THE EASIEST WAY is an outstanding film, despite its shortcomings. As so many early talkies it has rather poorly developed episodes, while the film covers a period of about 5 years: At the beginning of the film Laura and her sister Peg still live at home with their parents in New York. Later, Peg got married and she lives with her spouse and child in a house in the country.
The varied & brilliantly photographed scenes make it really entertaining: The camera climbing up the skyscraper and into the photo studio's, the opening scene of the poor New York apartment with the whole family lying in their beds, the scene of Bennett and Montgomery on horseback and sitting by the lake.
It's professionally acted by the entire cast (save Robert Montgomery). Beautiful Constance Bennett makes her character of the dreamy and uncertain girl totally believable : With a restrained, anxious attitude, never totally at ease. (In real life Bennett had a somewhat different character !) And Anita Page as her more earthy sister. Clark Gable has a small but important role, one of his very first - and he looks quite natural. Robert Montgomery was better and believable in 1931's INSPIRATION with Garbo. But here in his role as a journalist he is pretty annoying. Adolphe Menjou comes across as more sympathetic. And Marjorie Rambeau plays her usual role but she is amazing.
The final christmas scene is very unusual and beautiful. It's like a scene in a dream : It uplifts the whole film.
Should be seen in a theater for maximum impact.
The varied & brilliantly photographed scenes make it really entertaining: The camera climbing up the skyscraper and into the photo studio's, the opening scene of the poor New York apartment with the whole family lying in their beds, the scene of Bennett and Montgomery on horseback and sitting by the lake.
It's professionally acted by the entire cast (save Robert Montgomery). Beautiful Constance Bennett makes her character of the dreamy and uncertain girl totally believable : With a restrained, anxious attitude, never totally at ease. (In real life Bennett had a somewhat different character !) And Anita Page as her more earthy sister. Clark Gable has a small but important role, one of his very first - and he looks quite natural. Robert Montgomery was better and believable in 1931's INSPIRATION with Garbo. But here in his role as a journalist he is pretty annoying. Adolphe Menjou comes across as more sympathetic. And Marjorie Rambeau plays her usual role but she is amazing.
The final christmas scene is very unusual and beautiful. It's like a scene in a dream : It uplifts the whole film.
Should be seen in a theater for maximum impact.