Henry Stephenson's younger daughter Lucile Brown is getting married to George Meeker. Her older sister Ann Harding is happy for her, but she's got her own ideas about marriage. Remember this is the Thirties before the days of woman's liberation and most women only thought in certain parameters.
She sets a trap for William Powell, a debonair playboy she's been crushing out on for a long time. Being the gentlemen he is Powell marries her, but inevitable problems do ensue.
Double Harness as a film was one I had a lot of difficulty with. The story is an indifferent one, you don't get to really care about these people. Powell, poor man, has to go to work, big deal. Ann Harding's ideas are so much cat litter and Lucile Brown is one spoiled brat who just needs a good spanking, one Henry Stephenson should have given ages ago.
There are some moments with humor, but they're few and far between even in this short film. It's not that dramatic and definitely not that funny.
But this is one of those films in the Thirties when the rich actually put on tuxedos to dress for dinner. People looked elegant, no one was ever better at looking elegant on the screen than William Powell. But he's done so much better work than this. And back in the Depression this was escapist stuff.
Still I've seen better from both Powell and Harding.