Libeled Lady (1936)

Libeled Lady (1936)

starring Jean Harlow, William Powell, Myrna Loy, Spencer Tracy

directed by Jack Conway

98 minutes

Connie Allenbury (Myrna Loy) sues the New York Evening Star for $5 million after they publish a story saying she was trying to steal another man's husband. Warren Haggerty (Spencer Tracy), editor of the NY Evening Star, is about to get married to Gladys Benton (Jean Harlow) when he finds out about the lawsuit. He postpones the wedding and hires Bill Chandler (William Powell) to help him turn the tables on Miss Allembury.

Haggerty's plan is for Chandler and Benton to get married, after which Chandler will go chasing after Miss Allenbury. Gladys will come storming in once Bill has Connie's attention and accuse her of stealing her husband. The hope is that this will lead her to have to drop her lawsuit against the Evening Star.

Things don't go according to plan. Bill and Connie fall in love. He lies to Warren about his relationship with Connie. Haggery finds out he's been had. He fills Gladys in on what's going on with Bill, which gets her enraged because she was starting to feel like she and Bill has something going.

Thoughts

I enjoyed this movie very much. I love the various layers of the story. I love the humor. The resolution in the end was a little too neat and tidy but I'm willing to go along with it.

Notes

This is the first movie I've seen that starred Jean Harlow. This was one of her last few films. She died in 1937 at the age of 26. This is the third movie in which I have seen William Powell. The last movie in which I saw him was The Kennel Murder Case (1933). The only other film in which I have seen Myrna Loy in recent years is The Best Years of Our Lives (1946).

This is at least the sixth film that Spencer Tracy has been in that I have seen, including Woman of the Year (1942). Walter Connolly played the part of Connie's father. I've seen him in a few other films, including Twentieth Century (1934).

This is the fifth of 13 movies that starred the William Powell and Myrna Loy. I'm not sure if I have seen any of the others. 

This is the only movie that Jack Conway directed that I have seen.