The Devil to Pay

Ronald Colman plays the “black sheep” of a wealthy British family, sent to South Africa so that he’ll be as far away from home as possible. Broke again, Colman auctions off his belongings and heads for London to the less-than-open arms of his father (Frederick Kerr). He begins to dally with a saucy actress (Myrna Loy), but soon his attentions shift to a young heiress (Loretta Young) engaged to a nobleman. The heiress manages to set Colman on the straight and narrow, so he renounces his wastrel ways and settles down–but not before breaking up the girl’s upcoming wedding. Based on a play by Frederick Lonsdale, Devil to Pay is dated only in its subject matter; on a purely technical level, the film hardly betrays its age at all., Drawing-room comedy-of-manners revolving around a romantic triangle. Excellent dialogue and performances.