When Ladies Meet

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Movie
Original title When Ladies Meet
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1941
length 105 minutes
Rod
Director Robert Z. Leonard
script SK Lauren ,
Anita Loos
production Orville O. Dull ,
Robert Z. Leonard for MGM
music Bronislau caper
camera Robert H. Planck
cut Robert Kern
occupation

When Ladies Meet is a 1941 American comedy film with a star cast that includes Joan Crawford , Robert Taylor, and Greer Garson . Directed by Robert Z. Leonard .

action

Journalist Jimmy Lee has long been in love with well-known author Mary Howard. At a reception given by the wealthy, slightly over-the-top society lady Bridget Drake, he spontaneously proposes to her. To his surprise, Mary calmly refuses to become his wife. She fell head over heels in love with her publisher Rogers Woodruff, who also made advances for her. Meanwhile, his friendly and well-behaved wife Claire has no idea of ​​the affair. Jimmy, who desperately wants to win Mary over, threads an intrigue by secretly putting Claire on Bridget Drake's guest list as well as himself when she is holding a glamorous weekend get-together in the country.

While Jimmy is flirting with Claire, Claire still has no idea what secret connects her husband to the cultivated and courteous Mary. Jimmy and Claire finally agree to start a pretend relationship in order to make Mary jealous. Not knowing that Claire is Rogers' wife, Mary confesses to her one evening that she is in love with a married man. When Rogers also arrives at the scene, Claire finally learns of her husband's affair. A dramatic argument ensues, whereupon Claire decides to leave Rogers. After she drives off in a taxi, Rogers follows her ruefully. Deeply moved and embarrassed, Mary realizes how hopeless her love for Rogers is. She gives it up and accepts Jimmy's proposal.

background

Since the late 1930s, Joan Crawford's career at MGM has been in an ongoing crisis. The studio rarely offered her roles that exploited her dramatic talent and spent more money on spectacular costumes on her films than on a good script. Thanks to three films with George Cukor , including The Woman with the Scar , the actress was able to consolidate her status somewhat. Meanwhile, however, there were new competitors for good roles at MGM with Katharine Hepburn and above all with Greer Garson .

Filming was civilized and well-mannered despite the professional rivalry between the two female stars. However, the actual power relations in the studio appeared shortly before the end of production, as Garson for her performance in Blossoms in the Dust her second Oscar received nomination, while Crawford, some of glowing reviews from the trade press for her role in the woman's face was , has been ignored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . When Crawford asked for the cast in Found Years and Madame Curie , both roles went to Greer Garson, who once again enjoyed great success with critics and audiences with these films. 1943 Joan Crawford left MGM to at Warner Brothers for her performance in Mildred Pierce the Oscar for Best Actress win.

Even decades later, Joan Crawford couldn't find a good word for the film. She told Roy Newquist:

“I can only say the worst about When Ladies Meet . Terrible story, terrible script, and I have my doubts any actress could have played that damn crap believably. Adrian dressed me up great as usual and that's the only positive thing I can say about it. Robert Taylor and Greer Garson were wasted too, so I shouldn't complain too much. "

When Ladies Meet is based on the play of the same name by Rachel Crothers , which brought it to 173 performances on Broadway in the winter season 1932/33 , in which Spring Byington played the role of Bridget Drake as in the film. MGM filmed the material in 1933 with Ann Harding , Robert Montgomery and Myrna Loy in the leading roles, also as When Ladies Meet .

Theatrical release

At a cost of just $ 640,000, When Ladies Meet was an extremely cheap production despite the star cast. The box office results were respectable at $ 1,162,000 in the US without being great. International revenues were $ 684,000 and with total earnings of $ 1,846,000, the studio ended up making a profit of $ 607,000.

Awards

At the Academy Awards in 1942 , the film received a nomination in the category:

Reviews

Most critics found the script to be banal.

Bosley Crowther wrote in the New York Times :

“In this chatty banality, Joan Crawford plays a writer with impressive but not poignant intensity while dressed in the most spectacular of costumes. Robert Taylor does his job well - even surprisingly well - as a lively newspaper reporter […]. Greer Garson is beautiful and sincere in her ungrateful role of the publisher's wife, […] and Herbert Marshall shows his usual sad face as a publisher. Spring Byington contributes most of the humor to the film as a silly and tactless lady. "

Howard Barnes was n't particularly fond of the New York Herald Tribune either:

“As an author who believes she can destroy a marriage in a very civilized way, Joan Crawford [...] makes a fuss about her apartment or poses in impressive costumes. She has little more to do than talk about true love or the problems with writing. Even if she wears glasses, she is not very convincing in the role. "

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Roy Newquist: Conversations With Joan Crawford . Citadel Press, Secaucus, NJ, 1980.
  2. ↑ I have nothing but the worst to say for When Ladies Meet . Terrible story, terrible script, and I doubt that any actress could have made the goddam thing believable. Adrian dressed me divinely, as usual, and that's the only good thing I can say for it. Robert Taylor and Greer Garson were wasted, too, so I shouldn't complain too much.
  3. ↑ In this loquacious trifle, Joan Crawford plays the lady novelist with impressive but unaffecting intensity, robed in the most spectacular gowns. Robert Taylor does all right - in fact, he does surprisingly well - as the bouncing newspaper writer […]. Greer Garson is lovely and sincere in the thankless role of the publisher's wife, […] and Herbert Marshall, as the publisher, is his usual sad-faced self. Spring Byington gives to the picture most of the humor it has as a silly and tactless lady. Reference see here: joancrawfordbest.com
  4. ↑ Joan Crawford […] as the novelist, who tries to be very civilized about breaking up a marriage, feet about her terrace apartment or postures in striking gowns, with little more to do than talk about true love or problems of writing. Even when she wears shows, she is not particularly convincing in the part. Reference see here joancrawfordbest.com