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Sadly Over-hyped

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

best movie i've ever seen.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

DESIGN FOR SCANDAL (1941) Walter Pidgeon, Rosalind Russell Lively Script. Pidgeon orchestrates a scandal to help his boss get even with a judge (Russell) for a ruling in a divorce case. Pidgeon, a fixer/reporter (more like an experienced con-man) is an amoral opportunist. Russell, the judge, is cold and emotionally walled-off from the world as Pidgeon tries to seduce and compromise her.In my opinion Pidgeon deserved to be indicted despite how glib and affable he was.Pidgeon's performance is adequate, he's likable as always. Russell is also adequate and beautiful. But I was distanced from immersion into the story by both of their slightly wooden line delivery. I kept getting the sense they were speaking lines, acting. The script was snappy, maybe that was the problem? Too snappy for ordinary people to be saying.I think that's one of the problems with these movies from the 40's that have such great writing. It undermines the credibility of our character identification. Who speaks like that? Who is that smart, that quick? Yet it's the same thing we enjoy so much, the thing that makes such movies rise above the rest.So, the answer is to have characters that the audience can believe are smart enough to be delivering such quick-witted comebacks.Also, the deliveries from the two lead characters here sounded a bit overly rehearsed.I liked this movie from the start and as it developed but drifted away emotionally during the last act.Lots of wonderful supporting cast including the great (and aging) Edward Arnold, the ubiquitous Guy Kibbee, and Leon Belasco (playing a sculptor).

While this is not one of the great movie comedies, I found it rather enjoyable. I'm not sure the casting was perfect. At first, I didn't find Walter Pidgeon to be logical for the male lead...I was thinking more along the lines of Cary Grant. But as I got further into the film, it occurred to me that Cary Grant (my favorite actor) would probably have played it too hard to the comedy side, while Pidgeon could play it with humor, but also on the sentimental side. In reality, although this is not the typical Walter Pidgeon role, he actually is quite good in it. Esteemed character actor Guy Kibbee was not right in the part of the senior judge...he made the concluding courtroom scene just a little too silly. And, Lee Bowman's part -- as the "other" man -- could have been defined a little more sharply. I felt a little sorry for Edward Arnold, who was once a leading man himself, but was made to look a bit foolish in this film.Rosiland Russell was perfect as the female judge. In the past couple of years, as I've seen more of the old Rosiland Russell films, I have come to realize what a fine actress she was, particularly in comedy.The story moves along reasonably well, although perhaps it's a bit far-fetched to think anyone would attempt to influence a judge in the manner done here, but it makes for a gently funny script.I doubt this will end up on very many home DVD shelves, but it's rather pleasant, and worth watching...at least once.

ROSALIND RUSSELL plays another one of her working woman roles as a divorce court judge playing a tricky game of wits with her male sparring partner WALTER PIDGEON.He's a newspaper man who makes a deal with EDWARD ARNOLD to get the female judge (Russell) off her high pedestal so that she loses her job and he can save his grateful boss from having to pay high alimony. It's strictly cornball comedy/romance with neither star having material worthy of their star status.It's second rate as romantic comedy and nothing--not even the competent supporting cast--can do much to raise it above the ordinary level. The script is a virtual hodge-podge of clichés, the sort of film Russell found herself typecast in year after year during the '40s.LEE BOWMAN has another one of his thankless second string roles, MARY BETH HUGHES pouts prettily and JEAN ROGERS is merely decorative as a scheming femme fatale.It's all pretty artificial but it passes the time on a dull afternoon.

Walter Pidgeon distinguished himself in many films, but Design for Scandal isn't one of them. He is grievously miscast as a womanizing, fast-talking reporter out to besmirch Judge Rosalind Russell's reputation in order to save his boss's. Pidgeon looks uncomfortable much of the time, and delivers most of his lines without conviction or commitment.Russell, too, gave many memorable performances in both dramas and comedies. Not here. As she so frequently did in the 40s, she panders to Hollywood convention by playing a brittle, sophisticated career woman who finds she needs a man to achieve true happiness. I wonder if many women didn't find that stereotype demeaning, even in 1941.