Story: Scott Miller (Preston Foster) has found immense success in the business world, but not so much when it comes to romance and true love. He is smitten with Kay Colby (Carole Lombard), though she happens to be with someone else, her fiance Bill Wadsworth (Cesar Romero). Of course, a businessman doesn’t give up that easily and after some brainstorming, Scott figures out a way to sabotage his romantic competition. He uses his wealth to purchase the oil company that Bill works for and then has him transferred, to an overseas branch, no less. But will his bold gambit work or has he underestimated Kay’s wit and wiles?

Entertainment Value: Love Before Breakfast is a light, brisk screwball comedy that runs hot and provides a lot of laughs. The story is simple and doesn’t have much depth, but it is a lot of fun and the narrative does what it needs to do, which is let this cast loose. I love how much the movie does in just seventy minutes, as there is no downtime and the pace rarely relents, so the jokes are fast and furious. At the same time, even with the short duration and brisk pace, the story has the room it needs and the characters are able to develop, so it never feels rushed. I don’t think I’d rate this next to the screwball all time classics, but Love Before Breakfast is very good and boasts sharp dialogue, good chemistry, and ample laughs, so it is well recommended.

If you’re a Carole Lombard fan, this movie is one you need to check out, as she is almost always on screen and she always shines. She brings her glamour and commanding presence to Love Before Breakfast and is easily the main draw here, which is impressive, since the rest of the cast is also quite good. Lombard handles the sometimes manic comedic pace with ease, gliding through the banter with skill and really turning in a memorable performance. Her chemistry with Preston Foster is terrific and the two play off each so well, which means the dialogue is barbed and always hilarious when these two cinematic legends share the screen. The cast here also includes Cesar Romero, Janet Beecher, Betty Lawford, and Richard Carle, while Walter Lang directs.

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