Personal Property

Personal Property was the last completed film of Jean Harlow and the only one she was teamed with Robert Taylor. She's an American married to an Englishman who died and left nothing to her, but debts. She's got bill collectors beating down her door.

She figures an upper class accent is a guarantee of security, but tain't so Jean. She's set to marry Reginald Owen, who's family has a title, but little else. Their business has suffered some reversals and they need some quick capital themselves.

Before this double calamity takes place, along comes Robert Taylor who is a black sheep in Reginald Owen's family as his younger brother. Through an incredible comedy of errors he winds up Harlow's bill collector and later butler.

It's not a bad film, Harlow is great, she was sparkling and delightful and no trace of the illness that would claim her life while filming her last picture Saratoga.

Taylor is oddly miscast though. I'm sure this was a part that was originally intended for Franchot Tone and he would have had just the right upper class touch. Taylor handles the comedy well, but Tone or Cary Grant would have made the film a classic.

In fact Taylor's part and some of the film premise you can also find in My Man Godfrey with William Powell without the social commentary.

Film buffs should see it for a once in a lifetime pairing.