Easy Living

In retrospect, this little 1937 flick holds up as one of the funniest screwball comedies of the thirties. Loud millionaire J.B. Ball tells his extravagantly aggressive wife (Mary Nash) that she cannot keep her $58,000 Sable coat. Ball throws it out of the upper window of their mansion where it happens to fall right on top of bewildered Mary Smith (Arthur), who's travelling on an open-air bus. Mary's a poor gal who works for a magazine similar to BOY'S LIFE. Arnold is seen buying Mary a new hat by pussy-cat faced gossip Franklin Pangborn and soon she gets more than just a hat: practically all of New York is at her feet. The scene where she and Milland wreak havoc at the now-obsolete automat is truly inspired and hilarious, as is Luis Alberni - as Louis Louis - when he shows Mary her new "quarters" -- i.e. "And make it snappa...Thaank Yewww". The rather offbeat cast works wonders with the great Preston Sturges script: Milland and Nash make a weird son and wife to the always good (and always loud) Edward Arnold, but somehow it makes for better screwball; the whacko cast helps push the one-joke material through to a happy finish, and the movie helped establish Jean Arthur as a comedienne of the first rank. P.S. While listening to Arthur's wonderfully off-beat voice, I realised it reminded me a little of Julie Harris (!).

Easy Living(released July/37)is your typical screwball comedy of the 30s,this one starring Jean Arthur,Ray Milland and Edward Arnold(not the singer).Once the film starts to move(it takes a bit to take off at the beginning)the action just never stops until the end.
The plot involves Edward Arnold as a wealthy banker by the name of Mr.Ball.He has an extravagant wife who has a closet full of stoles,but who had to go and buy just one more,worth around $50,000!! Edward gets apoplectic and takes the stole and throws it over their apartment balcony.It lands on a passing double decker New York bus and onto the head of Jean.She gets off and tries to return it and eventually runs into Arnold who tells her she earned it and to keep it.In fact he takes her to a hat shop to buy her a new chapeau also.
In the meantime a hotelier by the name of Louis whose business is less than stellar,is going bankrupt and needs cash in order to pay off Arnold's bank loan.Arnold gives him a week to do so,but Louis learns from the hat man that Arnold now has a mistress,or so the story goes.This is the pivotal screwball moment and everything from here on in is one mix up piled on top of another.Louis thinking if he sucks up to Arnold,not to mention keeping Arnold's "situation" discreet,the loan will be forgiven or at least extended.
Well tongues wag,as they do in "situations" like this,and before you know it his "affair" is societal news all around New York.The only two unaware of it are Arthur and Arnold himself.Louis meanwhile puts Arthur up in his hotel in the swankiest apartment there is,and Arthur is gobsmacked.She tells him she can't afford but $7.00 a week and he agrees to the price.Along with her good fortune she meets up with Arnold's son Ray Milland,who is working at an automat;Ray doesn't know anything about the growing scandal or about her having any connection with his father.The two hit it off in fine screwball fashion.
As Arthur's whereabouts become common knowledge it seems all of New York's who's who's start moving into to Louis' hotel.When a stock trader asks Arthur for some of Ball's advice on steel,she goes in to ask Ray,not knowing he really wants advice from the father,and thinking it is the father she is getting the tip from!She comes back to say that steel is dropping.Back at the bank Ball sr. sees that steel is dropping and buys everything he can and comes close to going broke.But when Ray,the prodigal son,returns to help his dad out of his predicament,Arthur is told to tell the stock man that steel is going up and that moves it enough for Ball sr.to get out of his predicament,and Arthur and Milland to live happily ever after.
The movie is chock full of larger than life characterizations starting with Ed Arnold as Ball,whom I thought was not quite as convincing as he could have been.A better actor in that spot would have been a Charles Winninger type.Milland does a good job as does star Arthur.Luis Alberni really plays it close to the edge as hotelier Louis Louis,in his broken Italian dialect.Also watch for always delightful Franklin Pangborn as the hat shop proprietor who starts the whole "affair" ball rolling.
Technically speaking the film is clear and crisp and this is a very good print.The only extra is an intro by TCM host Robert Osborne.
All in all,while not a top notch screwball film of the day,it still has some funny moments to it and is generally enjoyable throughout.Recommended.

This review is for the MCA(Universal) 2008 DVD release of Easy Living.

The picture and sound quality are flawless.

Jean Arthur is lovable and funny. Edward Arnold and Ray Miland are just as funny and entertaining. I like this movie a lot because although the concept of it is out there, it engages you. Makes you think that it could be possible. A great film to get lost in. I love the acting. And you can believe the chemistry between Jean Arthur and Ray Miland. I love it. One of my favourites.

Take a chance on it! Definately worth the time to watch it. :)