Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #63117 in DVD
• Released on: 2007-05-15
• Format: NTSC

Amazon.com
Skid Johnson (Fred MacMurray) is a former soldier turned band leader finds his fortunes rise as his fame increases. Unfortunately, with the fame comes arrogance and Skid takes all the credit but forgets those friends who helped him along the way. The person most slighted by Skid's new attitude is Maggie King (Carole Lombard), his faithful girlfriend and band vocalist. When Skid's drinking problem causes him professional and health problems, he slips into the bowery as a derelict where Maggie, now a star in her own right, finds him.

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Customer Reviews

Another fun film pairing Lombard and MacMurray
This film was one of the most popular films of the late 1930s and probably one of the least remembered films pairing Carole Lombard and Fred MacMurray. It was a pretty prestigious production in its day; it was directed by the legendary Michell Leisen. Maggie King (Lombard) meets a soldier Skid Johnson (MacMurray) during a cruise through the Panama Canal. Maggie stays in Panama where her relationship with Skid turns from one of annoyance to love. The two work together in a local nightclub, where Skid gains fame as a trumpet player. A visiting talent scout gives Skid the opportunity to make it big in the States. Encouraged by Maggie, Skid travels to America, leaving Maggie behind in Panama. On his road to success, Skid is manipulated by his crafty vocalist Anita Alvarez (Dorothy Lamour in an early role), which in turn, ends up damaging his relationship with Maggie. Skid's career and personal life take a downturn and he realizes that all he really wants is Maggie's love and the simple life they had together. If you are a Lombard/MacMurray fan, this film is a must, but unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a decent DVD version around. It deserves a restoration and some commentary. Still, it's worthwhile to see the irresistible Lombard and a great cast of supporting players including Jean Dixon, Charles Butterworth, and a very young Anthony Quinn. There's also a funny bit in the beginning of the film with Lombard, Dixon, and Esther Howard in a beauty salon aboard ship. Howard was a popular character actress under contract at Paramount and pops up in just about every Preston Sturges movie.

Carole does it again
Carole Lombard was a talented star. She could play drama, comedy and
screwball at the drop of a hat. Her co=star Fred MacMurray gives her
a run for the money in this one. I recommend it to anyone who likes
jazz, comedy and drama rolled into one good film for the ages.

Not one of his best
Mitchell Leisen is one of the neglected and underrated directors of Hollywood's golden age. This movie, however, is not one of his best. The picture and sound quality are rather poor for starters. Although MacMurray and Lombard have been in other Leisen movies, they don't generate many sparks here. MacMurray plays the troubled brilliant trumpeter part as a kind of physically and morally lazy cipher. There's not much about him for us to get excited about and therefore not much to make us believe that Lombard would go for him and rescue him from the skids. I mainly got the DVD because I wanted something by Leisen, but the joke's on me because now (or very soon) two of his best - Midnight and Easy Living - are out on DVD. Get those and No Man of Her Own (if you can find it)to see how adroitly Leisen mixed comedy, drama, romance, and the darker aspects of human nature.