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Very well executed

Excellent, a Must See

Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay

A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

Franchot Tone (Peter Lawrence), Mickey Rooney (Mike), Ralph Morgan (Reggie Odell), Jessie Ralph (sheriff), Barnett Parker (Hotchkiss), Gladys George (Carlotta Lee), Ted Healy (Jimmy Slattery), Frank Jenks (Joe Cannon), Virginia Weidler ("Jake"), Fay Holden (Mary), Julius Tannen (Mr Hiller), Henry Kolker (Sam Ellinger), Robert Middlemass (police commissioner), Bea Nigro (elegant woman at dock), Jack Norton (barkeep), Lillian Read (hat check girl), Gil Patric, Ernie Alexander, Don Brodie, Cyril Ring (reporters), Sam Ash (headwaiter), Georgie Billings, Leonard Kibrick, Buster Slaven (Mike's friends), Marie Blake (Hillier's secretary), Sidney Bracey (waiter), June Brewster (Betty Bartholomew, a chorus girl), Chester Clute (pants salesman), Oscar O'Shea ("Pop", the stage doorman), Jules Cowles (hotel doorman), Richard Cramer (process server), Edgar Dearing (Detective "Pinch"), Leigh De Lacey (neighbor), Sarah Edwards (Mrs Warden), Jim Farley (plainclothesman), Chester Gan (Louie), Howard Hickman (editor), Leyland Hodgson (chauffeur), Phillip Terry (Club 44 radio man).Director: RICHARD THORPE. Screenplay: Marion Parsonnet, Harry Ruskin, William R. Lipman. Original screen story: Lou Heifetz and Herbert Klein. Photography: John Seitz. Film editor: Conrad A. Nervig. Music: Edward Ward. Supervising art director: Cedric Gibbons. Set decorator: Edwin B. Willis. Costumes: Adrian. Art director: Joseph C. Wright. Assistant director: Tom Andre. Sound recording: Douglas Shearer. Producer: Frederick Stephani. Copyright 10 January 1938 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corp. New York opening at the Rialto, 27 January 1938. U.S. release: 14 January 1938. Australian release: 14 July 1938. 8 reels. 73 minutes.SYNOPSIS: Fading Broadway star adopts two orphans as a publicity stunt.NOTES: Academy Award, Mickey Rooney, Best Male Juvenile of 1938. Last film of Ted Healy. COMMENT: A pleasant film with a most attractive cast going their customary paces in a zippy little script worked up by no less than five writers. True, Mickey Rooney has all the best lines, but he makes the most of them. In fact, director Richard Thorpe virtually allows Mickey the run of the movie. Only Virginia Weidler and the late Ted Healy (the originator of "the Three Stooges". The original billing in both vaudeville and Hollywood was Ted Healy and his Three Stooges) are occasionally allowed to give Mickey any real competition.

After her latest Broadway play bombs, stage star Gladys George (as Carlotta "Charlie" Lee) is concerned. It's been four flops in a row for Ms. George and she needs a hit. George decides to play the lead in "Carolina" - but radio and newspaper celebrity reporter Franchot Tone (as Peter "Pete" Lawrence) thinks it will ruin her career. He hopes his "New York Chronicle" column will queer the deal. The bickering pair have been an item since their youth - or so we're led to believe. George is listening to Mr. Tone's "Broadway Chatter" radio show when he reports on the death of a window washer. Tone wants his audience to find parents for newly orphaned Mickey Rooney and Virginia Weidler (as Mike and Jake O'Toole). This turns into a convoluted publicity stunt, with George getting the kids...George and Tone are game, but their coupling sends off no sparks. However, this film won't give you a headache - in spite of its unappealing title. Director Richard Thorpe and the MGM crew move the cast around skillfully, with George walking up toward the camera for an exit and her co-star deftly handling physical comedy. The supporting cast is not only strong, but also given opportunities to shine. Most obviously on his mark is Mr. Rooney, although he is miscast as a 13-year-old. It is surprising to see Frank Jenks (as Joe Cannon) hold his own in a film with Rooney and the adorable little Miss Weidler. After he is offered advice on reincarnation, Mr. Jenks is on a roll which lasts throughout his screen time. Also notable, this was the last film for Ted Healy; the man who gave us his "Three Stooges" died shortly before its release.****** Love Is a Headache (1/14/38) Richard Thorpe ~ Gladys George, Franchot Tone, Mickey Rooney, Frank Jenks

"Love is a Headache" is from 1938, a short second feature that runs one hour and 15 minutes, and stars Franchot Tone, Gladys George, Mickey Rooney, and Virginia Wiedler.Tone plays Peter Lawrence, a gossip columnist who knew one Broadway star, Carlotta (whom he calls Charlie) Lee back when they were kids. He never lets up on her, and when she takes a role in a flop show, he says the show is no good and she's making a mistake. She's about to sign a contract for another dud and is angry with Peter for writing about her in his column.Peter also has an interest in two young kids, Mike and Jake O'Toole (Rooney and Wielder), who are now orphans after their father is killed. On his latest broadcast, he calls out for anyone who can adopt these children. Carlotta's publicist thinks will be great for her, so he arranges to have the children brought to her apartment. Meanwhile, Peter knows nothing of this, planning to thoroughly investigate anyone interested. When he finds out, he assumes this is a cheap publicity stunt.Entertaining film, with Gladys George giving a wonderful performance as Carlotta, a dedicated performer but a woman with a heart. Rooney as the tough older brother is, as always, excellent, and as his vulnerable little sister Wiedler is excellent as well. Franchot Tone is smooth and sophisticated as Peter Lawrence.Those were the good old days, when columnists were an important part of the Broadway and movie scenes, and many times they would broadcast their programs from nightclubs or high-end restaurants, adding some glamor. There was a fun clip of the old Times Square at the beginning of the film. Wow, times have changed.

TCM to the rescue again with another little gem from the "You Won't See This Anywhere Else" vault. From 1938, this is one of those films that has nothing to really recommend it, but is not offensive either. It can only be shown on TCM because no advertiser is going to pay money to put commercials on during its showing.Mickey Rooney plays one of the adopted poor kids of a rich actress who only wants them for the good PR it will give her. (Will she come around for a happy ending? Hey, it was the Depression, what do you think?) This is some early Mickey from about the time he started his Andy Hardy phase. He's charming enough, as are the other actors. The writing is OK, as is the direction, but while everyone tries, the movie just plods along trying to make everyone feel good.From late in the Depression, everyone in the film is depicted as either extremely rich, or extremely poor. But everyone has a hat! It was like the law in the 30's that everyone had to wear a hat when outdoors. Men, women, kids, cops, chauffeurs, milkmen, dockworkers, it didn't matter, they had to wear a hat. One line in the film has the rich adoptive Mom asking her new poor kids, "Are those the only clothes you kids have?" And Rooney answers, "No, we have hats!" If you appreciate the old potboiler films of less than 90 minutes duration, you'll certainly be able to sit through this one, as it is better than many of its type. If you were raised on Star Wars films, you'll probably hate it.Well, I have to go. Where's my hat?