Generally, when we watch movies we place our own morals and ethics upon the characters and decide if we like them or not based upon that. It's not a bad thing at all. We use those same metrics throughout our life for who we befriend, who we take on as business partners, who we have a drink with, etc.
In "The Trespasser" Marion Donnell (Gloria Swanson) impressed me then disgusted me in two decisions.
The movie began with her very giddy about eloping with Jack Merrick (Robert Ames), the son of a wealthy man named John Merrick Sr. (William Holden, not the William Holden from "Sunset Blvd."--another Gloria Swanson movie). While she and Jack were on their honeymoon they were intruded upon by an impertinent Mr. Merrick. How could his society son run off and marry a lowly typist? The scandal would ruin the Merrick name.
As Merrick Sr was verbally undressing Junior and berating his wife within her earshot, Junior barely registered a defense of his new wife. Marion demanded that Jack defend her and break free of his tyrannical father. After a few weak assertions from the son, the father convinced him to annul his marriage so that Marion could be properly vetted and married the proper way. Well, Marion had heard enough. To her credit, she stormed out of their bed-and-breakfast swearing never to speak to Jack again.
At that moment I had all the respect in the world for Marion. Her dignity was worth more than money. She didn't marry Jack for his millions and she couldn't care less about them; all she wanted was the man she loved and she wanted him to defend her.
The movie then jumped forward 18 months and Marion had a baby. It was Jack's son though she never told him. She was back working again to take care of herself and her baby boy named Jackie (Wally Albright). She was in a bad way. She was up to her eyeballs in debt and stressed to the gills about it. She was given a way out of her situation when her married older boss, Hector Ferguson (Purnell Pratt), made her his mistress. She and her son lived comfortably after that.
It was then that I lost all the respect I had for her. Look, I know that people will do almost anything to feed their children, and she did attempt to reconnect with the child's father, but I think she could've tried harder. At her lowest point she allowed Hector to be her savior. But he didn't just help her out temporarily, she became his side chick for a couple of years! When she was childless her dignity was not for sale, but when she had a baby to feed her dignity had a price tag.
Marion had another pivotal decision to make when Hector Ferguson died. On his deathbed he begged for Marion to come to his side and she did so, right in front of his wife. That was a case of poor judgment getting poorer. You were already entertaining the fancies of a married man because of what he could do for you, no doubt, then you further humiliated his wife by showing up to his bedside in his final hours. The papers had a field day with that spectacle.
When Hector left $500,000 to Marion she had had enough. She was not going to allow herself to be dragged through the mud. And when there was speculation that her son may be Hector's, that was the impetus she needed to reach out to Jackie's father and let him know he had a son.
It seemed that Marion had fixed her moral compass. It took her seeing the defeated face of Hector's wife and the predatory behavior of the press for her to see the error of her ways. But she was faced with yet another moral decision.
After she got in touch with Jack Merrick again she was torn about whether or not to inform him that he had a child. Her nanny convinced her that if the Merricks knew about the boy they'd take him from her. Papa Merrick would take her to court and surely win custody. So, after inviting Jack over to meet his son, she did an about-face and again kept the news secret. That is until Jack saw the little boy, then the secret was a secret no more.
Jack said he'd take care of Marion and the boy. It'd be just the three of them like it was supposed to be all along. But wait a minute... Jack was married to Catherine (Kay Hammond), so how was that going to work? Again, something Marion hadn't even considered. All she thought about was whether or not Jack would break away from his father. So, again she was thrust into a situation where she would play homewrecker. This time she left the child in his father's capable hands and went away. And again I questioned her decision making skills.
Was it too much to remain in Chicago near the baby's father so that the two of you could raise the child together? Whether Jackie remained with Marion or Jack, if the two stayed in close proximity (which Jack could've arranged), that would've been the best possible solution for all involved parties. It seemed to me that at this point in the movie Marion decided that running away was her best option. I don't want to say that she had a litany of no-win decisions, but she wasn't blameless either for the predicaments she found herself in.
Marion chased love, then security, then absolution, then redemption, and finally anonymity. What she should've found is that no decision is easy, but that when you make your bed you lie in it.
Free on YouTube.
In "The Trespasser" Marion Donnell (Gloria Swanson) impressed me then disgusted me in two decisions.
The movie began with her very giddy about eloping with Jack Merrick (Robert Ames), the son of a wealthy man named John Merrick Sr. (William Holden, not the William Holden from "Sunset Blvd."--another Gloria Swanson movie). While she and Jack were on their honeymoon they were intruded upon by an impertinent Mr. Merrick. How could his society son run off and marry a lowly typist? The scandal would ruin the Merrick name.
As Merrick Sr was verbally undressing Junior and berating his wife within her earshot, Junior barely registered a defense of his new wife. Marion demanded that Jack defend her and break free of his tyrannical father. After a few weak assertions from the son, the father convinced him to annul his marriage so that Marion could be properly vetted and married the proper way. Well, Marion had heard enough. To her credit, she stormed out of their bed-and-breakfast swearing never to speak to Jack again.
At that moment I had all the respect in the world for Marion. Her dignity was worth more than money. She didn't marry Jack for his millions and she couldn't care less about them; all she wanted was the man she loved and she wanted him to defend her.
The movie then jumped forward 18 months and Marion had a baby. It was Jack's son though she never told him. She was back working again to take care of herself and her baby boy named Jackie (Wally Albright). She was in a bad way. She was up to her eyeballs in debt and stressed to the gills about it. She was given a way out of her situation when her married older boss, Hector Ferguson (Purnell Pratt), made her his mistress. She and her son lived comfortably after that.
It was then that I lost all the respect I had for her. Look, I know that people will do almost anything to feed their children, and she did attempt to reconnect with the child's father, but I think she could've tried harder. At her lowest point she allowed Hector to be her savior. But he didn't just help her out temporarily, she became his side chick for a couple of years! When she was childless her dignity was not for sale, but when she had a baby to feed her dignity had a price tag.
Marion had another pivotal decision to make when Hector Ferguson died. On his deathbed he begged for Marion to come to his side and she did so, right in front of his wife. That was a case of poor judgment getting poorer. You were already entertaining the fancies of a married man because of what he could do for you, no doubt, then you further humiliated his wife by showing up to his bedside in his final hours. The papers had a field day with that spectacle.
When Hector left $500,000 to Marion she had had enough. She was not going to allow herself to be dragged through the mud. And when there was speculation that her son may be Hector's, that was the impetus she needed to reach out to Jackie's father and let him know he had a son.
It seemed that Marion had fixed her moral compass. It took her seeing the defeated face of Hector's wife and the predatory behavior of the press for her to see the error of her ways. But she was faced with yet another moral decision.
After she got in touch with Jack Merrick again she was torn about whether or not to inform him that he had a child. Her nanny convinced her that if the Merricks knew about the boy they'd take him from her. Papa Merrick would take her to court and surely win custody. So, after inviting Jack over to meet his son, she did an about-face and again kept the news secret. That is until Jack saw the little boy, then the secret was a secret no more.
Jack said he'd take care of Marion and the boy. It'd be just the three of them like it was supposed to be all along. But wait a minute... Jack was married to Catherine (Kay Hammond), so how was that going to work? Again, something Marion hadn't even considered. All she thought about was whether or not Jack would break away from his father. So, again she was thrust into a situation where she would play homewrecker. This time she left the child in his father's capable hands and went away. And again I questioned her decision making skills.
Was it too much to remain in Chicago near the baby's father so that the two of you could raise the child together? Whether Jackie remained with Marion or Jack, if the two stayed in close proximity (which Jack could've arranged), that would've been the best possible solution for all involved parties. It seemed to me that at this point in the movie Marion decided that running away was her best option. I don't want to say that she had a litany of no-win decisions, but she wasn't blameless either for the predicaments she found herself in.
Marion chased love, then security, then absolution, then redemption, and finally anonymity. What she should've found is that no decision is easy, but that when you make your bed you lie in it.
Free on YouTube.