I’ve touched on these movie series in the past but if unfamiliar, in the days before television Hollywood made many series of fairly short, low budget films. Sherlock Holmes, Boston Blackie, Philo Vance, Andy Hardy, The Falcon, and also Maisie. Each episode would be released once, sometimes twice a year, world war permitting.
I thought this series was also in the mystery/detective genre but that wasn’t true for this first one. It is more in the romantic-ish/comedy-ish/drama-ish realm. Initially designed as a vehicle for Jean Harlow, but she became unavailable when she died. They found another pretty-ish sassy blonde with somewhat less sex appeal in Ann Sothern. It was successful enough to produce another nine more over the next eight years.
TV fans might remember Robert Young as the father from Father Knows Best and the doctor from Dr. Marcus Welby, M.D., but he had a minor film career in the 1930’s and 40’s. Ruth Hussey has a secondary role here. I always felt she had the looks and talent to be an A actress but it never happened for her.
Except for Holmes, I haven’t found these B picture series interesting enough to continue watching, and Maisie follows the trend. Sothern’s Maisie wasn’t very likable and the story was nothing special. And as most of the rest are rated lower, I think we should stop here. Not western enough to be a western, funny enough to be a comedy, or interesting enough to be rewatched. AMRU 3. Maybe that’s a little generous.
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