There are two key scenes in this truly riveting pre-code drama that stand out as classics in my mind. First, a scene where Ruth Chatterton, playing a party girl who has married drunken wealthy attorney Clive Brook, orders him to sober up to deal with an important client, and next a scene where Chatterton, feeling out of place at a dinner party she is hosting, gets drunk herself then accuses one of the guests of feeling her up under the table. It must have taken every ounce of energy Chatterton had to rip herself to shreds to give such a raw and draining performance, and while she was nominated for an Oscar that year for the mother love drama "Sarah and Son", it is this performance that stands out that is far more important as far as screen acting goes. She had become a superstar in the early talkie era by starring in a version of "Madame X", and by 1930 was one of the top stars. Practically forgotten by all but the staunchest classic movie fans, she is mainly remembered for her great performance as the cold society wife in "Dodsworth". But in the early 1930's, there was something stunning in her acting, especially since at the time, she was nearing 40, a rare age at the time for somebody to be considered a superstar.
The film starts with Chatterton and a group of friends getting drunk binge drinking with newly divorced attorney Brook who had once defended Chatterton for dancing in a nightclub topless. The next morning, Brook wakes up to find Chatterton with him, and with a hungover glare inquires, "What are you doing here?" He is stunned to find out that they are married, and now he must figure out with the help of his sister (Juliette Compton) how to get out of this mess. But as the initially unconsummated marriage goes on, Brook gets used to having her around and Compton comes to like her. His ex-wife (Virginia Hammond) shows up, and a client of Brooks' (Paul Lukas) declares his love for Chatterton, and eventually the two separate. Chatterton turns to Lukas for comfort, and Hammond tries to win her ex back, but the oddly paired Brook and Chatterton can't seem to get each other out of their heads,.
One of my favorite forgotten character actresses, Cecil Cunningham, appears briefly at the beginning as the drinking pal of Chatterton's, encouraging her to go after Brook, but unfortunately isn't seen past that sequence. Chatterton pretty much owns this film, giving her heart and soul to revealing the inner strengths of this woman who would sacrifice her own happiness to cure the man she deeply loves of that dreaded psychological disease called alcoholism. Brook has a staid manner that makes him boring while sober but brings out his hidden passions while drunk. Having just seen him play a similar character opposite Kay Francis and Miriam Hopkins in the 1931 drama "24 Hours", I was impressed by the subtle difference in these two characters. Lukas, a dashing Hungarian actor, played both heroes and scoundrels and was always urbane and charming no matter what the part. This is a strong drama because it shows the strength of a wife who strains herself in standing by and supporting her husband, even at the risk of her own happiness, and Chatterton makes her confrontation scene more about love and caring than power and manipulation. It's one of the great dramatic screen performances of all time, and one that deserves more attention from a pretty much forgotten film and star.
The film starts with Chatterton and a group of friends getting drunk binge drinking with newly divorced attorney Brook who had once defended Chatterton for dancing in a nightclub topless. The next morning, Brook wakes up to find Chatterton with him, and with a hungover glare inquires, "What are you doing here?" He is stunned to find out that they are married, and now he must figure out with the help of his sister (Juliette Compton) how to get out of this mess. But as the initially unconsummated marriage goes on, Brook gets used to having her around and Compton comes to like her. His ex-wife (Virginia Hammond) shows up, and a client of Brooks' (Paul Lukas) declares his love for Chatterton, and eventually the two separate. Chatterton turns to Lukas for comfort, and Hammond tries to win her ex back, but the oddly paired Brook and Chatterton can't seem to get each other out of their heads,.
One of my favorite forgotten character actresses, Cecil Cunningham, appears briefly at the beginning as the drinking pal of Chatterton's, encouraging her to go after Brook, but unfortunately isn't seen past that sequence. Chatterton pretty much owns this film, giving her heart and soul to revealing the inner strengths of this woman who would sacrifice her own happiness to cure the man she deeply loves of that dreaded psychological disease called alcoholism. Brook has a staid manner that makes him boring while sober but brings out his hidden passions while drunk. Having just seen him play a similar character opposite Kay Francis and Miriam Hopkins in the 1931 drama "24 Hours", I was impressed by the subtle difference in these two characters. Lukas, a dashing Hungarian actor, played both heroes and scoundrels and was always urbane and charming no matter what the part. This is a strong drama because it shows the strength of a wife who strains herself in standing by and supporting her husband, even at the risk of her own happiness, and Chatterton makes her confrontation scene more about love and caring than power and manipulation. It's one of the great dramatic screen performances of all time, and one that deserves more attention from a pretty much forgotten film and star.