The Ex-Mrs. Bradford

… is Jean Arthur, who is one of my Top Five female movie stars of the Golden Age. She could do screwball comedy better than anyone, in my opinion, and she had some great competition. This isn’t one of her best, but it’ll do. It’s a sort of The Thin Man lite, with William Powell as her doctor ex-husband who she is still in love with. It’s very much a Nick and Nora situation, with her dragging him in to investigate the murder of a jockey. I have to say that it was pretty predictable, but then, a lot of them were. Such as, a man calls and says he’ll be right over with some important information. (Those are the most dangerous words a supporting actor can utter in a whodunit, of course; he’s dead before he can get there.) And picture Powell rolling around on the floor, struggling with a burglar, and Jean swinging a plaster skull. Which one do you think she will brain on the bean? Duh. But it’s a good light entertainment.