The Cheaters (Joseph Kane, 1945)

I was hoping for a minor classic on the order of my beloved The Holly and the Ivy (George More O'Ferrall, 1952). But both Joseph Kane (veteran of dozens of 60-minute oaters) and Republic are out of their element when it comes to screwball comedy. For one thing, The Cheaters stints on the screwball, trading in physical comedy for a talky screenplay. For another, it adds little beyond some attractive performances (especially from the always dependable Billie Burke) to the simple-folk-teach-the-rich-Lessons template of My Man Godfrey. And so much time is spent on the convoluted story that the climactic renunciations of upper-class greed appear too swiftly; wealthy scion Reggie (David Holt) comes to his expiation in only one unconvincing line (guess I'll have to provide a screen grab). As Joan Crawford once said, forgettable but pleasant.

Grade: B