Girl Trouble (1942)

A New York socialite (Joan Bennett) rents her apartment to a visiting Venezuelan playboy (Don Ameche) in order to make ends meet. When she is mistaken for a servant, however, she keeps up the masquerade. Directed by Harold B. Schuster (MY FRIEND FLICKA). For the first witty twenty minutes or so, I thought I had discovered a sleeper of a screwball comedy. Alas, after those twenty minutes, it just gets tedious and predictable. It's not unbearable mind you, it's just that it's run of the mill. You can't blame Bennett or Ameche, they do fine work considering the unimaginative direction and the screenplay's faltering humor. There are some good supporting performances like the always dependable Billie Burke doing her patented ditzy dowager bit. With Vivian Blaine, Helene Reynolds, Fortunio Bonanova, Frank Craven, Jeff Corey, Dale Evans (minus Roy) and Mantan Moreland.