Mr. Lucky - Warner Archive Collection

Cary Grant has always had a knack for playing lovable scoundrels. His charm, wit, and million-dollar smile make it easy for him to swindle, seduce, and sell a bill of goods to a host of gullible and beguiled characters in several films. One of the best of them is Mr. Lucky. Though this breezy comedy-drama often flies under the radar in discussions of Grant's career, it contains one of his most natural and endearing performances.

In the days before the U.S. entered World War II, ne'er-do-well Joe Adams (Grant) and his partner Zepp (Paul Stewart) need funding for a gambling ship. They also want to dodge the draft. When they learn one of their cronies, Joe Bascopoulos has passed away and was categorized as 4F, the two men agree to play a game of chance. The winner will not only assume Bascopoulos' identity and thus be disqualified from the draft, he will also gain sole control of the gambling operation. Joe wins, but unknown details about Bascopoulos' past might come back to haunt him.

To raise the money he needs for the gambling ship, Joe infiltrates a struggling war relief charity organization run by socialite Dorothy Bryant (Laraine Day). He convinces Dorothy to hold a casino night for rich donors that's sure to bring in big bucks; money he plans to secretly siphon off. Grateful for his help and attracted by his devil-may-care attitude, Dorothy falls for Joe, but can he keep her from finding out who he really is and what he's up to?

Cynical and selfish, Joe is an "I stick my neck out for no one" type of character in the vein of Humphrey Bogart's Rick Blaine. And just as Rick turns noble in Casablanca, circumstances eventually inspire Joe to become a patriot. Mr. Lucky believably handles the transformation and deftly juggles the light comedy, romance, and drama peppering the screenplay. Credit director H.C. Potter, a journeyman who never received the level of praise he deserved (his most noteworthy films are Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House and The Farmer's Daughter), keeps the narrative moving and showcasing the supporting players who make fine foils for Grant and perk up the plot.

Grant reportedly lobbied RKO to purchase Mr. Lucky expressly for him and his enthusiasm for the project is evident on screen. The actor is at his debonair best - slick, sly, stylish, and utterly charming, but with a dash of street-wise hardness. Just as Archibald Leach invented the persona of Cary Grant, the lowly Joe Adams adopts a high-toned disposition to grift his society marks. Grant especially excels in roles that tap into his humble roots and he hit the jackpot with Mr. Lucky.

Day is another very talented Hollywood actress who never quite achieved full-fledged stardom. (Classics fans will surely know her as the female lead in Alfred Hitchcock's Foreign Correspondent and as Nurse Lamont in seven Dr. Kildare features.) Mr. Lucky offered her one of her best parts and she combines glamor, grit, and a splash of vulnerability to file an engaging portrayal. Though she can't generate the same crackling chemistry with Grant as Katharine Hepburn or Irene Dunne, the two make a potent pair.

A marvelous troupe of character actors flesh out the picture. Charles Bickford doesn't get much screen time, but makes the most of what he's given, and the always stellar Gladys Cooper shines as Dorothy's right-hand woman. In just his fourth film, Paul Stewart, who would go on to grace dozens of movies and TV shows, brings his special brand of dark-eyed intensity to the role of Joe's duplicitous colleague and such familiar faces as Alan Carney, Henry Stephenson, and Florence Bates also enliven the proceedings.

Mr. Lucky isn't a flashy film, but it tells an engrossing, topical tale with a fair amount of flair and contains an array of fine performances. It's a quintessential Grant vehicle that shows off the star to terrific advantage, and while it may not possess the same cachet as some of Grant's more renowned movies, it hangs with the best of them and delivers on a number of levels. We're lucky Warner Archive dug this charmer out of the RKO vault. It deserves a revival.

Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray
Mr. Lucky arrives on Blu-ray packaged in a standard case. Video codec is 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 and audio is DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono. Once the disc is inserted into the player, the static menu with music immediately pops up; no previews or promos precede it.

Mr. Lucky never got a DVD release, so fans have had to wait a long time to own a digital copy of this top-notch film. Warner Archive rewards that patience with a glorious 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 transfer that maximizes the artistry of George Barnes' lush cinematography. An eight-time Oscar nominee, Barnes won the award for Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca, and this brand new HD master struck from a 4K scan of the original nitrate negative celebrates his talent. The dazzling film-like image keeps the natural grain structure intact and boasts exceptional clarity and contrast, with rich blacks, vivid whites, and beautifully graded grays heightening fine details in the sets and costumes. The loud patterns of Grant's ties truly pop (a rarity in black-and-white), as do Day's sparking jewels and sequins. Shadow delineation is quite good, sharp close-ups highlight Grant's slick, raven black hair, and not a single nick, speck, or bit of dirt mar the spotless source. I never dreamed Mr. Lucky could look this good, so this transfer was a revelation.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono track pumps out quality sound that's free of any age-related hiss, pops, or crackle. Excellent fidelity and tonal depth allow Roy Webb's music score to fill the room with ease, and sonic accents like coins pouring out of a slot machine, fisticuffs, and gunshots are crisp. All the dialogue is easy to comprehend and no distortion creeps into the mix.

A couple of vintage audio extras enhance the disc.

• Vintage Radio Adaptation: Lux Radio Theater broadcast with Cary Grant and Laraine Day (10/18/1943) (61 minutes)
• Vintage Radio Adaptation: Screen Director's Playhouse broadcast with Cary Grant and H.C. Potter (1/20/1950) (30 minutes)
• Theatrical Trailer (2 minutes)

How lucky can you get? Mr. Lucky gives us Cary Grant in a long-forgotten yet highly entertaining film that's been lovingly restored by Warner Archive. The brand new 4K scan of the original nitrate negative is worth its weight in gold and the remastered audio and vintage radio adaptations add luster to this top-drawer release. Highly Recommended.