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Expert: - 7/12/2006


Question
I am hoping you can help me find the title to an old movie. The premise was a detective husband and wanna-be assistant wife (may have been estranged or ex-wife). I was thinking perhaps it starred Melvyn Douglas, or William Powell (not Thin Man). At one point in the movie, the wife is being given a mud pack facial (complete with a breathing straw inserted between her lip) when her husband arrives on the scene. She tries to give him some information she has gathered but cannot talk because of the dried mud & resorts to whistling through the straw and gesturing. My husband and I saw this movie many, many years ago and would love to know what the title is.
Thanks in advance,
Kim

Answer
Kim, I'm sorry it took awhile to get back in touch. After seaching around in various sources, I think this may be the 1936 film "The Ex-Mrs. Bradford," starring Jean Arthur and William Powell.  What plot description for this film that I could find fits some of your description, but I couldn't find mention of the scene you describe above (in any film).  Also, the husband is only a reluctant amateur detective (he is a doctor). That is why I'm not 100% sure this is the one you recall.

Powell also played a detective in the Philo Vance series of the 1920s and early 1930s, but that detective wasn't married, or dealing with an ex-wife.

The only other husband-wife sleuths of the time period (outside of Nick and Nora) were "Mr. and Mrs. North," a 1942 film starring Gracie Allen and William Post, but it didn't sound like the film you are looking for.

I hope this answers your question.

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Barbara L. Baker

Expertise

I am a professor of communication at a midwest university, who has expertise on subjects related to film. I can answer general questions on U.S. film comedy (especially satires of the 1960s and 1970s) and comic theory. I also could answer questions related to specific comic genres, such as comedian comedies, screwball comedies, "stupid" comedies, and so forth. The more specific you can make your question, the better (e.g. main plot details, main characters, possible character names, possible actors, how you viewed the show, etc.). I also need to have a release date (or range of dates, or at least the year you viewed the film). Please do not just provide a set of links to someplace else (e.g. imdb discussion threads). I am less able to answer questions about comedies from other countries, made-for-TV movies, and recent comic films and actors (although I would do my best to find out). I cannot answer questions about specific TV shows or series, "Our Gang" episodes, anime/magna or about film collectables. I generally cannot provide movie recommendations, since what I find funny others may not. Nor will I answer obvious homework (although I will point you to resources to help answer the question, if asked). I also can't help you find movie stars, or where to buy movie memorabilia, or tell you how to break into the business.

Experience

Course work in comedy films along with teaching about comedy films for several years; I've also conducted research into comedy films.

Education/Credentials
Ph.D. in Communication, emphasis in film and rhetoric

Awards and Honors
A dissertation award from a national organization plus various paper awards

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My students

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