CinemaSerf
6/13/2022
I've got to say that C. Aubrey Smith ("Col. Nielsen") steals this for me as the Scotland Yard bigwig who is constantly being harassed by private eye “Drummond” (Ronald Colman] - he has the cantankerous old codger down to a tee! Why is he being harassed? Well that's because “Drummond”, on his way home from the wedding reception of loyal sidekick "Algy" (Charles Butterworth) fleetingly bumps into "Lola" (Loretta Young). Then he gets lost in the thick London fog before seeking a bit of shelter in a grand house on Rodney Square - only to find the door open and a body on the couch... He races to find a bobby, but when they return to the house find it occupied by the charming "Prince Achmed" (Warner Oland). Then he bumps into "Lola" again and a mystery is well and truly afoot... The plot is a bit procedural - but Colman and Young usually bonded well together, and they do again in this daft crime caper. The script is frequently quite witty, if not exactly laugh out loud, there are some good supporting efforts from Oland and the poor old Butterworth who is just trying to celebrate his wedding night - and, the aforementioned Smith who looks as if he is about to blow a gasket much of the time. The photography captures the gloomy London scenario well and Roy del Ruth keeps it moving along a-pace too.
