SATAN MET A LADY (1936): Not As Bad As Its Reputation Provided You Have A Sense Of Humor

Bette Davis is on record as saying that this is one movie that she really hated making. In fact she had to be financially coerced into doing it which is probably why she disliked it so much. That combined with the many 1941 MALTESE FALCON lovers who don’t have a sense of humor are the main reasons that this movie is so despised in many circles. However, when taken on its own terms and without comparisons to the 1931 and 1941 versions, SATAN MET A LADY (I concede that the title is terrible) is extremely entertaining. The key is to accept it as a comedy from the very beginning.

When Warner Brothers wanted to re-issue the 1931 MALTESE FALCON in 1935, the newly adopted Production Code Office said absolutely not. They felt is was far too suggestive and risque’ (which, like most Pre-Code movies, it was) and so Warners came up with this concoction combining the detective genre with the screwball comedy. This was an attempt to cash in on the runaway success of 1934’s THE THIN MAN with William Powell and Myrna Loy. To say that it didn’t is an understatement. Most (but not all) critics disliked it and audiences stayed away making it a box office flop in 1936.

Moving ahead to the 21st century, reviews are still divided but more people see the intended humor and are enjoying it. The plot is basically the same as the novel on which the 1931 and 1941 versions are closely based but there are a number of significant changes. The sought after object is no longer stauette of a black bird but a medieval ram’s horn filled with jewels, the leader of the gang is a woman not a man, and the associates are a mixed bag of bunglers except for Davis as the femme fatale. She is determined to play it straight although with a light touch while the others play it more broadly.

No one is more over-the-top than Warren William as the Sam Spade character re-dubbed Ted Shane. He dominates the proceedings by revisiting his Perry Mason persona from a few years earlier. He is a ladies’ man, quick with a quip, always on the lookout for a buck, and a first rate detective. Brit thespians Arthur Treacher and Allison Skipworth add class to the proceedings. Marie Wilson’s ditzy blonde secretary and Maynard Holmes’ overweight gunsel help add to the fun. Director Wilhelm Dieterle, not known for comedy, seems to enjoy the material. Too bad Bette Davis didn’t.