The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (1937)

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Movie
German title A lady of society
Original title The Last of Mrs. Cheyney
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1937
length 99 minutes
Rod
Director Richard Boleslawski ,
Dorothy Arzner (without credit) ,
George Fitzmaurice (without credit)
script Leon Gordon ,
Samson Raphaelson ,
Monckton Hoffe ,
George Oppenheimer
production Lawrence Weingarten for MGM
music Herbert Stothart
camera George J. Folsey
cut Frank Sullivan
occupation

The Last of Mrs. Cheyney is an American film adaptation of the play of the same name by Frederick Lonsdale with Joan Crawford , William Powell and Robert Montgomery . The director Richard Boleslawski died during filming, the film was completed by George Fitzmaurice and Dorothy Arzner . The two directors received no credit for the film.

action

Playboy Lord Arthur Dilling meets the mysterious Fay Cheyney, a rich widow from America, at the manorial country estate of Lord Francis Kelton. Mrs. Cheyney is a welcome guest in the highest social circles, who is able to enchant with wit, charm and esprit. At the invitation of the wealthy Duchess of Ebely, Lord Arthur's aunt, Mrs. Cheyney spends the weekend with Arthur. Little does he know that Fay is actually a con artist who is after the Duchess's jewels. However, Mrs. Cheyney's plan goes completely wrong and the amorous Arthur wants to marry her.

Things are complicated with the appearance of Charles, Fay Cheyney's confidante. Finally, Arthur surprises Fay with his aunt's jewelry in hand. He wants to blackmail Fay into sleeping with him, but she indignantly refuses. Instead, she confesses her secret to the other guests. At the end of the numerous entanglements, those involved agree not to pursue the incident any further. Meanwhile, Fay has discovered her love for Arthur. The film ends with the wedding of the two.

background

The Last of Mrs. Cheyney was one of the great hits of Broadway's 1925-26 season. With Helen Hayes in the title role, the comedy had 385 performances. A first film adaptation with Norma Shearer and Basil Rathbone , directed by Sidney Franklin, came from 1929. Joan Crawford took the role in exchange with Myrna Loy , who instead played the part intended for Crawford in Parnell alongside Clark Gable . The director was Richard Boleslawski , who died during the filming. Even George Fitzmaurice , who initially continued the work, became ill, so finally Dorothy Arzner brought the project to an end. Crawford, under the influence of her second husband Franchot Tone, had tried to expand her range of roles. Instead of easy romances, she aimed for demanding roles. The fans, however, rejected the move and after a number of financially unsuccessful films, including Burning Fire of Passion and The Bride Wore Red , the actress found herself on a list of actors who were allegedly box office poison in mid-1938 .

Joan Crawford regretted accepting the role all her life. She confessed to Roy Newquist with her own openness:

"Years later, when I think of 'Mrs. Cheyney 'thought I could have kicked my own ass. I wasn't as bad as I was on Rain , but I had personal problems during the shoot and I let the studio get its way. Overall, it was a beautifully produced film, but I only did three quarters of the job. If I had really played the role perfectly, I would certainly have been nominated for an Oscar. "

1951 came with Greer Garson a remake under the title The crook and the lady in the distribution.

Theatrical release

Production costs were $ 741,000. At the box office, the film was surprisingly successful, grossing $ 1,107,000 in the United States, with a further $ 690,000 coming from overseas markets. It ended up with a cumulative result of $ 1,797,000. The studio made a profit of $ 460,000.

Reviews

The reviews were benevolent at best. The film was felt to be too long and too dialog-heavy.

Cecelia Ager wrote an assessment in The Nation :

“It is good to see that in 'The Last of Mrs. Cheyney' Joan Crawford finally achieved the performance she has strived for all these years. Now she looks every actor straight in the eyes with calm serenity, no matter how English he may be, and is well aware of the calm superiority of her pronunciation. "

literature

  • Roy Newquist (Ed.): Conversations with Joan Crawford . Citadel Press, Secaucus, NJ 1980, ISBN 0-8065-0720-9 .
  • Lawrence J. Quirk : The Complete Films of Joan Crawford . Citadel Press, Secaucus, NJ 1988, ISBN 0-8065-1078-1 .
  • Lawrence J. Quirk, William Schoell: Joan Crawford. The Essential Biography . University Press, Lexington, KY. 2002, ISBN 0-8131-2254-6 .
  • Alexander Walker: Joan Crawford. The Ultimate Star . Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London 1983, ISBN 0-297-78216-9 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ For years every time I though of "Mrs. Cheyney “I wanted to kick myself around the block. I didn't stink, like I did in "Rain," but at the time the film was made I was having personal problems and I let them get in the way. It showed; it was a beautifully put-together film, all the way, but I only did a three-quarter job. If I'd done it right I'm sure I'd have been nominated for an Oscar.
  2. ↑ It is comforting to see in The Last of Mrs. Cheyney that Joan Crawford has at last attained the manner she's been striving for. Now she quietly looks any actor, no matter how English, straight in the eye, confident of the mastered casualness of her own pronunciation.