REDHEAD

(director: Edward Cahn; screenwriters: from the novel Redhead by Vera Brown/Conrad Seiler/Dorothy Reid; cinematographer: André Barlatier; editor: Carl Pierson; music: Paul Sawtell; cast: June Lang (Dale Carter), Johnny Downs (Ted Brown), Eric Blore (Digby), Weldon Heyburn (Winston), Ann Chandler (Peppy), Frank Jaquet(T.H. Brown), Harry Burns (Nick Papadopoulos); Runtime: 63; MPAA Rating: NR; producer: I.E. Chadwick; Reel Enterprises; 1941)

“Harmless old-fashioned comedy that doesn’t translate well to modern times.“

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

Redhead was previously filmed in 1934, with Grace Bradley and Bruce Cabot. Edward Cahn (“The She Creature”/”Voodoo Woman”/”Invasion of the Saucerman”), a prolific low-budget B film filmmaker, ably directs this harmless old-fashioned comedy that doesn’t translate well to modern times. It’s based on the novel by Vera Brown and is written by Conrad Seiler and Dorothy Reid.

Wealthy businessman T.H. Brown (Frank Jaquet) is displeased with his wastrel playboy son Ted (Johnny Downs) and the last straw is his son’s expensive and disgraceful drunken escapade at a nightclub that received headlines in the local newspaper. Dad cuts off junior’s allowance and forces him to go out on his own and try to survive. At a park, a drunken Ted meets a despondent Dale Carter (June Lang). She’s an artist’s model, who was just acquitted on murder charges and has no money to pay the rent. Ted suggests that they soak his dad for some dough by telling them they married and thereby get him to pay handsomely to annul the marriage to a vulgar working-class girl. But dad refuses and instead makes a secret bargain with Dale, that he’ll pay her $10,000 if she can make a respectable man out of Ted.

While going on their honeymoon, the newlyweds on Dale’s whim buy a rundown roadside cafe owned by Nick Papadopoulos (Harry Burns) and transfer to him Ted’s sporty roadster. Loyal poetry spouting family butler Digby (Eric Blore) joins the couple and helps them run the restaurant. Ted even gets a job in the nearby steel mill, but soon quits and reverts back to his former drunken ways. But Dale has fallen in love with the obnoxious Ted (proving love is blind) and refuses to abandon him and collect the check, as she tries her best to reform him. Predictably everything works out for a pat ending.

It’s pleasant enough if one doesn’t have high expectations.

REVIEWED ON 2/11/2011 GRADE: C+