WOMEN ARE TROUBLE

WOMEN ARE TROUBLE (1936). Director: Errol Taggart. 

Ruth Nolan (Florence Rice) wants a job as reporter on a city newspaper, but the editor, Bill Blaine (Paul Kelly of The Secret Code), is against the idea of hiring a woman. The last woman he hired became his wife -- now ex-wife -- and Ruth is much too attractive as far as he is concerned. However, with the help of reporter Matt Casey (Stuart Erwin), Ruth manages to get a juicy assignment: investigating the people behind a protection racket that rose from the ashes after the end of prohibition. Plucky as Ruth may be, she may find herself in pretty hot water when she and her boss are kidnapped by the bad guys. Can Casey come to the rescue?

Rice, Irwin, Kelly

Generally well-played, Women are Trouble is a standard crime comedy that at least moves at a brisk pace. Margaret Irving is snappy as Bill's ex-wife, Frances, who has schemes of her own, and Cy Kendall (of The Tiger Woman) is a bit better than usual as Inspector Matson. John Harrington and Raymond Hatton  [Invasion of the Saucer Men] are the villains of the piece, and Kitty McHugh is vivid as Della, the widow of a murder victim. One mildly interesting bit has a thug dressing up in Chinese drag at a party and trying to murder Ruth. 

Verdict: A mediocre crime meller you can miss. **.