Lucky Night (1939)

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

I fell in love with Bill Overton before they left the park; Cora's inability to commit to a man before she had a sense of herself was decades ahead of its time...Bill's "Peter Pan" tendencies are really a profound commitment to joy and surprise, and Henry O'Neill as Cora's father is the great remediator and earns every bit of Cora's loyalty, "high, wide and handsome". Modern, full of stylish characters and character it's a jaunty little Jane Austen-like morality tale of the delicate balance between taking life seriously and the honorable pursuit of never-ending impulse, of maintaining your backbone and honesty in the face of losing face, and of the rewards facing up all wrapped into one romantic comedy.

"Lucky Night" begins with rich girl Myrna Loy feeling very bored. Despite having a fiancé who seems to be perfect, she doesn't love him and wonders if there is more to life. So, she decides to leave her father and his money and try to make her way in life alone. But, things weren't as easy as she thought and getting a job isn't easy--and she soon finds herself broke.Eventually, she meets up with a guy who is down on his luck (Robert Taylor) and something odd happens. When they are together, good luck seems to come to them again and again. They make a nice bundle at a casino and when a crook tries to kidnap them and their new car won at the casino, he is captured and they get the reward money. So far, so good. However, during their ensuing celebration, they get very drunk and wake up very married!! Now they both feel ashamed of themselves--this certainly is NOT the way to act or to find a life partner! While they both plan on a quick annulment, the more they talk about this the more they are convinced that maybe they can make a go of it. So Taylor goes out to find a job and they live very, very frugally and seem quite happy. The only problem is that down deep, Taylor is still a very irresponsible man--and takes an amazingly cavalier attitude towards his job and future. But, this IS the sort of man Loy married. It's cute at first, but eventually this brings tension into the marriage. Can the couple somehow work through all this? Overall, this is a rather sub-par film. While it has some nice MGM gloss, there are several problems with it. First, the chemistry between the two leads seemed a bit forced--like the harder they tried, the more chance it had that it would work. Second, the film seemed very rushed and the conclusion very incomplete. Somehow magically everything works out--though their marriage is clearly facing huge obstacles. Third, the script was filled with goofiness but never seemed to really work--it was flat and uninspired despite a very good start. The bottom line is that classic Hollywood film buffs who love Loy and Taylor may forgive a lot...but there is just too much to overlook here. I can why this film is one of the more obscure films the two actors made. It's watchable but no more.

The second half of the movie is all about applying the frolic of the first half to the reality of day to day life...and well worth looking forward to, much less sitting through. Bill's "idea" is to seize every opportunity, much less day, and Cora's "practicality" is the deadening effect being reasonable at all costs can have. Henry O'Neill was a great find, and you'll notice him more often than you'd think once you've identified him: as Bill's worst enemy at the beginning of the movie, it is he, as Cora's dad, who brings not only the couple but the theme together by the end of the movie. Deeper than it appears, it is charming through and through

Myrna Loy and Robert Taylor are cute together. This movie is about two people that meet and have one lucky night together and decide to try and make their luck last a life time. I saw this movie on cable one night and enjoyed it a lot. I would like to have it on DVD but can't even find it on VHS. Check out some of Myrna Loy's films you wont be sorry, watch The Thin Man collection, and The Best Years Of Our Lives. They are all great movies. If you have time watch Robert Taylor in Ivanhoe. Why can't Hollywood make them like they did back in the day when there were real "MOVIE STARS" in Hollywood. Where did the Class go in Hollywood. No more greats like Katherine Hepburn or Cary Grant, we are left with these mild at best actors. George Clooney which is one of the best ones we have now days is still not up to Cary Grant league.