I Live My Life (1935) User Reviews

Joan Digs What's On The Dig

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 16 March 2011]

Joan Crawford gets a change from being a taxi dancer or a shop girl and is a full fledged heiress in I Live My Life. She's living it pretty good too, far better than most in her Depression era audience were. She's on a nice holiday in Europe and comes upon an archaeological dig in Greece. A rare statue is unearthed, but the debonair Irish archaeologist doing the digging played by Brian Aherne interests Ms. Crawford far more.

Our heiress is quite the flirt, movie heiresses back then always were, but she sure hooks Aherne. The problem is she's already engaged to the wealthy and snooty Fred Keating back in New York. And she may have to marry him. Her dad is Frank Morgan and he's got a few bucks, but the real money is with her tyrannical grandma Jessie Ralph. There's reason personal and financial to marry Keating. And as the popular song of the day went, all Aherne has to give is love. And Keating is such a drip.

Although Crawford is one sly little minx in this film, Aherne's charm and sincerity really get to her. In fact they got to me as he gives the film's best performance. Frank Morgan is always good and he's his usual befuddled self. He actually married into the money, Joan's mother is deceased and he lives to a lesser degree on the largess of his mother-in-law.

I wish Aline McMahon and Sterling Holloway as Aherne's assistants had more to do in I Live My Life. They always add to any film they're in.

I Live My Life is not one of Joan's better films, but entertaining enough. The question is will Aherne live Joan's life or will Joan start living Aherne's? Back then there was only one way to go.

Surprisingly good romantic comedy in spite of generic title.

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 27 February 2013]

It's easy to see why Joan Crawford was one of the top box office draws of the mid 1930's. She was simply one of the most exquisitely beautiful and natural movie stars, not a superb actress, but purely ravishing in looks, poise and personality. She sang and danced, clowned and cried with conviction, and audiences adored her. The masculine 1940's and 50's look was far off, so here she is at her most appealing.

This romantic comedy has Crawford as a madcap socialite traveling aboard her father's (Frank Morgan) private yacht around the Greek isles where she meets a struggling archaeologist (Brian Aherne) who thinks she's a secretary. Fate reveals the truth in New York when he meets her father, and once all is revealed, the sparks continue to fly. Aherne is one of Crawford's better romantic leads, not a he-man like Gable or dull like real-life hubby Franchot Tone, but a likable masculine male who will not tolerate her nonsense, yet would never bore her, either.

This isn't all champagne corks and society shindigs, however. This delves into visions of the lives of the idle rich and how a working man could never tolerate such an existence, particularly in the depression. When Aherne is made a vice president in the company run by Crawford's hard-as-nails granny (the fabulous Jessie Ralph), he goes ballistic as he realizes the pointlessness of it all and his title in name only position. Eric Blore and Arthur Treacher exchange some great "sissy" dialog as butlers of the different households, and the always wonderful Aline MacMahon is fun as Aherne's assistant. There is also a fabulous Christmas sequence where the guest at the unseen Ralph's annual shindig sing one of the funniest versions of "Silent Night" ever heard on film.

This has one of the wittiest screenplays of MGM's golden age (outside a "Thin Man" movie), with gems such as Morgan's retort to Aherne, "After all, Rome wasn't burnt in a day!" and Ralph's acceptance of Aherne when he fibs by telling her that his ancestors were horse thieves and pirates. "Good Stock", she says, as she could in that truly inimitable vinegary way.

They Lie for Love

[atlasmb · 6/10 · 10 January 2014]

I Live My Life starts out as a simple story: boy meets girl, boy falls for girl, girl runs away, boy pursues girl. But the boy is an Irish archaeologist who is not afraid to get his hands dirty and who spurns "people with too much money". The girl comes from a wealthy New York/Connecticut family that cowers in the presence of the grandmother who controls the family fortune and, therefore, their lives.

During the film, the characters tell a series of lies. In the beginning, these are frivolous lies told with no concern for the feelings of others. By the end of the film, they lie for love.

I am not a huge fan of Joan Crawford, who plays the wealthy and frivolous girl, Kay Bentley. But in some of her early films she displays a great energy. I Live My Life is one of those films. On occasion, she even displays emotional subtlety.

Brian Aherne plays the boy. He is, in turns, ebullient and downcast as his character (Terry O'Neill) is buffeted by the fickle winds of Kate's affections.

The cast includes memorable performances all around, especially by Eric Blore as the Bentley butler.

The gowns and other wardrobe that were fashioned by Adrian deserve mention. Others have been critical of his efforts in this film, but I found them immensely enjoyable. Even when they are impractical, they accentuate the frivolous nature of the rich who inhabit this film. They are bold statements that sometimes transcend practicality and embrace art.

The film itself is not a masterpiece, but it satisfies

Unspectacular, but mostly pleasant, comedy

[Poseidon-3 · 17 March 2006]

In a departure from her more common rags-to-riches melodramas, Crawford plays here an heiress who stumbles upon a handsome archaeologist, leading to a complicated courtship as their worlds collide. While on a lengthy cruise of the Greek islands, bored Crawford hires a donkey (in a scene that must be seen to be believed!) and tours Naxos on her own. Running to escape bandits, she happens upon an excavation where Aherne is unearthing a buried statue. The pair proceeds to needle one other with Crawford deceiving Aherne into believing she's just a poor secretary and Aherne punishing her for exaggerating an injury. Despite this rocky first meeting, they fall in love and Aherne crosses the Atlantic to see her again. Unfortunately, she's already betrothed to New York hotshot Keating in a match that will greatly aid her father Morgan. Morgan exists under the thumb of his domineering mother-in-law Ralph and has striven to break free by taking some risky investments. Only a marriage between Keating and Crawford can save him. So Crawford has a big decision to make, regardless of whether she can adapt to having Aherne, a society outcast, as a husband! Much maneuvering and flip-flopping occurs, with comedy both genuine and forced, until the resolution. Crawford begins the film with a refreshing naturalness and ease. She's quite game for the physical needs of the role and looks great (her hair even moves in the early sequences!) Later, she's done up in some utterly humongous eyelashes and an array of body-swallowing Adrian creations which, though they were the height of fantasy clothing for the era, are often ludicrous and even unflattering! Somehow, her later scenes just can't match the light touch she started out with near the beginning. Aherne (who in certain shots and at certain angles resembles Jude Law) is appealing most of the time and, while hardly a star of the same caliber as Crawford, holds his own rather well. He and Crawford establish a chemistry that makes the audience root for them to survive as a couple. One tremendous asset to the film is Morgan. His inimitable delivery and assured performance is a joy to behold. He forms an appealing bond with Crawford, while essaying the cantankerous persona he excelled at in his career. No one, however, can outgrump Ralph as the old lady. Before she even appears, her dictates, mandates and orders are bandied about and her portraits loom on the various walls of homes and offices. The woman has a field day running roughshod over everyone in sight. Many other fine character actors from MGM's heyday appear in support as well. There is an unevenness in the film and it may not have been Crawford's forte, but one could certainly do worse than to check out this glossy, amiable film. Fans of "Mommie Dearest" will get a bit of a thrill watching Crawford trash the better part of a dressing room with lamps flying and pottery being smashed to bits. Crawford and Aherne would be reunited, briefly, in the film "The Best of Everything" as long-term co-workers of a book publishing firm.

What a drag.

[raskimono · 6/10 · 2 June 2004]

TCM, the old movies channel tends to give us the best of the old school movie stars but at times I think they show too much of them in dispensation of the movies of lesser known stars who have better movies, idest this Joan Crawford movie which is only being shown because it's a Joan Crawford movie. Trash is trash no matter the star. Crawford is a rich spoiled lass. Brian Aherne has one of those archaelogical jobs with a name nobody can remember or pronounce without sounding either ulta-intelligent or extremely foolish. Their love will not work because of the class differences. Will it? Have you heard of schizrophenic movie?, that movie that cannot decide what it wants to be, a comedy or a drama and as a joan of all movies, it tries many but masters none. It's funny for 10 minutes, then suddenly comedic with people changing attitudes and tone unconvincingly, especially at the matriarch's house. Ending seems rushed and even Joan falls short in this one. Obviously an A-production with the usually sharp craftsman Woody Van Dyke behind the camera, the whole buffoonery is a poor disappointment.

pushy

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 8 June 2022]

Bored socialite Kay Bentley (Joan Crawford) is on vacation in Greece. On one of the island stops, she falls for archaeologist Terry O'Neill (Brian Aherne). At the last minute, she has second thoughts and gives him the name of her father's secretary. He goes to visit her in New York City and finds that he's been fooled.

The second meeting is the meet-cute or maybe it's counted as the third meeting. It's a funny move to keep pushing her down into the chair. It may be too pushy for today but for its time, it's terribly cute. It's not the most compelling rom-com but it has all the parts. It also has Joan Crawford. I don't mind the chemistry but I do need more comedy. The basic premise is that he has trouble living in her world. It's not that funny and I don't see why she couldn't live in his. The worst thing that could happen is that he goes back to Greece and she could live on the yacht.

A spoiled rich princess...why would Aherne or anyone else want her?!

[planktonrules · 3/10 · 29 January 2010]

MGM came up with a very predictable formula for Joan Crawford in the 1930s. Despite the films' limitations, casting her as a poor girl worked well in the box office. In most of these films, she wanted to marry a rich man and live a life of leisure, but regardless of her aims, she became known for playing her earthy ladies from working-class roots. Despite this, the studio worked against type and cast her as a rather shallow rich lady in I LIVE MY LIFE--a role that seemed ill-suited to her. On top of that, the film really didn't seem well written, as the characters often act in ways that make little sense.

The film begins with Crawford and her clan on a yacht in the Greek Isles. Crawford goes to shore and meets an archaeologist (Brian Aherne) and they hit it off pretty well. However, he says something about his prejudices against rich and shallow folks (that's her in spades), so she lies and tells him she's a secretary--not a pampered 'princess'. However, after spending all this time with him, she just leaves--without telling him who she really is, as she knows the relationship can't work.

Later, after she never answered any of his letters to her in America, Aherne comes to the States to look for her. He soon finds out that she is NOT who she says she was, so he digs deeper and eventually finds her in her mansion. They argue a lot and split. Then, when he's giving a lecture in a nearby museum, she arrives--to tell him how much she doesn't love him. Naturally, this is a giant cliché and soon they begin snogging (for those not acquainted with 'British', this is KISSING). Soon, they are preparing for a wedding(!?).

In the meantime, Crawford's father (Frank Morgan) finds out his investments have gone bust and the family is in jeopardy of losing all their stuff so Crawford knows she can't marry Aherne but must marry a rich guy. Now considering that this film was made during the Depression, the idea of Morgan or Crawford having to get a real job doesn't seem THAT awful. It was hard to care about some flibbertigibbet who has to vacate their mansion when the average American was pondering whether or not cat is the other white meat! So worrying about whether this brood can keep their wealth seems rather unimportant.

So, will Crawford marry Aherne or some other dude? Well, instead, she has the idea of having Aherne suck up to her grandmother--maybe she will give them the money they 'need' to bail out the family. So, in other words, she wants Aherne to become a man-whore. And, once he gets a job from her where he gets to sit around and do nothing and collect a HUGE salary, the audience is expected to feel sorry for him! As for all this nonsense, does anyone care? Well, as for me, I didn't and had a hard time following this film to the end--especially since late in the film Crawford showed herself to be a total brat. In one scene, she destroys thousands of dollars worth of things around the house and a designer dress!! Poor little pampered princess!

I recommend this film only for completists who insist on seeing all of Crawford's films--otherwise, skip it. It's a sad shadow of her better films of the era. A sad misfire with an uninvolving plot and rather unlikable characters--aside from the crusty grandmother. This, by the way, is quite a waste as the film did have a great supporting cast consisting of Frank Morgan, Arthur Treacher, Eric Blore and Aline MacMahon.

Crawford Plus Screwball Don't Mix

[Plymouth-58 · 7/10 · 15 August 1999]

MGM's desperation for new Crawford ventures wafts over this overstuffed and un-funny 1935 production. The gowns are beautiful, she looks fantastic ... but look for no chemistry between Crawford and Aherne. "Fun" and "silly" escape Crawford's abilities. Yes, she rides a runaway mule, slips down a hill, and falls on her backside ... but all done with a grimly painted on smile. Her discomfort spans the decades.

Silly, Silly Saving Grace the Character Actors

[Sharclon8 · 3/10 · 7 January 2010]

I have never been a big fan of Joan Crawford, this movie clarifies why. I like comedy and Ms. Crawford is NOT a comedian. I would not attempt to understand why. Like other reviewers I wonder if this movie would have faired better in the hands of a Carole Lombard. BUT unlike other reviewers I feel Brian Ahearne could have been appreciated had he been cast opposite another actress. I have seen him in other comedic movies and he handled himself well. I am of the opinion that Ms. Crawford is the wet blanket in this movie. That said, the shining grace of this movie is the plethora of the much known and loved character actors: Frank Morgan, Jesse Ralph, Eric Blore, Arthur Treacher we never get tired of watching any or all of their antics. This is not the only movie their presence has saved.

Probably not the best of either star

[xan-the-crawford-fan · 7/10 · 17 June 2021]

What do you do whe you're a bored heiress and in Greece? Do you rent a donkey and accidentally fall into an archeological dig, fall in love with the main archeologist, fall out of love with him, lie to him about your wealth, fall in love with him again, want to get married to him, have a big fight with him and destroy a room, rip up your wedding dress, fix up your wedding dress and decide to marry him anyway?

Well...it wasn't my plan. But Joan Crawford does exactly that in this one.

Comedy was not Crawford's strong suit, but at least she could sort of do it. Notice how I said sort of. The bit with her on the donkey is funny. The pratfalls fall a little flat, but (for the most part) at least they don't just throw them randomly in. And at least when Crawford pitches down the hill, her clothes get dirty. For a better Crawford comedy, I'll stick with They All Kissed The Bride- despite the fact that both that film and this one have very misleading titles.

As other reviews have pointed out, Adrian really went overboard with his gowns- those buckles! Those ruffles! How shiny and poofy! Geez, Adrian, tone it down. The gowns are far too distracting, as are Crawford's foot-long (at the very least) false eyelashes that cast spindly spider's legs shadows on her face.

Brian Aherne was probably not the greatest, or probably not the first choice for this role. He worked better in My Sister Eileen. It was fun to see him talking about Greek statues while wearing cargo shorts. I feel that Franchot Tone or Robert Montgomery would have worked better for this role, but beggars can't be choosers.

Overall, while not a super great film, and not Crawford's finest (or Aherne's), it's a good little watch if you don't really think about it and try not to be too annoyed by the main characters. And, I might add, it 100% is not Crawford's worst (we think of Torch Song, Beserk and Trog and we shudder).

I can't put a half star rating, but my vote is 6.5/10. Maybe 6.4. Maybe I'm being generous.

I Live My Life has little of it.

[st-shot · 5/10 · 14 April 2011]

Tall, dull and handsome Brian Aherne is no match for Joan Crawford in this tepid, loose screwball that never catches fire. Trouper Crawford looks fit and trim riding a donkey backwards as well as stunning in a form fitting wedding gown but Aherne's Terry lacks the male intensity to parry with Joan for the film to balance properly making it a rather lopsided and unsatisfying affair. The only , albeit brief, moments of humor belong to two of the best go to servants in film history, Arthur Treacher and Eric Blore.

Spoiled little rich girl Kay Bentley literally falls into an archaeological dig in Greece where she meets Terry O'Neil who is at first annoyed but soon bewitched by Kay. He pursues her back to the states and the two begin a romantically abrasive relationship that continues right up to the altar.

As the entitled and rebellious Kay, Crawford's character is given little to work with and undeveloped while Aherne's thick headed and socially inept Irishman is an insensitive but then as now acceptable stereotype. He may have a doctorate but he's Irish and lack of decorum in polite society is to be expected. Support wise, Frank Morgan does his usual dithering and calming influence Aline MacMahon lends council in a typical day's work for both but like the rest of the cast fail to put any life into this formless formulaic that limps along rather than stride.

what fun!

[rensamuels · 8/10 · 22 March 2007]

The worst thing about this film is the title! I often feel the title can make or break a film, and if this was named something a little less clunky and serious, it probably would get more respect and be a classic comedy. This is not a "great" movie, but that doesn't lessen the entertainment factor, which is, often enough, the reason we watch a film more than once. I have no problem with either Joan Crawford or Brian Aherne in the leads. They are both charming and lend the perfect role of sarcastic flirtatiousness called for. If one needs a serious theme to enjoy a film, there is a peripheral theme of class-consciousness. One of the film's highlights is the chemistry between Crawford and Frank Morgan, who plays her father; that's precious stuff. It's easy to praise Arthur Treacher, Jessie Ralph and Eric Blore. But how about Sterling Holloway in a small but memorable role as Aherne's assistant at the archaeological dig? Aline MacMahon, Frank Conroy, all these character actors insure the acting level is high throughout. My only regret is that Granville Bates, the yacht captain, didn't have a more substantial role. From what I've seen of him in My Favorite Wife, I'd say he was brilliant, too. I love these glossy black-and-white early '30s MGM films.

'The Best of Everything' 25 years earlier!

[HotToastyRag · 3/10 · 4 June 2019]

The only reason I stuck through I Live My Life was because I was delighted to see Brian Aherne and Joan Crawford paired up together in their youth, since one of my favorite movies, The Best of Everything, features both of them twenty-five years later. How darling, I thought, to see them young and pretty and falling in love. Unless you love screwball comedies, which I do not, you might not enjoy this movie either.

Joan is a spoiled, vapid, heiress, and while on a cruise along the Greek islands, she meets the hunky archeologist Brian. Brian is straight-forward in his speech and has calluses on his hands, so Joan wants nothing more than a fun vacation fling, but when he takes their affair to heart, she had a minor problem on her hands. She gives Brian a fake name and pretends she's a lowly secretary. The minor problem turns major when Brian follows her home to New York and wants to marry her!

Normally, having the handsome Brian Aherne in love with you isn't a problem. But if you have two completely different lifestyles and neither one is willing to change, and if you have completely different views, goals, and values, it is a problem. Clearly, Joan and Brian are mismatched and shouldn't try to stay together, but since this is a romantic comedy in the 1930s, the movie might not listen to common sense.

Adrian Is Destiny . . .

[tjonasgreen · 7 June 2004]

Talented writer (and later director) Joe Mankiewicz wrote a decent early screwball comedy script with I LIVE MY LIFE, one that in some ways anticipated the much better MY MAN GODFREY of a year later. It meanders a bit, is repetitious and ultimately tedious, but with Clark Gable and Myrna Loy it might have worked.

Joan Crawford didn't have the light touch or resourcefulness needed to make the contrived comedy reversals of this story come to life. The result is that a movie whose script suggests a frothy romp becomes a very strained love story with failed comic overtones. Brian Aherne is tall, handsome, gallant and completely believable as an academic trying to learn how to unwind, rather like Cary Grant in BRINGING UP BABY three years later. Unlike Grant, he hadn't the gifts of comic timing or of charm -- there is something cranky and grudging about him, and maybe this kept him from becoming a star despite his good looks.

But this was a Joan Crawford vehicle, it was tailored for her, and it was she who was expected to carry it. As usual, the broad, strong face is as striking as a Modigliani sculpture but less expressive. Adrian, the great MGM designer so closely associated with her, is largely responsible for providing the illusion of presence and magnetism which Crawford didn't actually have. In this picture he gives her one of her most extreme and frankly ludicrous costumes, and in upstaging her, it exposes the essential flaw in their professional relationship.

Adrian had wit as a designer and his costumes here are all amusing comments on Crawford's character, but they expose rather than enhance her. The worst example seems meant to be a literal suit of armor since Crawford wears it in a scene in which her defensive, self-conscious character realizes she loves Aherne but must give him up in order to save her father from financial reversals. It's rendered in what looks like silver lame, with gigantic panels that fit over each shoulder, open on the sides but completely obscuring her arms from the front -- an armless Athena ready for battle. Less awful but still attention-getting are a series of black suits and dresses which are cluttered with enormous starched white collars and bibs or exploding swags of stiff material suggesting stylized nun's habits.

In contrast, two simple costumes are far less theatrical but more effective in letting us examine Crawford: A backless, halter neck sailor suit is playful and sexy when she wears it without a bra in her first scene. And much later a starkly elegant white satin dressing gown proves to be more beautiful and glamorous than the two wedding gowns she also wears, the second of which uses tiers of orange blossoms to cover up damage her spoiled heiress has done to it. The two pared-down costumes at least allow us to observe the actress and woman for ourselves to decide what we think of her. Little was required of Crawford in this period and she gave very little in return. And we have to wonder if Adrian tried to hide this or was in fact the cause of it: Why should Crawford have learned to feel and act when her collars and sleeves upstaged her in every scene anyway?

Only for Die-Hard JC Fans

[cdale-41392 · 2/10 · 14 January 2019]

The Joan Crawford Experience 18 / 59

Joan Is A Hot Mess

Kay Bentley (Joan Crawford) is a spoiled young socialite on a cruise through the Greek islands with her father (Frank Morgan). During a stop in Naxos Kay goes ashore, rents a donkey and rides into the countryside to see the sights. She stumbles onto an archeological dig supervised by Terry O'Neill (Brian Aherne) and takes a liking to him although he makes it clear that he has no interest in "society ladies" from cruise ships.

He eventually gets rid of her, but she's back the next day and lies to him about who she is. She gives him the name of her father's secretary and lies about being a working girl. She says she's on the cruise to do some work for her boss, the owner of the cruise ship. They spend a wonderful day together and when things get romantic that evening Terry tells "Ann" that he's in love with her ... and she kisses him before running off back to the cruise ship.

Well, that's all Terry needed to decide that he's going to NYC to find her and get married.

It just so happens that the statue he dug up is being exhibited in a museum in NYC where Kay's father is on the board of trustees. They meet, and dear old dad brings him home where Kay is having a party. It's there he discovers Kay is exactly the kind of spoiled rich socialite that he hates so much. He also discovers that she's already engaged to the thoroughly dull Gene Piper (Fred Keating).

The rest of the film is all fighting and apologies all the way up to the altar.

This is not one of Joan's best efforts. The script is a mess, the arguments are shrill, and Brian Aherne is a terrible leading man. Joan's character isn't very likable either.

The best things about the film are Mr. Bentley's butler, Grove (Eric Blore), and Mrs. Gage's butler, Gallup (Arthur Treacher). They're funny in an understated way with just a hint of Gay around the edges.

Only a die-hard Joan Crawford fan would have the stomach for this film; others should avoid it.

Rome Wasn't Burned In a Day

[utgard14 · 5/10 · 11 January 2014]

Misfire MGM comedy that might have worked better with two different leads. Rich brat Joan Crawford meets archaeologist Brian Aherne. Brian's got a thing against rich people so Joan lies and says she's a secretary. Later when he finds out the truth, sparks fly and they yell a lot. But oh those clever writers -- turns out they're just yelling because they're in love. Well they must love each other to the depths of their souls because there's a lot of yelling and fighting in this. It gets worse. The rich people are on the verge of losing everything. So, instead of getting jobs they decide to whore Joan out and force her to marry a rich guy. Anyway, it's all rather unpleasant and not the least bit funny. I didn't really like anybody and the romance was completely forced as Crawford and Aherne had no chemistry.

Screwball comedy a la Crawford!

[TOML-4 · 8/10 · 2 September 1999]

Crawford is very funny in this follow up to the trend started by It Happened One Night. Brian Aherne is miscast, but the are a good looking couple and there is some chemistry there, although not as much as there would be with Tracy or Gable. None-the-less, Crawford added a nice comedy to her dossier and it wears well even today.

Co-Stars are the Charm

[QQMcMudd · 8/10 · 16 March 2006]

After having watched this movie for the third time on TCM, I find a nostalgic and enjoyable quality to this film because of its co-stars. Brian Aherne and Joan Crawford were just wrong for the lead roles. Aherne simply lacked comedic skills and Crawford, who was in her 30's, did not fit the role of a spoiled rich teenager. However, the co-stars were a joy and the reason to watch this movie. Granted this might and probably would be a classic with Gable and Lombard as the leads, but the joy with this film is spending time with Arthur Treacher, Frank Morgan, Eric Blore, and the wonderful Jessie Ralph. It would have been nice to see more of Ms. Ralph as she was terrific in her few scenes as the overbearing and inimitable grandmother. I simply enjoyed my time spent with Treacher and Blore bringing me a whiskey, Morgan trembling around the females, and Ms. Ralph ordering me about. Perhaps, like me, you too will enjoy time well spent with some of filmdom's greatest character actors.

where are Gable and Lombard when you need them

[blanche-2 · 24 August 2011]

Brian Aherne and Joan Crawford declare "I Live My Life" in this 1935 comedy. No one can butcher a comedy like Joan Crawford. After I saw "Susan and God," I found out that it was supposed to be a comedy. The problem with Crawford is that she was such a hard worker, and when you work hard at comedy, it doesn't come off. She was much more successful in drama. Brian Aherne, an excellent actor who was better than most of his roles, just didn't have a grasp of comedic style.

Crawford plays Kay, an heiress in Greece who meets a handsome archaeologist (Aherne). He falls for her, but she hasn't given him her real name and has told him she's a secretary. When he gets to New York, he can't find her. When he does, he finds out she's engaged to someone else.

This could have been much better with Gable and Lombard, or Gable and Myrna Loy. It is a spirited comedy with a terrific supporting cast that includes Aline MacMahon, Arthur Treacher, Eric Blore, and Jessie Ralph. Jessie Ralph, as Kay's grandmother, is a scream.

This is somewhat fun, but it could have been so much more.

The satire isn't subtle but scathing in this Depression-era comedy romance

[SimonJack · 8/10 · 14 March 2023]

To be most enjoyed, "I Live My Life" is one of those movies from the far past that needs to be considered for its time. Many in modern audiences may just see some of the humor of a couple squabbling. And, others may see it as close to screwball comedy. Indeed, my first viewing of it on DVD had me thinking along those lines. But, then I wondered how the people of its day viewed this film. Because amidst all the feuding of the romantic leads, there was obvious satire of the rich of the time. And, after all, this film came out smack dab in the middle of the Great Depression.

So, I did some checking, and watched the film again. It wasn't a great hit, but it did respectively well, finishing the year in the top 50 at the box office, and with an October release. And, there's no doubt that this is a satire, and a really scathing one at that. The punches aren't pulled, and the comedy and humor isn't in subtle references, but quite open and deliberate. Considering that this was MGM, and with the star caliber of the cast, especially the leads, there's little doubt in my mind that this film was an intentional reversal of the standard Hollywood comedies of the day. There were many and they were quite good, very funny, and timeless in their favorable enjoyment by audiences even these many decades later.

Those were the comedy romances with various plots about a young woman or man meeting the right person in the big city, or the rich daughter running away from home. People living through the hardship of the times could set their worries aside and dream or imagine themselves in such situations, or enjoy seeing others having a glamourous life. Those films didn't look down on those who were well to do, but instead offered glimmers of hope for better times and prosperity that perhaps, one day, those in the audience might also enjoy.

Well, "I Live My Life" is a clear departure from any such picture of a well-to-do life that one can enjoy. Instead, it's a clear picture of spoiled people, with no responsibilities, cares or sense of reality of life. The portrayal is clearly overboard and exaggerated, not only in the dialog of Joan Crawford's Kay Bentley, but in the conversations of the people in her circle - those at her party. And, in all of these instances, Brian Aherne's Terry O'Neill is constantly berating and pointing out the meaninglessness of the life of the idle rich. It is the exaggeration and in-your-face confrontations between the two leads that brings out much of the humor, so that people could still laugh. It needed the opposite of someone like O'Neill for Kay Bentley to fall for. Because, had she not met and fallen for him, what humor could be seen in her life as it was, with her social circle and family?

An extra plus in the film, also contributing to the humor, are the roles of two wonderful supporting actors who specialized in comedy as butlers - Eric Blore and Arthur Treacher. The rest of the cast are all very good. I wonder if many others saw the character of the Doctor, as suspicious. While he's supposed to be an advisor to Bentley, he seems to be working against G. P. much of the time. Oh, and catching G. P.'s name is funny when Mrs. Gage (Jessie Ralph) calls him by name, "Gregoricus."

Here are some lines from this prolific and witty screenplay. See the Quotes section under this IMDb Web page for much more humorous dialog.

Kay Bentley, "Well, I'm not really a visitor." Terry O'Neill, "Oh, a native, perhaps?" Kay, "No, wrong again. I'm from that yacht over there." Terry, "Oh, well I beg your pardon. Of course, being off a yacht understandably entitles you to the keys of the city."

Kay Bentley, to the yacht captain, "Mr. Bentley doesn't know Naxos from Jersey City."

Terry O'Neill, "They thought I was hopelessly batty." Kay Bentley, "So do I." Terry, "And, so do I. But crazy or not, here I am, and I am happy."

Kay Bentley, "You know, I think I like archaeology." Terry O'Neill, "Do you know anything about it?" Kay, "I can learn."

Professor, "You'll have to take care of him, Betty. What he doesn't know about women would fill the archeological files of the British Museum."

G. P. Bentley, "I don't know one statue from another, except some of them have arms and some haven't."

Gene Piper, "Nice crowd." Terry O'Neill, "Uh, yes. A lot of people here." Piper, "Oh, not many. Most of 'em have left." Terry, "Oh, is that so?" Piper, "Yes... most of them have gone home." Terry, "Heh... still a lot left, though." Piper, "Uh, not many."

Terry O'Neill, "Your lapels are too long. Where did you have that suit made?" Gene, "My London tailor made this." Terry, "Oh, and where were you at the time?"

Terry O'Neill, "There are millions of people in this country who, if they had one pony, they'd eat it." Man at Kay's party (Arthur Stuart Hull), "I beg your pardon." Terry, "Oh, that's all right."

Terry O'Neill, "You know, you're probably not an unusual type. I just saw a whole room full of people like you. And I guess there must be thousands more in the world. Selfish, thoughtless, spoiled, worthless people without a thought to the world around them.

Kay Bentley, "He's a very nice young man, isn't he?" Grove, "Exceedingly nice, Miss Kay." Kay, "And I'm an exceedingly nasty young woman... Go ahead, say it out loud, Grove." Grove, "Yes, Miss Kay."

Kay Bentley, "You're a sweet soul." G. P. Bentley, "Yes, well, it took you over 20 years to find out what I've known all my life."

Kay Bentley, " Oh, Terry we need her." Terry O'Neill, "For what? To frighten our children?"

agony to sit through

[itsbarrie · 17 November 2002]

There are three major things wrong with this movie: Joan Crawford, playing a role that should have gone to Carole Lombard; and the script, which they must have been writing as they were shooting, and the direction -- you can almost pinpoint the moments when the director must have been screaming "More energy, I want more energy up there!" Joan and Brian Aherne meet cute at an archaelogical dig in Greece, then fall in love (Joan has to lie about her wealthy background), part, Brian travels from Greece to marry her, and then they go back and forth and back and forth -- we love each other, we don't love each other, we're getting married, we're not getting married. It must have been hard on the screenwriters to keep having to come up with endless boring and unplausible reasons for keeping them apart. Obviously, I didn't enjoy this, but I must say you haven't lived until you've watched the scene here where Joan verbally attacks her wedding gown -- honest, like two pages of dialogue -- before ripping it to shreds.