Penthouse (1933)

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

The story-telling is good with flashbacks.The film is both funny and heartbreaking. You smile in a scene and get a soulcrushing revelation in the next.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Penthouse (1933) *** (out of 4) Warner Baxter plays a lawyer who has a reputation of getting guilty men off with murders but in reality he takes those who look guilty and proves their innocents. After getting a gangster off for murder, he gets involved with a new case where a friend of his is accused of murder and the only way to break through the case is by taking up with a gangster moll (Myrna Loy). I was really looking forward to this film, which many (including Maltin) talk up as a major gem of the decade and while I wouldn't go that far the movie is still pretty good. I think the biggest benefit here is that we get a lot of pre-code material including Baxter and Loy spending the night together, some sexual innuendo and most important is the sight of blood coming out of bullet holes, which wasn't seen in some of the major gangster films of the era. Another major plus are the performances with Baxter and Loy doing great work and really having great chemistry together. Moy easily steals the film in a very sexy performance that gives her quite a bit of range in terms of her character development. The supporting cast includes Charles Butterworth, Mae Clarke, C. Henry Gordon, Nat Pendleton, Raymond Hatton and George E. Stone. I think the film gets a little long winded in the middle but in the end this is another winning picture from the director and certainly worth watching when it pops up on Turner Classic Movies.

"Penthouse" is a first-rate example of "they don't make 'em like that anymore." The tale of a society lawyer turned criminal defense attorney -- out to prove the innocence of the accused murderer who waltzed off with his fiancée -- zips along. The dialog of the fabled Hackett-Goodrich team is sassy and clever. The relationship between lawyer Warner Baxter and Nat Pendleton as the racketeer who's his guardian angel perks up the plot. But it's Myrna Loy as the call girl who joins forces with Baxter to nail the real killer who shines. There are certain people the camera finds irresistible. And here, as the most lovable fallen woman of the pre-code era, Loy demonstrates the impish allure that would light up the screen for years to come.

I bought the "Rediscovering Myrna Loy" laser disc set six years ago because it contained MANHATTAN MELODRAMA. Somehow, the rest of the movies in the box "fell through the cracks" and I did not watch any of the others until I "rediscovered" the box three weeks ago.I put this movie on and both my wife and I were astounded. It was like finding a diamond in a pile of stones.Myrna Loy, as a high-class "call girl," is thoroughly believable and I wonder why she didn't play many more parts such as this (not that she needed to! Her career was just fine!). The closeups of her face are absolutely fantastic. Her expressions and her acting are positively first-class. Plus she's downright beautiful! The rest of the players are terrific too and make this one of the most enjoyable films I have seen recently. (I have watched it three times so far.) Nat Pendleton, always a pleasure to have in a movie, is just great in the role of an "Al Capone-like" gangster (but with a heart of gold), and Charles Butterworth is, well, Charles Butterworth. Warner Baxter is an excellent lead (this was made the same year as 42ND STREET) and the chemistry between him and Loy is just a pleasure to see.I love risqué lines and innuendoes and this picture is loaded with them. I don't really think the following is a "spoiler," as it is very funny, but don't read it if you don't want to: as Warner Baxter, who is really beginning to like (and respect) her, leaves the bedroom after Myrna Loy is certain that he's going to sleep with her, she looks in the mirror with a horrified expression of "Why did he leave? Is there something wrong with me?" The moment is absolutely priceless and my wife and I both broke up so that we couldn't go on for a moment (it's great to have a "pause" button).By the way, not only is it a comedy, but it's also a suspense picture which will have you on the edge of your seat. They REALLY DON'T make them like this anymore! I would really love to see this picture with an audience! It would be a great crowd-pleaser.I highly recommend it to everyone.

An honest lawyer (Warner Baxter) is in a jam. A friend of his ex (Phillips Holmes) was been wrongfully accused of murder...but nobody will trust him or confide in him because of his reputation. But a friend (Myrna Loy) of the murdered girl agrees to help him. There's a lot more twists and turns in this movie but you should see it to find them out.The movie movie moves like lightning, has a sharp, snappy script and a cast of actors giving it their all. There's also pretty frank sexual innuendo between Baxter and Loy (I'm assuming this was a pre-Code film). Well worth seeing.For some reason this is a forgotten movie. It's a shame because this is really a great little picture. Maybe the lack of stars (except for Loy) keeps this off the radar. This is well worth rediscovering.