Easily one of the funniest comedies of the 193O's, this pre-code West-ern is a real treat. La West plays Tira, a carny gal who's been around the block a few times: in order to raise some dough, she sticks her head into a lion's mouth - and basks in the attention she receives from various fans. The scene between Mae and Gertrude Michael is hilarious: "You haven't a shred of decency in you!" spouts the snobbish Michaels to which Mae retorts "I don't show my good points to strangers!" A young Cary Grant is one of Tira's many admirers and Edward Arnold is memorable as Tira's loud, gruff boss, Big Bill Barton. Mae's courtroom plea, where she puts every man in his place - and wins the admiration of the judge is a gem. This film was made just after Mae's sensational hit SHE DONE HIM WRONG. Feeling indebted to West because the film's success single-handedly saved Paramount Pictures from impending bankruptcy, mogul Adolph Zukor promised Mae that she could do anything she wanted for her next film. Because she had been fascinated by lions since childhood, she had her fantasy written into the movie's plotline.

There's a great sequence here with Mae West being primped by four black servants (among them future Oscar winner Hattie McDaniel) and making them laugh with her innuendo over the men in her life (or the life in her men) as she inquired into their lives as well. It's not the tale of a white woman with her servants, but five women just chilling even if one is doing her hair, another her nails, and the other two various other assignments. They are laughing sincerely, and as evidenced with head maid Gertrude Howard, they are all on equal footing with Mae.

It's not until the film is more than half way over that Cary Grant makes his appearance as the attorney of her latest conquest, Kent Taylor, going on his own because of how this affects Taylor's future with uppity fiancee Gertrude Michael. Mae has spent half of the film's dumping possible husband Ralf Harolde, becoming involved in the fleecing of carnival customer William B. Davidson, and obviously intends to replace Taylor with Grant. Edward Arnold is underused as Mae's agent, while Gregory Ratoff has a few funny moments as her attorney when her situation ends with her in court. Walter Walker, as the judge, seems bemused by everything going on (in Mae's favor of course),and even gets a sweet post-court scene with her that is quite delightful.

This is loaded with hysterically funny innuendo, some of the lines classics, and a few delightful to discover. She took throwaway lines and made them funny without really trying. There have been carny films made before, and this is undoubtedly the best, with Mae terrific in a tense lion taming scene. West deserves acclaim for a solid screenplay and should have gotten Oscar nominations for both her performance and her writing.

When Mae West selected a young contract player from Paramount named Cary Grant as her leading man, a star was definitely born. But make no mistake about it, this film and She Done Him Wrong are her films and no one else's

In I'm No Angel Mae spends the entire time of the film proving she definitely ain't. Every man in the film is completely captivated by her free and easy sexuality. As this was pre-Code you have to listen hard to the dialog because Mae comes out with a gem every five minutes or so.

Mae's a circus performer here and after her manager Edward Arnold persuades her to stick her head in a lion's mouth, her gate attraction increases with her notoriety. Young millionaire Cary Grant is the last of several in the film captivated by her. She's falling for him to, but Arnold breaks it up for his own reasons.

The end of the film is a breach of promise suit brought by Mae against Cary and when she takes over the cross examination of the witnesses the results are a comedy milestone. Not that her lawyer, Gregory Ratoff, isn't capable enough, but he's rather distracted by her as well. Ratoff's performance in fact is the best one among the supporting cast.

I'm No Angel is arguably Mae West's best film and I'm not one to argue.