Loose Ankles (1930): Ted Wilde’s Pre-Code Romantic Comedy, Starring Loretta Young and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.

A pre-code sound romantic comedy with songs, Loose Ankles was produced and released by First National, a subsidiary of Warner Bros.

A remake of the 1926 silent, Ladies at Play, the film was directed by Ted Wilde, starring Loretta Young, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Louise Fazenda and Edward Nugent.

Both versions were adapted by Gene Towne from Sam Janney’s 1926 play, ” Loose Ankles.”

Young plays Ann Harper Berry, a socialite who inheritance of $1 million from her deceased grandmother. The will stipulates that she will only receive the money after she marries a respectable man, approved by her two prudish aunts Sarah (Louise Fazenda) and Katherine (Ethel Wales) Harper.

The will also stipulates that no scandal will be tolerated, and in case it does happen, the estate will be donated to a welfare organization for the cats and dogs.

Note:

I am grateful to TCM for showing the film on December 11, 2019.