Main Cast: Leslie Howard, Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Patric Knowles, Eric Blore
Release Year: 1937
Country: US
Run Time: 90 minutes
Plot
Bette Davis and Leslie Howard play an egotistical Broadway acting team famous for their romantic scenes. In truth, Davis and Howard are crazy about each other, but they spend so much time bickering that they never get around to marriage. The relationship is complicated by young heiress Olivia De Havilland, a fan who worships the ground Howard walks on. Howard tries to scare off the star-struck young lady by threatening her with seduction, but it turns out she enjoys the prospect of being seduced. Everything is straightened out by the climax, though Davis and Howard never quite get to the altar. It's Love I'm After is all the more enjoyable when one recalls the "serious" movie romances carried on by Leslie Howard with both Bette Davis (in The Petrified Forest) and Olivia De Havilland (in Gone with the Wind). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Unjustly neglected, It's Love I'm After is a delightful romp that provides an excellent showcase for the often equally neglected comedic talents of its trio of stars. While Love falls just shy of true classic status -- the screenplay is slightly off the mark in a few places and its dialogue occasionally lacks the effervescent sparkle that is a requirement of the genre -- it's still a little gem of a picture with an abundance of laughs. Fleetly directed by Archie Mayo, Love's greatest assets are its players. Bette Davis, looking quite stunning, is the epitome of imperious haughtiness, tossing off insults and slights with wicked delight and a deliciously true aim. Leslie Howard is every bit her match, chewing up every inch of scenery that comes his way and creating a gloriously amusing portrait of the quintessential hammy actor. And Olivia de Havilland is a darling embodiment of a ridiculously moonstruck maiden. If Bonita Granville is slightly grating, she's more than compensated for by Eric Blore, and the rest of the supporting cast is solid throughout. Love is a great pick-me-up and well worth searching out. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Carl Jules Weyl - Art Director, Orry-Kelly - Costume Designer, Archie Mayo - Director, Owen Marks - Editor, Tony Martinelli - Editor, Heinz Roemheld - Composer (Music Score), Leo F. Forbstein - Musical Direction/Supervision, James Van Trees - Cinematographer, Harry Joe Brown - Producer, Hal B. Wallis - Producer, Maurice Hanline - Screen Story, Casey Robinson - Screenwriter
