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The Man in Possession (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) is exactly the right sort of play for Robert Montgomery. It allows him to wear well-tailored clothes and a becoming air of irresponsibility which, even in competition with a cast of seasoned British character actors, are acceptable substitutes for an English accent and a familiarity with Mayfair drawing rooms. The play itself upholds the pleasant tradition of parlor, boudoir and bathroom comedy by developing a trick situation and then extracting comedy that depends more on predicament than on characters. Montgomery is the black-sheep of a middle-class family. Ordered to leave home, he secures a position as sheriff's officer and is assigned to take possession of a charming house belonging to a charming lady who, he presently learns, is his brother's fiancée. Persuaded to act as her butler, he spills gravy gracefully on his brother and father, performs other and more intimate offices of domestic assistance which have advantageous results. The Man in Possession is one of those forgettable comedies which have teasingly memorable moments: for example, the one in which, while the other members of his family are angrily pretending not to know him, Montgomery's mother (Beryl Mercer) says "Thank you, dear," when he hands her the potatoes. Listed as a contributor of "additional dialog" to The Man in Possession is funny Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, who recently expressed remorse at having "cheated" Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer by receiving $104,000 for "touching up" two pieces in a year.
Murder by the Clock (Paramount). In a mystery story, the suspense usually surrounds the identity of a criminal. In a detective story, the suspense is caused by efforts to catch the criminal. Murder by the Clock is therefore a detective story since the audience soon becomes aware that the criminal in it is a bewitching blonde (Lilyan Tashman) whom no one would ever suspect of inciting her friends to murder, so long as she refrained from narrowing her eyes in a certain way. A vicious character of the worst sort, she starts by telling her husband that if his aunt were out of the way he would get a fat inheritance. Next she suggests to her lover that it would be nice if someone did away with her husband. Finally she suggests to a half-wit relative that he might as well do something to her lover. When the half-wit has done it, a detective (William Boyd) takes the lady into custody.
A good detective story often makes an audience laugh louder than a clever comedy, since laughter is the method most people use for pretending not to be scared, or for relief after moments of vicarious terror. Audiences at Murder by the Clock chuckle and squeal as they are meant to do. Good shot: Lilyan Tashman narrowing her eyes to show how much she enjoys watching the half-wit strangling her lover.