There's Always A Woman (1938)

After his private detective agency goes bust, a private eye (Melvyn Douglas) takes a job with the District Attorney's office. But his wife (Joan Blondell) decides to keep the agency open when a wealthy woman (Mary Astor) wants a woman (Frances Drake) followed who may be having an affair with her husband (Lester Matthews). Sounds like an easy case but when the wealthy woman's husband turns up murdered, it becomes a case of whodunit? Directed by Alexander Hall (HERE COMES MR. JORDAN). I'm partial to the combo of comedy and murder mystery and all the elements are here but the movie never manages to cohere into anything resembling an above average screwball murder mystery. Blondell and Douglas are expert farceurs in the screwball genre and they work overtime but the script just isn't there! Mary Astor comes off best since she plays her character straight, not for laughs. I was entertained by it since I like the genre but it's really not very good. With Jerome Cowan, Robert Paige and in a bit part, Rita Hayworth as a secretary.