The Notorious Sophie Lang (1934)

Gertrude Michael is quite good as this quirky comedy hits the ground running. She's the eponymous jewel thief returning to the United States after a lengthy visit to the UK. Finally, "Insp. Stone" (Arthur Byron) hopes he will have his chance to apprehend his elusive antagonist, so he tries to stitch her up, unwittingly, with fellow thief "Max" (Paul Cavanagh) and hopefully catch them both red handed with a priceless set of pearls. "Lang" is way to savvy to fall for this obvious ruse, smells a rat, and is soon doing most of the policeman's sleuthing for him in order to detect the real criminal mastermind in their midst whilst simultaneously not being outdone by her new, competitive, would-be beau. The detection elements of the plot here are really neither here nor there. What makes this a bit more notable is the provocative fashion in which Michael plays her role. "Sophie Lang" is a clever, wily and sexual creature and plays to her strengths - and to men's weaknesses - well as the story develops. As a comedy it falls rather flat, but as a movie that delivers a more substantial role for an actress in the early 1930s, it does a little better.