Rendezvous (1935)

Set during WWI, a decoding expert (William Powell) is assigned to office work instead of the combat role he longed to play. But far from a dull desk job, he finds himself involved with German spies, betrayal, murder, suicide and a ditzy socialite (Rosalind Russell). Based on the novel THE BLONDE COUNTESS by Herbert O. Yardley and directed by William K. Howard (FIRE OVER ENGLAND). This is an odd mixture of romantic comedy and spy thriller that doesn't consistently match up. The rapid switch between a suicide or a cold blooded murder and bantering lovers tossing quips doesn't always transition smoothly. Fortunately, there's the star power of William Powell and Rosalind Russell to hold the movie together. MGM didn't always do right by Rosalind Russell. They were always giving the juicy roles to Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Jean Harlow or Myrna Loy (who Russell replaced here) with Russell frequently cast in secondary roles. Here, she gets to exhibit some of the comic elan that would come to fruition with THE WOMEN and HIS GIRL FRIDAY. It's just an okay film, not one of better examples of the MGM style. With Binnie Barnes, Cesar Romero, Lionel Atwill, Henry Stephenson and Margaret Dumont.