The Housekeeper's Daughter (1939)

A feeble minded flower peddler (George E. Stone) has a crush on a Broadway actress (Lilian Bond). When she's threatened by a gangster (Marc Lawrence), he puts poison in the thug's coffee but the actress drinks it instead. The gangster dumps her body in the river. This is just the start of a screwball comedy about a housekeeper's daughter (Joan Bennett), a fast talking reporter (Adolphe Menjou), a naive rich boy (John Hubbard) and newspaper editor (Donald Meek). Directed by Hal Roach, the film never lives up to the comedic potential its premise suggests. The movie takes too long to get its rhythm going and it only starts popping in the film's last half hour. The film is a testament to star power as Joan Bennett and Adolphe Menjou make the most of their lines but the charmless John Hubbard is a hole in the screen. Lovers of comedy murder mysteries will most likely be agreeable to this offering but others may not be so forgiving. I enjoyed it more than not. With Victor Mature (in his screen debut), Peggy Wood (THE SOUND OF MUSIC), William Gargan and Leila McIntyre.