What a freaking movie. So many twists and turns. Absolutely intense from start to finish.

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

Last of Mrs. Cheyney, The (1937) *** (out of 4) Spit, polish and gloss has been added to this MGM remake of their 1929 Norma Shearer-Basil Rathbone drama. This time out John Crawford plays Mrs. Cheyney, an American woman her works her way into British society and gets several men to fall in love with her including Lord Dilling (Robert Montgomery). What these rich folks don't realize is that Mrs. Cheyney is actually a thief planning on stealing from them with the help of her partner (William Powell). As with the original film, this remake is a fairly flawed tale but there's no question that the studio treated us to a rather amazing cast and they alone make it worth sitting through. Crawford at times seems out of place but on the whole I think she does a pretty good job with the role. She's got a certain toughness that jumps off the screen so she's easily believable as the mind behind this group of thieves and the actress also does good in the softer moments when her character starts to want to break free from crime. Montgomery is charming as always and Powell makes for an interesting supporting player. Powell doesn't get too much to do but when he's on screen he's certainly entertaining. The supporting cast includes some very well- known faces including Nigel Bruce, Frank Morgan, Colleen Clare, Ralph Forbes, Melville Cooper and Sara Haden. The first hour of the film is a major improvement over the original because the writers cleared out some of the boring dialogue (that just dragged on in the original) and replaced it with some humor that certainly helps the material move. Another good thing is the added gloss because there are various images that are quite pleasant on the eyes and this again is a major step-up from the original. Where the film really goes off the charts is during the final thirty-minutes when it becomes clear that the writers didn't know how they wanted to end the film. The movie should have been almost over right after the sixty-minute mark but things really start to drag because it seems the writers didn't know what they wanted to do with the Crawford character. Some of this might be due to the fact that original director Richard Boleslawski suddenly died during production only to be replaced by George Fitzmaurice who was also replaced by Dorothy Arzner.

Well, there is often something in many MGM productions of the mid to late 1930's that really leave me cold. If I expand on that metaphor, The Last of Mrs. Cheyney has me shivering in a deep freeze. Filmed only eight years earlier as a Norma Shearer vehicle, this attempt to resurrect a modestly successful 1920's drama falls flat in a big way.The Last of Mrs. Cheyney plays like a strictly by-the-numbers film, obviously prepackaged and green lighted by complacent MGM executives who seemingly felt that they could combine some of their most likable and charming stars in a glossy remake like this, and the money would come pouring in from devoted fans. Um, wrong.Saddled with an awkward title, unfocused, preposterous, and exceedingly dull, the film wastes the considerable talents of all involved. Arguably a drawing-room comedy, the film has no "intentional" laughs, implausible character motivations, and a romantic triangle that leaves viewers nodding off into their popcorn. Unfortunately for him, director Richard Boleslawski dropped dead sometime during the filming, and the project was finished by two other uncredited directors. I suspect that his futile attempt to make this turkey fly may have contributed to his demise.The plot introduces us to a gang of con artists led by Powell and Crawford, who oh-so-easily infiltrate the highest rungs of wealthy and titled British society. They are intent on stealing the strand of pearls belonging to aristocratic dowager Jessie Ralph during the course of a weekend party at her country estate. Complications arise when love-struck Robert Montgomery's fixation on Joan leads him to ask too many questions.All the players involved try their best to enliven the proceedings with their own particular brand of appeal, and they are certainly photogenic. But their efforts are wasted on a talky and lackluster script that stretches credibility and makes little sense. The endless exchanges of dialog fail to deliver any punch or sparkle, although veteran character actors Jesse Ralph, Frank Morgan, Nigel Bruce and Sara Haden come off better than the leading players.The bottom line may be that this is another one only for "completists" of the stars, and all others shouldn't even take their first look at The Last of Mrs. Cheyney.** out of *****

I have mixed feelings about The Last of Mrs. Cheyney. There is the wonderful performance by Jessie Ralph as the Duchess. There are charming bits and moments that are subtly humorous. But The Last of Mrs. Cheyney, given its cast and budget, should be better, snappier, wittier, more fun, more deliciously wicked and...it isn't. Instead of a showcase for a large cast of talented stars and supporting actors who each get his/her striking moments, the film just seems jammed and jumbled with characters. It's unbalanced. For instance, a film with two male leads needs to balance those two leads. In The Last of Mrs. Cheyney, there's too much Robert Montgomery and not enough William Powell. To continue on the subject of balance, there's no reason why any film shouldn't be enhanced by having the support of two well-known scene stealers, Frank Morgan and Nigel Bruce (think of the joys of both Edward Everett Horton and Eric Blore in the Fred and Ginger movies). But in The Last of Mrs. Cheyney Morgan and Bruce seem too much. Finally, the film is marred by a truly bad ending.

What was Joan Crawford thinking when she accepted this incredibly bad 1937 vehicle?A woman and her gang of thieves plan to steal gems from a wealthy family. Crawford, as Mrs. Cheney, is that woman who plays up to Robert Montgomery, in order to be invited to the home of his wealthy aunt.The Crawford character is in cahoots with William Powell. The film goes bad as this is a comedy. Had this been a drama with Crawford playing a brassy woman, this would have been something. Otherwise, the film goes downhill quickly once Crawford has been found out. Crazily, a letter has been sent by Frank Morgan, one of the aristocrats to Mrs. Cheney, which describes the negative side of these wealthy patrons. Crawford and Powell try getting some money out of Morgan, and when they do, they promptly relinquish it. Powell goes willingly to jail while Mrs. Cheney finds her true love in Montgomery. To believe this misery, you have to be quite a fool. O yes, Jesse Ralph is around as the dowager aunt. Even her hearty laugh can't save this mess of a film.