The Perfect Specimen (1937)
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The Perfect Specimen (1937)
 Run time: 97 min Rating: 6.7 Genres: Comedy Director: Michael Curtiz Writers: Norman Reilly Raine, Lawrence Riley Stars: Errol Flynn, Joan Blondell, Hugh Herbert |
| Storyline A sheltered and wealthy young man (Flynn) is kept under wraps by grandmother Robson, but his life takes an abrupt upturn when Blondell literally crashes in. Whimsical and delightful. |
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| Details: Release Date: 15 December 1937 (France) |
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4 responses to “The Perfect Specimen (1937)”
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This film might have its critics, but for me it’s always a delight to see good-natured humour given a chance to shine in the hands of great actors. Errol Flynn was one of the most underrated comedians of any age. He was always prepared to send himself up as easily as anyone else and few others could have carried this film off especially playing opposite the crackerjack Joan Blondell. Add May Robson, Allen Jenkins and Edward Everett Horton and you’ve got a great little film that would make anyone forget about the world’s woes for a hour or three. Not to be missed by any joker with a heart and most people without one. Give in to a bit of fun now and again and remember that life is all meat and potatoes.
This is not really an 'haha' type of comedy, its more a movie that has a fun and silly (in a good way) feeling all over it. The events in the movie are fun and so are the quirky characters that are in the movie.
Basically the story is a fun and simple one. Rich guy played by Errol Flynn, out of a conservative uptight family, has for the first time in his real fun when he runs of with the girl Mona (Joan Blondell). Along their trip the couple meets some quirky characters and get into some silly situations. It seems to me that the movie its story was inspired by the Greek Odyssey.
Errol Flynn is of course perfect as 'the perfect specimen'. I was a little bit worried about his comical talent but he pulls of rather well in this movie. All of the other actors are also fine professional comedy actors who all help to make this movie a fun, simple and non-serious one to watch.
A fun movie, that is very well worth watching.
7/10
http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
A very light hearted fun movie . I enjoyed Flynn’s performance . He should have done more comedy , ala Cary Grant , he was very good at it . I really think that someone should put it on video for other’s enjoyment . There are a lot of Errol Flynn fans out there and I know many of them would like to be able to see this comedy again .
I have to agree with the other review on the page…The Perfect Specimen is a far better screwball comedy than it’s been given credit for. In fact, it’s head and shoulders above Flynn’s next screwball comedy, 1938’s Four’s A Crowd.
It helped that Flynn and Joan Blondell were pals off-screen, because they show a very comfortable and breezy rapport with each other on-screen. Flynn shows a light and pleasant acting touch in this, especially when compared to his ham-handed performances in Four’s A Crowd or Footsteps In The Dark.
It’s too bad this isn’t available on video, because I think both Flynn fans and non-Flynn fans will discover a small treasure.