kevin olzak 1931's "I Like Your Nerve" is an alleged First National comedy that wears out its welcome in record time. Coming off the classic gangster thriller "Little Caesar," Douglas Fairbanks Jr. does what he can with a clichéd character of idle rich American Larry O'Brien (the kind of role that Harold Lloyd played in 1923's "Why Worry?"), sent to the South American town of San Arango, where he indelicately falls in impulsive love with beautiful Diane Forsythe (Loretta Young), despite her imminent betrothal to the much older Clive Lattimer (Edmond Breon). Displaying as much nerve as the title suggests, Larry manages to court the admittedly reluctant bride, going so far as to address her father, Ariel Pacheco (Henry Kolker), who happens to be the nation's Minister of Finance, a position with an unpleasant recent history of violent death. It's not long before the impetuous youth uncovers the sadly obvious reason behind the arranged marriage, but as usual the instant attraction between the two stars comes off as wholly forced and labored. Of the small credited cast of just six players, it's a pleasure to see Boris Karloff listed last as Pacheco's retainer Luigi, as one would think that a dozen lines and about a minute and a half on screen might have gone unbilled, about five months prior to "Frankenstein." Fairbanks and Young do make an attractive couple, but nothing feels natural about their relationship, and even the supposedly happy ending makes one wonder where the pair can go, since they hardly know each other; I had the same problem with the conclusion of "The Graduate" - what exactly does victory entail? Not entirely dull, but lacking in humor and real substance. Director William McGann was a former cinematographer for the elder Fairbanks, while Boris Karloff and Loretta Young would be reunited nearly three years later, opposite George Arliss in "The House of Rothschild."

Michael_Elliott I Like Your Nerve (1931) * 1/2 (out of 4)Far fetched, unromantic and unfunny romantic comedy has Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. in a Latin country where he falls in love with Loretta Young even though she's to be married to another man. Several words like boring, insane and stupid come to mind when I think about this film, which is a major disappointment considering the talent involved. Boris Karloff has a small role as a butler.Loretta Young is my favorite actress but this is certainly one of her lesser films.

movingpicturegal This film features a basic plot line we've all seen many times in many different films and that is this - a more appropriate, more handsome man tries to catch, before it's too late, a woman about to be married to a less appropriate, "wrong" man. In this film, Loretta Young plays the beautiful daughter of the Minister of Finance, and she is set to marry, in four days time, a wealthy, but gruff and rather ugly old man (well - there's really no other way I could put it!) - the reasons for her odd choice of partner are a secret. When she meets grinning, conceited Larry O'Brien (played by Douglas Fairbanks Jr.), he is immediately in love and uses a bunch of tricks and schemes in an attempt to win her for himself. She seems to dislike him (but, of course, in the way of most movies from then to now, she *really* secretly likes him).There is some humor in this, mostly of the Three Stooges / slap-in-the-face variety, plus some funny scenes with Claud Allister as Larry's gay sidekick Archie. Loretta Young really has little to do in this film other than look gorgeous in beautiful gowns and dangling earrings. Boris Karloff also has little to do in this film other than slink in and out of the room as butler. The actor who plays her father acts in a sort of bugged-out eyes style, but I guess it's supposed to be funny. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. tries to be charming, but he comes across to me as not particularly interesting - he's just sort of there. Okay film, but nothing great - a middle-range time filler, mainly for fans of Loretta Young.

John Seal Doug Fairbanks Jr. stars as an ugly American-style tourist stranded in a corrupt Central American Ruritania, only to fall in love with the daughter (Loretta Young) of the country's finance minister (Henry Kolker) days before her wedding to the local millionaire (Edward Breon). This First National production was obviously done on the cheap, as there are numerous technical flaws and even a few flubbed lines by Fairbanks. The film was attractively shot by Ernest Haller, however, and there are some impressive sets probably left over from a big budget feature. Sixth billed Boris Karloff has about two dozen words as Luigi, the butler, character actor Luis Alberni shows up as a local restarauteur, and Claud Allister plays a gay British diplomat ("everyone KNOWS I'm a bachelor!"). It's a cheap and cheerful early talkie, so suspend your disbelief and enjoy the ride.