The story is pretty weak, there isn't much mystery worth solving, and Arthur's character is written as sort of a ditz, which really doesn't become her or mesh well with Powell, who retains some of the Nick Charles charm here.
On the completion of her Columbia contract in 1944, she reportedly ran through the studio's streets, shouting "I'm free, I'm free!". Relations between Dr. 'Brad' Bradford and ex-wife Paula are surprisingly romantic.
The story is pretty weak, there isn't much mystery worth solving, and Arthur's character is written as sort of a ditz, which really doesn't become her or mesh well with Powell, who retains some of the Nick Charles charm here.
And stars they are.
This combines my favourite screwball trope that William Powell ALWAYS gets cast in (fun young woman pursues disinterested man who eventually comes to appreciate her manic ways and they get together at the end even though they might not even like each other) and subverts the classic divorce romcom trope of ex-husband trying to win back ex-wife, creating the galaxy brain concept of ex-wife Jean Arthur pursuing ex-husband William Powell and I love it so much. So you can imagine I was properly chuffed to discover that it’s genuinely really good. Help Center Contributor Zone Polls. Actress
Archive footage But, reason apparently dictated to RKO that Jean Arthur was a fine comedienne and so should be inter-changeable, or nearly interchangeable.
!Before the sequel to the popular "Thin Man" hit, William Powell was already starring in forgeries like this, another cocktail-swishing murder mystery investigation focused more around the laid back dueling patter of an old married couple who sleuth for fun (in place of Myrna Loy, Jean Arthur). F***ing. "The Ex-Mrs. Bradford" (1936), starring Thin Man series star William Powell (this film was released the same year as the second Thin Man film, "After The Thin Man," comes very close to duplicating the fun and style of the Thin Man films, but it nonetheless misses. The Ex-Mrs. Bradford doesn't have the staying power of the best of Powell's classic Thin Man series, but it's delightful movie you'll watch over and over again.
Distinctive unconventional looks
But through horse trainer Mike North, Brad is embroiled in the case of a jockey who died of "heart failure" during a race. I'm not putting the blame for The Ex-Mrs. Bradford's stolid…The mystery element isn't anything special and probably pales in comparison to Even William Powell's presence can't lift this poorly written, poorly paced, and poorly directed comedic murder mystery that tries very hard to ape the success of the previous year's 'The Thin Man' (the script doesn't hold a candle to the weakest 'Thin Man' entry).
This was the last film directed by Stephen Roberts before his untimely death from a heart attack.
A doctor helps his ex-wife solve a murder mystery, instead of playing golf or whatever it was that doctors did at that time.