy to imagine Powell's Donald Free as Nick Charles in his heyday since he seems to operate in a similar manner. Everything clicks here from the mystery to the comedy to the romance into a seamless whole. I can't understand why this film isn't better known because its so perfectly put together. I love it, even more so in retrospect.