CriticLeonardMaltindescribes"ThreeOnAMatch"asa"hardhittingexampleofforbiddenHollywood".Thatitis,nohappyendingshere,asthisdepressionerafilmfollowstheriseandfallofchildhoodfriendswhogetcaughtupintheseamyunderworldofbooze,drugsandgambling,ultimatelytradingplacesalongtheway.ThethreefriendsareMaryKeatonBernard(JoanBlondell),VivianRevereKirkwood(AnnDvorak)andRuthWescott(BetteDavis),showngrowingupbetween1919and1932asamontageofnewspaperheadlinesplacethestoryinahistoricalcontext.Blondell'scharacterisareformschoolstandout,whoselifeexperienceputsherinapositiontocounseladepressedand"fedupwitheverything"Vivian.VivtakesupwithsmalltimehoodMikeLoftus(LyleTalbot)afterdisappearingwithheryoungsonfromacruiseship.LoftusingratiateshimselfwithmobsterHarve(HumphreyBogartinaminorrole)andhisbossAce(EdwardArnold)bygoingintodebtfortwogrand.Thedesperatecreepattemptstoblackmailtheboy'sfather,wealthylawyerRobertKirkwood(WarrenWilliam),butthatplanheadssouthasthecopsquicklyclosein.Vivian'sresolutionisoneofthemoredepressingfinalestoatalethatrealisticallydepictsapairofunfortunatesoulswhoselivesspiralcompletelyoutofcontrol.Thefilmdoeshaveit'sshareoflightmoments;oneofthenewspaperclippingsdescribesthenewfashiontrendinbeachwear,a"brief"sunsuit,ablymodeledbyBetteDavis.Instarkcontrast,Mr.Kirkwood'sattireofchoiceisabusinesssuitandtiewhilesittingunderabeachumbrella,hardtoworkupagoodtanthatway.Davis'screentimeislimitedbuteffective,withasitupandtakenoticescenewhereshe'sshownwearingjustaslipearlyinthefilm,ratherdaringfortheeraandshowingmoreskinthanonemightexpect.WarnerBrothers/FirstNationalmasterfullyportrayedthedownandout,seamyundersideoflifeduringthe1930's,'40'sand'50's,tacklingallmannerofsubjectsintheirmovies."ThreeOnAMatch"tellsit'stalewithoutawastedmoment,sometimesrelyingonscenesthatonlylastafewsecondstomovethestoryalong.It'shardedgedandnononsense,allthemoreprovocativeforit'smaturesubjectmatterandrealisticportrayals;highlyrecommended.
