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| Milburn Stone, Kent Taylor, Virginia Grey |
SMOOTH AS SILK (1946). Director: Charles Barton. Colorized.
Defense attorney Mark Fenton (Kent Taylor) and prosecutor John Kimble (Milburn Stone) have been friendly enemies for years, but there are complications when Fenton becomes engaged to actress Paula Marlowe (Virginia Grey). She desperately hopes that producer Stephen Elliott (John Litel) will star her in his next production, which seems a given after Fenton successfully defends Elliott's nephew, Don (Danny Morton), in a vehicular manslaughter case; Don is guilty as sin. However, Elliott has other plans for the role until Paula begins to work her wiles on him, igniting intense jealousy in Fenton. He concocts a scheme to take out his rival, but will he get away with it ...?
Smooth as Silk is a short, fast-paced crime melodrama that boasts some fine performances, with Taylor [The Crimson Key] on top of things as the reptilian lawyer; Litel [Runaway Daughters] effective as the lustful producer; Milburn Stone [Swing It Professor] lending solid support; and Grey [Black Zoo] practically stealing the show as the bitch Paula who uses men right and left in one career move after another. Danny Morton was also in The Mysterious Mr. M. 
John Litel and Danny Morton
Verdict: Absorbing if minor meller. **1/2.
Love Virginia Grey in anything...nice acerbic quality. Last one I saw her in was Love Has Many Faces with Lana Turner and Ruth Roman...and Hugh O'Brian in a series of speedos...Virginia also appeared with Lana in Madame X and has a good role in Sirk's All That Heaven Allows...she was a great supporting player.
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I completely agree, she was one of those zesty talented actors who always added a certain oomph to her portrayals and to the movies she was in. Never quite became a major star, unfortunately.
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