cult film freak: OLIVIA DE HAVILLAND & DICK POWELL IN WARNER'S 'HARD TO GET'

Written by James M. Tate / 6/13/2020 / No comments / bonita granville , charles winninger , dick powell , olivia de havilland , penny singleton , romantic comedy , slapstick , warner archives

OLIVIA DE HAVILLAND & DICK POWELL IN WARNER'S 'HARD TO GET'

6/13/2020 | No comment

Artwork of Olivia de Havilland & Dick Powell in 1938 Rates: ***1/2

Gas station attendant Dick Powell punishes cash-less rich girl Olivia de Havilland, forcing her to scrub floors of the adjoining motel: Yet she's the one who seeks the plot's revenge, pretending to be her rich dad's maid instead of daughter (replaced by real maid Penny Singleton); and Powell's more than a poor man's dreamer, holding a grand idea for a "modernized" gas station...

Long story short, Olivia falls in love after Powell croons "You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby" by moonlight, and then has to get out of the hole she's dug herself involving that lie... Although this is more a Powell picture than de Havilland; the latter has rarely looked prettier but he has the lion's share of frantic, slapstick running around, mostly alongside rich dad Charles Winninger (later the poor dad in STATE FAIR). But Warner's HARD TO GET may be hard to find on TCM with a scene involving Powell in blackface. Seems the recently-late de Havilland's flicks are pushing buttons lately.

Olivia de Havilland with grimy cute face in HARD TO GET

Olivia de Havilland in HARD TO GET

Olivia de Havilland faces Dick Powell in HARD TO GET

Charles Winninger and little sis Bonita Granville in HARD TO GET

Penny Singleton in HARD TO GET later the voice of Jane Jetson

Olivia de Havilland in HARD TO GET with Dick Powell

Olivia de Havilland in HARD TO GET

Olivia de Havilland in HARD TO GET with Charles Winninger and Isabel Jeans

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Tags : bonita granville , charles winninger , dick powell , olivia de havilland , penny singleton , romantic comedy , slapstick , warner archives

James M. Tate

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