#but bombshell lags in its second half and dinner is a downer

[cantsayidont]

September 1932. BLESSED EVENT — directed by Roy Del Ruth and obviously inspired by real-life newspaper columnist Walter Winchell — is a screamingly funny pre-Code comedy featuring Lee Tracy at his cynical, frenetic best as Alvin Roberts, a Winchell-like gossip columnist who finds his niche with scandalous birth announcements of the "married late this summer, anticipate a blessed event in October" variety, captivating and outraging half of New York and making Roberts a celebrity. Naturally, this also makes him many enemies, from Bunny Harmon (a young Dick Powell), an unctuous radio crooner Roberts loathes (and vice versa), to gangster Sam Gobel (Edwin Maxwell), who sends a tough Chicago hood named Frankie Wells (Allen Jenkins) to rub Roberts out. In the film's most memorable scene, Frankie is scared straight by Roberts' vividly horrific description of being put to death in the electric chair, a spiel Tracy delivers at a breathless, rapid-fire pace that would make even a vintage Robin Williams standup routine seem comparatively sedate. BLESSED EVENT also has a great supporting role for regular Warner Bros. character player Ruth Donnelly as Roberts' long-suffering secretary. ("You want to see Mr. Roberts? Oh, you want to sue Mr. Roberts. The line forms on the left.")

#movies #blessed event #roy del ruth #lee tracy #allen jenkins #ruth donnelly #dick powell #mary brian #pre code film #walter winchell #if people know tracy at all at this point #it's typically for bombshell and dinner at eight #but bombshell lags in its second half and dinner is a downer #this movie has no socially redeeming value #but if you enjoy snappy sarcastic high-energy comedy #it's a joy