Sun 29 Jul 2018
Archived Movie Review: MONEY AND THE WOMAN (1940).
Posted by Steve under Mystery movies , Reviews[4] Comments
MONEY AND THE WOMAN. Warner Brothers, 1940. Jeffrey Lynn, Brenda Marshall, John Litel, Lee Patrick, Henry O’Neill, Roger Pryor, Guinn ‘Big Boy’ Williams. Based on the story The Embezzler, by James M. Cain. (Avon, paperback, 1944.) Director: William K. Howard.
[When I first wrote this review, I began by apologizing that I did not which story it was by James M. Cain the movie was based on. Now with all knowledge available at the push of the Google button, I can at last tell you.] It’s all about a bank vice president who falls in love with the wife of a teller who’s also a serious embezzler.
The question is, is the woman an accomplice, or not? It’s just enough plot to keep you watching, and just enough mystery to make you feel good when you figure it out before the players in the movie do. The minor comedy bits are more annoying than not, based (certainly) on nothing in Cain.
July 29th, 2018 at 7:47 pm
I do not know how I happened to be able to see this movie. There has never been an official release on DVD, for example. I must have taped it from one of the cable channels that were around back then, maybe even AMC, when AMC was worth watching.
I did find a source online offering a collector-to-collector copy for $10. That’s my kind of offer, and with some hunting, maybe I can do better.
July 29th, 2018 at 8:17 pm
An interesting find, nice to see it has some entertaining qualities.
July 29th, 2018 at 10:30 pm
I knew Jeffrey Lynn, Jr., and hope he is alive and happy somewhere. Good guy. He told me that at the outbreak of the war Jack Warner offered his dad the full-on star buildup if he did not go. Tempting, but too late. Mr. Lynn did go, spending years overseas doing intelligence work, and missing out on his opportunity.
July 30th, 2018 at 3:49 pm
Pre War Lynn had some big roles in films like ROARING TWENTIES and THE FIGHTING 69th, a shame his patriotism sidelined a bigger career.