The Crystal Ball *** (1943, Ray Milland, Paulette Goddard, Gladys George, Virginia Field, Cecil Kellaway, William Bendix, Ernest T ruex, Iris Adrian, Mary Fields) – Classic Movie Review 8943

Director Elliott Nugent’s playful 1943 Paramount picture The Crystal Ball is a likeably dizzy if underpowered comedy starring Paulette Goddard as Toni Gerard, a gal from Texas who loses out on a glamour contest (she was robbed!), arrives penniless in New York, takes up fortune telling and wins her man, wealthy lawyer Brad Cavanaugh (Ray Milland), although he is engaged to socialite Jo Ainsley (Virginia Field).

Gladys George co-stars as fortune teller Madame Zenobia, who befriends Toni, who then takes over from her when she is injured. Although Toni is a fake medium, she looks into her crystal ball and advises client Brad to give up Jo and take up the stock on some real estate.

All of story writer Steven Vas’s and screen-writer Virginia Van Upp’s complicated plot unravels quite nicely in 80 minutes of fast, fizzy and sometimes funny action. Cecil Kellaway, William Bendix, Ernest Truex, Iris Adrian and Mary Fields are the hit turns among the character support.

It was sold by Paramount Pictures to United Artists when the former needed the money and the latter the product, though it was credited as Cinema Guild Productions.

Also in the cast are Frank Conlan, Mabel Page, Regina Wallace, Peter Jamerson, Donald Douglas, Nestor Paiva, Sig Arno, Hillary Brooke, Tom Duggan, Reginald Sheffield, Sayre Dearing, Eric Alden, Bobby Barber, Paul Bryar, Chuck Hamilton, John Harmon, Fay Helm, George Lessey, Wilbur Mack, Regina Wallace and Charles Irwin.

You will look in vain for Made Eburne Apple Annie character (scenes deleted) and Yvonne De Carlo as Secretary (scenes deleted).

The Crystal Ball is directed by Elliott Nugent, runs 82 minutes, is made by Paramount Pictures [as Cinema Guild Productions], is released by United Artists, is written by Virginia Van Upp, based on a story by Steven Vas, is shot in black and white by Leo F Tover, is produced by Buddy G DeSylva and Richard Blumenthal, is scored by Victor Young and is designed by Roland Anderson and Hans Dreier.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8943

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