Good concept, poorly executed.

Fantastic!

A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Had no idea just what this 1933 film was all about and if I would even be interested and was greatly surprised at how great it really was way back when. Warner Baxter,(Jack Durant) played the role of a crooked Lawyer who was being brought up on criminal charges. Myrna Loy,(Gertie Waxted) plays the role of a hostess, prostitute and all around well experienced girl who has been around the block many many times. Mae Clarke,(Mimi Montagne) gave an outstanding performance in this story that has many interesting twists and turns that will keep you guessing just how this picture will end. Myrna Loy did an outstanding performance and made this a very different kind of film which is not very well known.

As I started watching Penthouse this afternoon, I knew I had seen this before. It turns out I reviewed another remake of this film that MGM did in 1939 entitled Society Lawyer that starred Walter Pidgeon and Virginia Bruce playing the parts that Warner Baxter and Myrna Loy played here.The plot was pretty much the same, the screen writing team of Goodrich and Hackett dusted off the old script for the remake. One thing they did do was tone down the sexual innuendos so prevalent in Penthouse.Warner Baxter is an attorney for what we would now call a white shoe law firm who recently got gangster Nat Pendleton acquitted. Of course this law firm is not wanting Baxter doing criminal work for notorious and ethnic clients so Baxter is given the boot. Not that he cares really because he's wealthy enough himself. But he doesn't like it when girlfriend Mae Clarke does likewise. She's seeing Phillips Holmes now who's more her style.Later though when Holmes is accused of murder Baxter's services are needed and how. Baxter takes on Holmes as a client and his underworld connections prove valuable.If you've seen Society Lawyer, you know how this ends right down to how the murder was really committed and who did it.When I did the review for Society Lawyer I remarked that the film looked like a prototype for a series that Walter Pidgeon would have done with Herbert Mundin who played his butler. Charles Butterworth plays the butler here and also does a good job. The latter film turned out to be the last film Herbert Mundin did as he was killed in an automobile crash. Ironically enough so was Charles Butterworth. As Hackett and Goodrich also scripted the Thin Man film and it was also directed by Woody Van Dyke, this could easily have turned into a series like that for MGM. Problem was that Warner Baxter was not an MGM contract player. If he was I could have seen Myrna Loy, Warner Baxter, and Charles Butterworth doing a series.It took a year's wait, but Myrna Loy got into one of the most acclaimed movie series of all.

I bought the "Rediscovering Myrna Loy" laser disc set six years ago because it contained MANHATTAN MELODRAMA. Somehow, the rest of the movies in the box "fell through the cracks" and I did not watch any of the others until I "rediscovered" the box three weeks ago.I put this movie on and both my wife and I were astounded. It was like finding a diamond in a pile of stones.Myrna Loy, as a high-class "call girl," is thoroughly believable and I wonder why she didn't play many more parts such as this (not that she needed to! Her career was just fine!). The closeups of her face are absolutely fantastic. Her expressions and her acting are positively first-class. Plus she's downright beautiful! The rest of the players are terrific too and make this one of the most enjoyable films I have seen recently. (I have watched it three times so far.) Nat Pendleton, always a pleasure to have in a movie, is just great in the role of an "Al Capone-like" gangster (but with a heart of gold), and Charles Butterworth is, well, Charles Butterworth. Warner Baxter is an excellent lead (this was made the same year as 42ND STREET) and the chemistry between him and Loy is just a pleasure to see.I love risqué lines and innuendoes and this picture is loaded with them. I don't really think the following is a "spoiler," as it is very funny, but don't read it if you don't want to: as Warner Baxter, who is really beginning to like (and respect) her, leaves the bedroom after Myrna Loy is certain that he's going to sleep with her, she looks in the mirror with a horrified expression of "Why did he leave? Is there something wrong with me?" The moment is absolutely priceless and my wife and I both broke up so that we couldn't go on for a moment (it's great to have a "pause" button).By the way, not only is it a comedy, but it's also a suspense picture which will have you on the edge of your seat. They REALLY DON'T make them like this anymore! I would really love to see this picture with an audience! It would be a great crowd-pleaser.I highly recommend it to everyone.

There is lots of entertainment value in this picture - quality acting, sharp dialog, quick pace - but those who are looking for a story based in realistic circumstances may be disappointed. Despite there being a goodly number of unsavory types among the characters, just about everyone comes across as clean-cut, friendly, ready with a smile, and not the least bit threatening. This takes the sharp edge off a picture with lots of promise in its early development. Nat Pendleton plays a crime boss as if he hasn't a care in the world, more than ready to use his resources to make others happy. The Myrna Loy character is appealing (much as her Nora Charles was), but defies explication: charming, intelligent, well-mannered and well-spoken, but content to serve the paying customers as a hostess/bar girl/prostitute. It just doesn't add up. Mae Clark, as a less refined colleague, is much more believable.[Don't fail to notice the latter, in a fit of anger, ready to throw a perfume bottle against the wall, then noticing the label and substituting a lesser brand; or Loy, keeping her composure as Warner Baxter chooses not to remain in her assigned room for the night, then immediately surveying her looks - right profile, left profile, hair, makeup - in a mirror, wondering if something has been lost.]The picture needs more grit, given its subject matter. Comic relief from Charles Butterworth and Tom Kennedy are just what it doesn't need.