The Unguarded Hour (1936)

People are voting emotionally.

Just perfect...

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

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

Most entertaining movie. Watched recently on TCM. Good innovative plot, if a bit convoluted. Some fine acting... Never a dull moment... Very good court scenes with good dialogue. London of the 1930'a well captured, particularly the cars, streets and traffic, also very good house interiors. Recommended for a step back in time....

This film begins with a slick blackmailer (Henry Daniell) approaching a young wife (Loretta Young) and telling her he has letters from Young's husband (Franchot Tone) to a married woman. The letters are VERY indiscreet and they were written years before Tone's marriage. But, considering Tone was cavorting about with a married lady, the letters could destroy his career. When Young later meets with the blackmailer for the payoff, she witnesses a man and his wife walking about the cliff. Well, the wife apparently fell soon after and people thought the man killed her--but Loretta knows that he's innocent. But, to go to the police, she might have to explain why she was there. It's a ridiculous coincidence, but it turns out later that her husband is to prosecute the accused killer! A bit later, the blackmailer's accomplice (his wife) contacts Tone. She, too, hopes to blackmail money from Tone for the letters. However, after going to meet her, a murder occurs and it sure looks like Tone killed one of the blackmailers! And, since Tone and Young haven't talked about the letters, both are being bled by these leeches. What's to happen next?! Overall, this isn't a bad film but it suffers from some problems. First, common sense would say that Young WOULD talk to her husband about the blackmailers and the two would work together--but they don't. In fact, several times during the film you find it hard to believe what the characters do--such as when Young meets with Daniell late in the film and the insanely bizarre ending (this made no sense at all). Second, the movie is a bit too mannered and talky--too many folks in tuxes talking around the subject instead of dealing with the crimes directly. As a result, the film is a bit cold and uninvolving when it should have been more exciting. Still, it's worth seeing and isn't a bad film at all--it's just that it should have been better.By the way, Henry Daniell played a wonderful blackmailer. He's even juicier in such a role in "The Suspect"--a dandy film and one of the best films of the 1940s.

Director Sam Wood can't get much cinematic life into this courtroom drama about a mild-mannered man (Dudley Digges) accused of pushing his wife off the Dover cliffs. Barrister Franchot Tone is the prosecutor who discovers that a woman witness can prove the man innocent--and little does he suspect that that woman is his wife (Loretta Young).Trouble is there are far too many interior scenes with lots of expository talk so the film, despite a brief running time, moves at a sluggish pace without ratcheting up much suspense.But Loretta Young is very beautiful (at 23), poised and completely charming as the wife who knows too much. She, Franchot Tone and Roland Young carry much of the film, but there's good support from Jessie Ralph, Lewis Stone and Henry Daniell (who figures prominently in the film's conclusion).For a story that involves blackmail and murder, it's much too stage bound for comfort, but worth watching to see Loretta Young at her loveliest giving a very capable performance.

There are many times that "The Unguarded Hour" feels like a stage play on film, but is that so bad? There are long scenes in which not much happens, but within which certain plot points are revealed. Is that so bad?No. Not at all!This movie sparkles. Roland Young puts in one of his best performances, particularly evinced by the "what if" scene in which he questions Tone over what happened on "the night in question."Loretta Young is, well, young and alluring -- and she can flat out act, too.And Henry Daniell is an absolutely perfect scoundrel. He doesn't overplay his part, but he is scary nonetheless.This is a beautifully constructed film..with just the right "Tone."