Customer Reviews

Love on the Run [VHS]

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While it would never be called the best comedy ever made, "Love on the Run", is a fast paced, comic escapade that provides a refreshing light hearted role for MGM drama queen Joan Crawford just as she was beginning to move out of her "shopgirl", phase into more meaty dramtic roles. The theme of a flighty heiress running away from a stuffy fiancee and falling for the lovable heel who just might or might not be taking her for a ride is one often used in the 1930's screwball comedies. The most notable example of course is Frank Capra's "It Happened One Night", however here the idea, as silly as it may appear at times, gets the full MGM treatment as a star vehicle for the legendary acting team of Joan Crawford and Clark Gable. In the seventh of their eight teamings as a screen couple the pair go all out for laughs in the fast paced "Love on the Run", which is very typical of many of the screwball comedies of this era. Joan Crawford in particular takes on a very different type of character here and she seems to enjoy the madcap proceedings as the film taking its cue from the title, literally turns into one unending chase sequence with love predictably blossoming along the way.

Based on a lightweight story by Alan Green and Julian Brodie, "Love on the Run", finds two "friends", and rival newspaper correspondants Mike Anthony(Clark Gable), and Barney Pells (Franchot Tone), covering two concurrent events in Europe; the society wedding of flighty heiress Sally Parker (Joan Crawford), to shady Prince Igor (Ivan Lebedeff),and the stratosphere flight of Baron and Baroness Spandermann (Reginald Owen and Mona Barrie), who in actual fact are spies using the flight to smuggle out valauble defense documents. The routine assignment of covering another indulgent society wedding however hots up when Sally decides to run out on the groom at the altar and hides out in her hotel room where she is trapped by the hated reporters who continually make her life a tabloid misery. Sally makes the acquaintance of Mike who in his brazen manner breaks into her hotel room pretending to be an admirer who has taken pity on her. Sally has no idea that Mike is one of the hated reporters who she is trying to get away from. Seeing the scoop of a life time in front of him Mike offers to help her in her escape and after throwing rival Barney off the scent he helps Sally make her escape when both of them steal the flying clothes of the Baron and Baroness and take off in their plane for the continent. Complications arise however when Sally and Mike discover the smuggled documents on the plane and they realise that the Spandermann's are crooks and that having discovered the documents makes them marked individuals. After a crash landing Mike and Sally find themselves in all sorts of comic mishaps when they steal a clothing van and keep one step ahead of both the Baron and his gang and also of Barney who is in hot pursuit of his "buddy", who has double crossed him one time too many. Wandering throught the french countryside the pair stumble across the closed Palace of Fontainbleau and end up staying the night where they are mistaken for the ghosts of Louis the Fourteenth and Madame de Maintenon by the eccentric caretaker (Donald Meek). When Barney catches up with the pair they find themselves the targets of the Baron's spy ring which is intent upon getting back the documents. During the chase Mike finds himself falling in love with Sally and wanting to do the right thing decides tell her about his real job as a newspaperman. She however takes it the wrong way and feels totally betrayed by the man she is also starting to fall in love with. It takes a real crisis when Sally and Mike are held captive at gunpoint by the spy ring for her to see that Mike is trying to do the right thing and truly loves her. Barney of course once again is the dupe left literally holding the baby when he is hoodwinked into taking Mike's place as the Baron's captive but the spy ring is overpowered by the trio and Mike and Sally make their escape. Openly declaring their love for each other they soon see it's "business as usual", in the newspaper business when they return to find Barney even in his bound and gagged state trying to get a wire through to the newspaper to get a headline about the new romance between Mike and Sally.

Frothy nonsense "Love on the Run", might certainly be but it is blessed with some great acting by the leads and supporting cast. Joan Crawford and Clark Gable were largely remembered for their dramatic efforts together but this film offers them a unique opportunity to cut loose with some crazy shindigs that actually suit them very well. Joan Crawford has actually never looked more animated than she does in this role and of course no 1930's Crawford film would be complete without at least a selection of spectacular gowns by MGM designer Adrian which in "Love on the Run", often turn up in the most unlikely places as seen in the scene when Mike and Sally steal the van in the village that just happens to have some evening gowns hanging in the back! Franchot Tone as the sap who is continually outsmarted by Mike delivers a wacky performance and spends much of his screen time hung up on clothes pegs or being bound and gagged. He displays a flair for screwball comedy not often associated with the then Mr. Joan Crawford. Supporting performances are generally interesting here ranging from Donald Meek's delightfully eccentric Ghost seeing Palace Caretaker, through to Reginald Owen and Mona Barrie who do great work as the villians Baron and Baroness Spandermann. The fast pace of "Love on the Run", is achieved by the famously fast working MGM director W.S. Van Dyke who's great fame lies in the early "Thin Man", films. This kind of romp filled with smart dialogue and rapidly changing situations is ideally suited to the directing style of Van Dyke who earned his title of "One Take Woody", on efforts such as this. Being a major Crawford/Gable vehicle "Love on the Run", of course received "A" class expertise in every facet of the production as was highlighted in the lavish set design by Cedric Gibbons for the Palace of Fontainbleau scenes.

"Love on the Run", could be passed off as simply a typical assembly line product of a major studio however I appreciate the films showcasing of the three main actors in largely non traditional roles that come across well. While Joan Crawford and Clark Gable always combined well on screen and were a formidable Box Office team in the 1930's some critics felt that their comedy efforts were a mistake. I'm inclined to disagree with that assumption and I feel the role of Sally Parker in particular gave Joan Crawford the opportunity to show a softer and at times comical side to her established screen persona. For classic movie fans who enjoy their movies fast moving and filled with snappy dialogue "Love on the Run", makes fun entertainment from Hollywood's Golden Age.

"Love on the Run" really says it all. The entire movie is based on a guise of suspicion and staying ahead of the others, and if anyone knows, it's Joan, how to stay ahead of everyone else. "I'm a rather unorthodox American as you notice," Joan's character Sally says in the picture. And that's really true.

On her wedding day Sally jilts her bridegroom, fleeing out of a window. But don't feel too much pity for her groom, you see he was just a fortune-seeker, going after socialite Sally Parker for her money and her social status.

Sally has to contend with 2 newspaper boys who're following her every move (Clark Gable plays Mike Anthony and Joan's real-life hubby Franchot Tone plays Barney Pells.) Along their journey (through 2 continents and multiple cities) they steal a plane and have to fight the rascally Baron and Baroness.

But even after Sally finds out that Mike is a reporter after a hot story she still loves him, saying to him, "oh darling don't think, just hold me nice and close." Joan was amazing as the perpetual victim who becomes the victor. Everyone is after her and everyone wants a piece of her but no one wants anything tangible from her, until she meets and realizes a connection with Mike.

Clark Gable played his part astutely as he always does because it was more like watching a documentary of some sorts than a film because he was so real and believable as he delivered his lines. Francot Tone is a very underrated movie actor of the '30s. Perhaps overshadowed by his wife's own successes. But he was always funny and there was somewhat of an innocence to him that almost always went unnoticed.

The film includes many fun and funny scenes and dialog that is always subtle and not at all in-your-face. I also found some of Joan's getups rather funny. I especially loved the furs, dark glasses and black veil that she wore because she didn't want to "stand out."

The movie really says a lot. It's a love story in essence. But it's also a fine melodramatic picture in disguise with lots of twists and turns. You just have to stay with it through the end and you'll get it.

"Love on the Run" really says it all. The entire movie is based on a guise of suspicion and staying ahead of the others, and if anyone knows, it's Joan, how to stay ahead of everyone else. "I'm a rather unorthodox American as you notice," Joan's character Sally says in the picture. And that's really true.

On her wedding day Sally jilts her bridegroom, fleeing out of a window. But don't feel too much pity for her groom, you see he was just a fortune-seeker, going after socialite Sally Parker for her money and her social status.

Sally has to contend with 2 newspaper boys who're following her every move (Clark Gable plays Mike Anthony and Joan's real-life hubby Franchot Tone plays Barney Pells.) Along their journey (through 2 continents and multiple cities) they steal a plane and have to fight the rascally Baron and Baroness.

But even after Sally finds out that Mike is a reporter after a hot story she still loves him, saying to him, "oh darling don't think, just hold me nice and close." Joan was amazing as the perpetual victim who becomes the victor. Everyone is after her and everyone wants a piece of her but no one wants anything tangible from her, until she meets and realizes a connection with Mike.

Clark Gable played his part astutely as he always does because it was more like watching a documentary of some sorts than a film because he was so real and believable as he delivered his lines. Francot Tone is a very underrated movie actor of the '30s. Perhaps overshadowed by his wife's own successes. But he was always funny and there was somewhat of an innocence to him that almost always went unnoticed.

The film includes many fun and funny scenes and dialog that is always subtle and not at all in-your-face. I also found some of Joan's getups rather funny. I especially loved the furs, dark glasses and black veil that she wore because she didn't want to "stand out."

The movie really says a lot. It's a love story in essence. But it's also a fine melodramatic picture in disguise with lots of twists and turns. You just have to stay with it through the end and you'll get it.

A slightly daffy cinematic item of little importance, LOVE ON THE RUN has clever direction, sophisticated dialogue, novel settings and ludicrous situations. The movie is screen entertainment which is easy to take; just relax and have a good time with it! The plot is a bit improbable, but this is another fast, suave, sophisticated comedy about and heiress and a star reporter. Joan Crawford is amusing as spoiled Sally Parker while Gable does well in his role of Michael Anthony. This is an enjoyable romantic comedy which stars Joan as a rich American heiress and Gable and Tone (Crawford's real-life husband at the time) as journalists stationed in Europe. Gable and Tone are assigned to cover an international aviator, who turns out to be an evil spy, as well as the upcoming wedding of flighty Crawford...A wild and farfetched plot is helped greatly by the star performances; you can see how hard everyone is working to make this a slick, sexy hit.

For those of you who thought "It Happened One Night" needed a major sub-plot involving spies, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer offers up the 1936 film "Love on the Run." Once again Clark Gable is a newspaper reporter, Michael Anthony, who is sent to cover the wedding of Sally Parker (Joan Crawford), a beautiful American heiress living abroad, to Prince Igor of Taluska (Ivan Lebedeff). But the bride leaves the groom at the altar and hides out in her hotel suite. Michael offers to get her out of hotel unnoticed. Meanwhile, Barney Pells (Franchot Tone), is interviewing Baron (Reginald Owen) and Baroness (Mona Barrie) Spandermann, the distinguished flying pair. So Michael steals their flying suits and in disguise they go to the airport, wave to the cheering crowd, and take off. However, Sally discovers detailed plans of a British fortification in the bouqet of flowers somebody gave her before she boarded the plane. This means that the Baron is a spy and that Michael and Sally are now being pursued through France by people a lot more dangerous than bothersome society reporters.

"Love on the Run" is the seventh of eight films that Gable and Crawford made together, only the first of which did not feature they as the leading couple. The whole spy business is played essentially for laughs (remember, this is 1936 and devious Barons with Germanic sounding names are not yet associated with the evils of Nazism), but things do get a bit silly: the tired couple break into Fountainebleau Place to hide out and an old caretaker thnks they are the ghosts of Louis XIV and Mme. de Maintenon. Still, no one is inclined to think of Clark Gable and Joan Crawford as a classic comedy couple, especially with her running around in those costumes by Adrian. "Love on the Run" only runs 81-minutes long and is an enjoyable but minor offering from the two stars. I just have to admit that the chemistry between Gable and Crawford always struck me as odd, because I just always thought there was too much steel in Joan for Clark's taste, but obviously MGM thought otherwise. .

"Love on the Run" (1936) is probably best known as the film in which Joan Crawford plays opposite her husband (Franchot Tone) and her long time lover (Clark Gable), and as one of the last successful films Crawford made at MGM. This was the 7th pairing of Gable and Crawford, in which a reporter (Gable) helps a runaway bride (Crawford) and together they stumble into the thicket of espionage.

Clark Gable (1901-60) was one of the biggest stars of the 20th century, and a pretty good actor to boot. We remember him best as Rhett Butler for "GWTW" (1939), for which he received one of his three Oscar nominations (the other was for 1935's "Mutiny on the Bounty" and he won in 1934 for "It Happened One Night"), but he gave us many memorable performances in films like "Teachers' Pet" (1958) and "But Not for Me" (1959) both of which earned him Golden Globe nominations. My favorite Gable flick is "Run Silent Run Deep" (1958).

In 1936 we see Gable at his peak. From 1932 to 1942 he was in the top 10 box office every year except 1 (1938), and sometimes he had 2 films in the top 10.

Joan Crawford (1905-77) plays a runaway bride. At the time of this film, Crawford was MGM's biggest female star. Her marriage to Douglas Fairbanks Jr. (1929) and then Franchot Tone (1935) and her success with films like "Possessed" (1931), "Grand Hotel" (1932), "Dancing Lady" (1933), and "The Women" put her at the top. Despite her achievements to date, her best years were ahead, with two Oscar nominations ("Possessed" in 1948 and "Sudden Fear" in 1953) and one win ("Mildred Pierce") in 1946.

Franchot Tone (1905-68) was a marvelous actor who is best known for his Oscar nominated performance in "Mutiny on the Bounty" (1935). He made nearly 100 films and gave outstanding performances in films like "Lives of a Bengal Lancer" (1935), "The Man on the Eiffel Tower" (1949), and "Advise & Consent" (1962)." (1935), and "Suzy" (1936). Tone plays a rival newspaper reporter.

FWIW - Tone had considerable box office clout too, appearing in such big hits as "Bombshell" (1933), "Dancing Lady" (1933), "Dangerous" (1935), "Mutiny on the Bounty" (1935), and "Suzy" (1936).

Reginald Owen (1887-1972) is best known as Ebenezer Scrooge from "A Christmas Carol" (1938) and made nearly 100 films including "Mary Poppins" (1964) and "Bedknobs and Broomsticks" (1971). Owen plays an aviator.

William Demarest (1892-1983) is best known as Uncle Charley in "My Three Sons" (1965-92), but in fact he made more than 100 films including an Oscar nomination for "The Al Jolson Story" (1946). He has a brief appearance as Gable's editor.

Woody van Dyke (1889-1943) directs. He is best known for his "Thin Man" films, for which he received an Oscar nomination in 1935. He also received a nomination for "San Francisco" (1936) and directed Nelson Eddy and Jeanette Macdonald in 6 of their films. Van Dyke enjoyed exotic locations and made such films as "Heart of the Yukon" (1927), "White Shadows in the South Seas" (1928), "Eskimo" (1933), "Northwest Passage" (1940) and "Cairo" (1942).

In 1936 Jean Harlow had 3 films in the top 20 - "Libeled Lady" (Spencer Tracy, William Powell, and Myrna Loy), "Wife vs. Secretary" (Gable and Loy), and "Suzy" (Cary Grant). The other big money winners were "San Francisco" (Gable), "The Great Ziegfeld" (Powell and Loy), "Modern Times" (Chaplin), and "Charge of the Light Brigade" (Flynn and de Havilland). The big Oscar winner was "The Great Ziegfeld" (Picture, Best Actress). Other notable films from that year were "The Petrified Forest" (Bogart), "Romeo and Juliette" (Shearer and Howard), "Dodsworth" (Walter Huston) and Fritz Lang's "Fury".

The NY Times called it "slightly daffy" and noted that "it has borrowed liberally here and there of tried and true devices and situations". The Herald Tribune was a little more positive - "A lot of gay nonsense has been strung together....a fantastic and insubstantial narrative, with the result that it is almost continuously amusing and frequently hilarious."

Bottom line - this is a fast paced romantic comedy with 3 of the biggest MGM stars of the 30s but it all sounds so familiar.

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A WONDERFULL TRIO(CLARK GABLE,JOAN CRAWFORD AND FRANCHOT TONE) MAKE "LOVE ON THE RUN" A LOT OF FUN AND ADVENTURE MOVIE.VERY GOOD STORY.MY FAVORITE SCENE IN THE MOVIE IS WHEN GABLE AND CRAWFORD ARE IN A FRENCH CASLE AND A MAN WHO TAKE CARE OF THE CASLE THINKS GABLE AND CRAWFORD ARE THE GOST OF FAMOUS FRENCH KING AND QUEEN.ALSO THE CONFRONTATION BEETWEEN THE TOO REPORTERS(GABLE AND TONE) MAKE THE PICTURE TOO FUNNNY.
WHITH A VERY GOOD SUPPORTING CAST,"LOVE ON THE RUN" IS A TRULY GREAT ENTERTAINEMENT.MUST SEE FILM.

I'm a big Joan Crawford fan and a fan of old B&W movies....but this one is just kinda boring. Did see the Last of Mrs. Cheney, though and that was very good. Joan really sparkled in the latter.

I found this movie quite lovely.However, if your looking for a drama ridden, heart wrencher don't bother with this one. Love on the Run goes by the usual MGM formula outline. Beautiful ladies ( Joan Crawford), handsome men (Clark Gable & the former "Mr. Crawford" Franchot Tone), a dilemma, a joyous resolution. And finally, Love. One word sums it up, CUTE!