The first of an intended series that never came to be, Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone is blessed with a solid cast but lacks a first rate script. Granted, O'Malley was conceived as a "programmer" anyway; most series films were. But it's something of a shame that the failings of the first film prevented any further entries, as there were some elements here that showed distinct promise. Foremost among these are the two lead actors. Marjorie Main possessed a rare sense of comic personality that could have slid easily into a "sleuth" series. Her downhome looks, deadpan manner and ability to destroy with a quip only needed a witty script and intriguing mystery. She is well matched by James Whitmore, self-assured and flippant, an excellent actor who knows how to finesse a comic line and has the manly quality that detectives of the period are identified with. And in O'Malley, they're well supported by a supporting cast that is an embarrassment of riches -- Ann Dvorak, Dorothy Malone, Fred Clark, Phyllis Kirk, Clinton Sundberg. With a better script, O'Malley could have been a real contender.