DOUBLE WEDDING (1937)

My love/hate affair with screwball comedies continues with this one which William Powell and Myrna Loy make quite enjoyable. Powell is a bohemian artist and would-be playwright who pals around with Loy's sister and her fiance. Loy is a businesswoman whose life is too regimented to allow for romance, at least until she meets Powell. It's love at first sight but neither wants to admit it (especially the uptight Loy) and they spend the rest of the movie fulfilling the screwball comedy convention of seeming to hate one another and doing everything they can to piss each other off until they finally fall into each other's arms (almost literally in this case). The supporting cast is rather bland, although John Beal does a nice job as the mild-mannered fiance. Sidney Toler, who later played Charlie Chan, is a guy who spies on Powell for Loy (and later, on Loy for Powell). The last half hour goes on a bit too long with one too many subterfuges going on--the sister pretends to be in love with Powell, the fiance tries to pretend to be a tough and jealous lover. It all leads up to the inevitable happy ending, but it was mostly enjoyable and, of course, Loy and Powell are as charming as ever.