Brother Orchid (1940)

Review by All Movie Guide
Brother Orchid ends up being an enjoyable flick, but it does so in spite of a number of flaws. Orchid's major problem is that it tries to be both a comedy and drama and the strain of trying to reconcile these conflicting genres is a bit much. It's certainly not impossible to do this, of course, as any number of films have demonstrated. But Orchid's comedy is of the wrong style; it's cartoonish, but not outlandish enough to create a reality of its own. Thus, the characters seem to exist in two separate worlds. Director Lloyd Bacon does what he can to make the contrasting styles work, and he does succeed to a degree. What's needed, however, is a stronger vision that transcends the genre limitations of each style and creates a style of its own, and here he falls a bit short. The cast, however, is Orchid's saving grace. Some of the performers are fortunate and are only called upon to play in either a dramatic mode (Humphrey Bogart, Donald Crisp) or a comedic mode (Allen Jenkins, Ralph Bellamy), and they do so quite winningly. Edward G. Robinson and Ann Sothern, however, have to play both sides of the fence. Fortunately, they do so like the consummate pros they are, with both turning in performances that are first-rate. They're wonderful company to be with, and they push Orchid into the winner's circle. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide